Evening star., 1941-01-19
White House Is Oldest IS. Building Here
Used by Executive Families Since John Adams,
But Has Remained Beautiful in Simplicity

Pennsylvania avenue NV. today,
more than ever before, is a center
of attraction as the world crisis
grows in scope and intensity and as,
for the first time in American his
tory, 1t is to be occupied by the
same President for longer than
eight years.
Oldest Federal building in the
Capital, the White House is lovely
in its simple dignity 1t is set apart
from the gaudy palaces of kings and
the spectacular retreats" of dicta-
tors by its appealing, home like
character and the quiet charm of
its setting
Here have lived all the Presidents
and their families except George
Washington, and today, modestly
enlarged and not too thoroughly
modernized within. it carries out
precisely Hoban's graceful original
design
The eyes Of the world are on the
White House-but its story is not
only a chronicle of great events; it
Is, essentially, the human story OF
all the Presidents as they have lived
there en- famille About it. cluster
countless memories and traditions
Of the hundreds of men, women and
children who have called the Execu-
tive Mansion home"
When John and Abigail Adams
moved into the Presidents Palace -
it was unfinished and Washington
itself was an unkempt village begged
down in mud. One of many diff
culties confronting the Adamses was
to get enough wood to keep the place
dry and warm. Also, Mrs. Adams
repeatedly lamnted the absence of
bells and likewise complained. Il
have no looking glasses but Gwarfs;
nor Goth part lamps enough TO
light it."
Bells Finally Hung.
The bells Mrs. Adams wanted
were hung after Thomas Jefferson
got into the White House.
Jefferson had a grand, informal
time Of it in the Presidents House,
tossed social precedent out the
window, received guests in slippers
and dressing gown and once was
sent a 1.325-pound cheese labeled
the greatest cheese in America fol
the greatest man in America"
The White House was burned by
the British during James Madison
occupancy. Dolly Madison was
probably the most famous hostess
ever to preside there. Her affairs
had tone, and when she had one
servant for each dinner guest. the
eagle, in the form of the political
opposition, screamed in anguish.
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt SET
a precedent more recently when
she entertained the wives of Grid
iron Club members while the Pres
ident was attending one of the
organizations famous dinners. But
Mrs. Madison had the same idea
years before, when she had the
cabinet ladies over while an official
dinner of the Presidents advisers
was in progress.
Almost every White House occu-
pant has had something to do with
decorating, redecorating, refurbish-
ing or rebuilding the home. 1t was
not untiATheodore Roosevelt insisted
on comprehensive plan of recon-
struction and redecoration that the
job was done Systematically.
The house became a hodge-podge
and, at one fell swoop, Socialite
Chester A. Arthur shipped away "a
carloads of stuff, ranging from
beds to cracked cups and from
wrinkled mirrors to old cookstoves.
Trouble for Msnroes.
The Monroes got into trouble with
Congress for buying French furni-
ture. This battle lasted for years,
with congressional patriots demand
ing that the White House use only
goods made in this country and
its occupants insisting on furnish
ingS a la Versailles.
John Quincy Adams Is the only