Evening star., 1939-05-21
White House Staff
Planning Carefully
For Royal Guests
King and Queen Won't
Be RudeIy Awakened
By Alarm Clocks

tllc uldllN VI
average American life with which
Great Britains King and Queen
will not come in contact during
their visit to Washington is at
least one thing most Americans
would be glad to do without-an
alarm clock.
Their majesties' only night in
Washington will be spent at the
White House, in whose guest bed
rooms that most unpleasant sound
of an alarm clock going off never
is heard. The only alarm clocks
in the White House are in the
servants quarters.
So, if the King or Queen want
to wake up early they will have to
depend on one of the royal func-
tionaries to see to it. Maybe it
could be arranged for one of the
White House servants who has an
alarm clock to awaken one of the
royal servants and so on-or maybe
the King and Queen can wake
up without any outside aid at all.
Anyway, when their majesties
do awaken, they will have only 10
push button to get cup of hot
tea, or breakfast in bed if they want
1t. and they will find their clothes
nicely pressed and their shoes
neatly shined.
Clothes Won't Be Sent Out.
Their majesties' servants won't
have to send their clothes and
shoes out for the pressing and
shining, either-there's a room in
the White House all fitted out for
that sort of thing, available to the
Wallets and maids of all White
House guests.
And If BERTHE or Betty, as the
London papers say personal friends
call King George and Queen Eliza
beth, happen to think of somebody
they'd like to ring up and saw good
morning to, they will find a tele-
phone In each of their bedrooms.
These points came to light yes
terday in a discussion with Mrs.
Henry Nesbit, gray-haired, pleasant
and efficient housekeeper for the
Roosevelts, about how the White
House is prepared to care for its
royal guests June SO.
It's her job to see that the rooms
occupied by the royal party are all
shlp-s shape, to order the food for
them and to make sure that the
- White House service functions
smoothly.
House Cleaning Moved Up.
Shes taking the royal visit in her
stride, and really is more concerned
about the forthcoming White House
reception to newspaper correspond
ents than about the state dinner for
the King and Queen-simply be-
cause she will have so many more
to feed at the former.
The royal visit has moved up
"spring house cleaning" at the
White House few weeks, but then.
Mrs. Nesbit explains, house cleaning
really is going on at the White
House all the time-they have to
take advantage of slack seasons and
when the family is away to do what
ever repainting and such that may
be necessary.
Everything is ready for the King
and Queen now, she said, except
such details as laying in a supply
of any special sorts of food they
might like for breakfast. She will
try to have on hand whatever the
royal taste might desire.
Menus for the informal luncheon
and formal dinner June 8 already
have been planned, but the King and
Queen,will have their say about what
they want for breakfast June g. Mrs.
Nesbit expects Mrs. Roosevelt will
ascertain that, as she usually does
when there are overnight guests at
the White House, and pass on the
word to the kitchen
1t will be up to the King and Queen
to decide, too, whether they want to
have breakfast in bed and what time
they want it. Breakfast is one thing
that never is scheduled at all rigidly
at the White House, Mrs. Nesbit ex-
planned.
American Foods Favored.
For the luncheon and dinner
menus during the visit of royalty,
Mrs. Nesbit is sticking to American
foods because she thinks that when
anybody is visiting foreign country
they might like to sample the foods
popular in that country. Too, she
has heard that the King and Queen
prefer simple, American-type meals.
For the formal dinner, there will
be clam cocktail, calves head soup,
broiled fllet of founder mushroom
and wine sauce, sliced tomatoes,
boned capon, cranberry sauce, peas,
butter beets, sweet potato puffs,
frozen cheese and cress salad, maple
and almond ice cream and coffee.
For luncheon June 8, the royal
party will be served minted melon
balls. jellied bouillon, broiled sweet
breads with mushrooms, asparagus
and potato chips, hearts of lettuce
with roquefort dressing, strawberry
shortcake and coffee
Oh yes, about tea-of which the
King and Queen, like all the British
ers you ever heard of-are quite
fond. Mrs Roosevelt has what Mrs.
Nesbit considers very superior
blend, that will be available to their
majesties. but if they should bring
along some of their special China
and Ceylon blend and prefer it
well, that will be all right with the