Evening star., 1942-07-19
Washington Learns
lis Fun TO Entertain
Visiting Royalty
Protocol Division Takes
Pains to Coter TO
Tastes and Interests
BY CLARKE BEACH,
Wide World.


has discovered that it's good busi-
ness. good politics, and sometimes
let of fun to entertain kings and
queens. presidents and prime min
listers. princes and princeSses, dukes
and duchesses.
For several years they have been
trooping into Washington so often
that you never know when you are
going to sec a member of a royal
family driving down Constitution
avenue.
The royal or presidential recep-
tions have been developed into quite
a pageant No bows, fancy cos
tunes, trumpets and gilded coaches
such AS royalty use in some Euro
pean countries when they greet one
another, It's all-American, from
handShakes to hot dogs; parades
bands, flags, bunting, speeches and
official calls provide the spectacle.
Let Siar1ese Down.
This fuss and fanfare is some
thing new. Time was when a king
or president might have slipped
into Washington almost unnoticed.
In fact, some years ago a group of
very distinguished personages from
Siam came to this country On an
official visit, landed in Boston, and,
finding one one to greet them, reg
istered at hotel and quietly waited
to be noticed.
Washington officials knew they
were on their way, but, as such
matters were handled then, they
just waited in Washington for them
to turn up. Finally, they heard
about the Siamese sitting around in
Boston, and they sent some one
to Bring them to the Capital
The big change came after Pres
ident Roosevelt and Secretary of
State Hull had paid official visits
to Canada and Latin America. So
impressive were the ceremonies with
which they were greeted in the
other American capitals that they
decided we ought to put ourselves
out a little more to make important
visitors realize their visits were ap-
preciated.
Ready for Somoza.
The State Department went to
work, and by the time President
AnaStasio Somoza' of Nicaragua
came to town in May, 1899. they
were ready. The visitor trod a tri-
lhnphal path through lines of SOL
diers, sailors and marines standing
at attention from the Union Sta
tlon to the White House A 21-gun
salute was fired at the station.
tanks and cavalry thundered down
Constitution avenue with President
Somoza, planes roared and circled
overhead, flags of his country and
ours decked the lampposts, and the
Marine Band played.
But the State Department experts
shook their heads. Not enough
"oomph," they decided. There must
be more bands, and the action must
be faster; not such long DELAYS for
handshaking and SO forth.
BY the next month those changes
were made. and the big welcoming
pageant for the King and Queen
OF England was acclaimed by all
as a success.
Summerlin Is Arranger.
The whole business of entertain
Ing visiting dignitaries of cabinet
rank or higher is handled bv Is
men and women in the State De-
partment Protocol Division. When
Ine president or Secretary Hull tells
George t. Summerlin, Chief of Pro-
tocol, that an important visitor is
coming, he and his staff get to work
months ahead, planning the visit
minute by minute, step by step. One
OF his staff, usually he or Stanley
woodward, assistant chief, meets the
visitor at the border or at the port
OF entry and remains with him
until he departs.
Ihelr Job is to see to it that all
goes smoothly, that the visitor is
not embarrassed by misunderstand-
lngs or delays, that he sees what
he wants and has a good time,
they write, telephone or wire hun
dreds OF times to police, the FBI
the Secret Service, MAYORS. plant
managers, entertainers, public 6fS-
Gals and transportation men ar
ranging the last detail. They advise
hosts and hostesses as to the order
OF precedence, proper presentations
and procedure.
Behind the scenes, the setup is as
studied and complex as a movie set:
on the surface, the appearance is
american hospitality at its best
nearly, generous, thoughtful.
Often Revise Schedules.
Long before the visit. in confer
ences with the foreign ambassador,
they try to arrange the program to
suit the tastes of the visitor. Often
they revise the tentative schedules
after the foreign rulers have looked
them over and expressed a desire
to do something not on the pro-
gram.
The King and Queen of England.
FOR instance, said they wanted to
see the New York Worlds Fair.
President-Elect Alfonso Lopez of