Evening star., 1942-06-14
Wartime Trend
Finds Socialites
Here Changing
Only Embassies.
With Noted Guests,
Playing as Usual
Continued From Page DID

important names have discovered |
there is really work to be done. |
Most private parties are breaking
I'D now around II p,m.-and often |
earlier, so as not to miss the last
busl
Invitations now not infrequently |.
contain an added note on how to
get out by bus or streetcar. The
gasoline ration is contributing to
the informality in fashion. Don't
bother to dress" is becoming a gen.
eral rule.
This doesn't mean that life is
dull in the Capital. Far from it.
Entertaining is taking the form OF
cocktail parties, teas, small dinners
Of 8 to II guests and buffet suppers.
The latter are becoming increasingly
popular as the answer to the hostess
wartime problems.
She can set her table and say
to the prospective guest who has
no idea when an important war
production conference will emo,
Come when you can get away.
Buffet suppers are more informal.
They require less service, and many
is the household that is losing its
cook to a Government agency.
In years past this was town
where hoSteSseS Wed with each
other in giving splash parties. But
about the only one continuing the
old-scale elaborate big parties Is
Mrs. Evalyn Walsh Mclean, whose
father struck it rich in the Rockies.
The Mclean estate, Friendship,
out on Wisconsin avenue, was over
taken by Washington's need Tor
housing for war workers. The vast
acreage, where President Harding
played golf, was sold to the Govern
ment, and Mrs. Mclean gave her
last party there New Year eve.
Then she moved her parties-oO
guests is just a sort of family sup
per gathering-to a new Friendship,
q Georgetown house.
Many of the city's magnlflcent
big homes, such as those along
fashionable Massachusetts avenue,
are closed or are being used by war
agencies. The American Womens
Voluntary Services have headquar-
ters in the large stable back of the
many-room mansion belonging TO
the late Mrs. Richard Townsend,
mother of Mrs. Sumner WelleS,
whose husband is Undersecretary OF
State. The Welles live on a palatlal
Maryland estate.
The British Purchasing Agency
has taken over the ultraeXpenSlVe
apartment building where the late
Secretary of the Treasury Mellon
lived. The Joseph Letter mansion
is occupied by war agency. DIS
trict Red Cross workers wrap
bandages in the Mclean townhouSe.
There are still parties at the
embassies and legations. But the
character of diplomatic entertain
ing has changed. Parties, unless
they are small and private, are
usually in honor Of visiting official
from the homeland or in observance
of some special national event,
The legations and embassies of
the occupied countries are oper-
ating on limited expense budgets
for entertaining. The Netherlands
representatives entertained at a
small dinner for Crown Princess
Juliana on her recent visit here.
The Norwegians entertained mod
estly for Crown Princess Martha,
who is living with her small chill
dren in Maryland. The Greeks
gave a big reception for their visit
ing monarch. George II.
The British Embassy, a top-rung
on the social ladder, has elimi-
mated garden parties and large din
ners. Entertaining is very simple,
but the guest of honor may be
Prime Minister Churchill or the
Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The Russians lead in lavish
parties. The Brazilians are next.
There is still something of the
fiesta spirit among the South and
Central Americans.
Washington has always been
town of home entertaining. One
reason is that Government officials,
members of Congress and diplomats
are sometimes averse to being seen
at play by the public eye. Society
editors report that it is getting in
creasingly hard to get the private
dinner lists.
The towns night spots and cock
tail lounges are crowded-and so
are the buses and breakfast coun-
tiers. One important society editor
said it was her opinion that the
Capital is maligned in stories of its
gay parties.
The young people are not finding
the town so much fun. There are
not the usual summer debut parties.
One society editor had only one
debut party on her calendar. The
very small fry had their Easter
egg roll .on the White House lawn
Cancelled.
The war agencies and the Army
and Navy have brought in numer-
Gus new men, but Washington still
has its escort problem. The big
difficulty still is how can boy meet
girl.