The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-05-10

Full dress evening clothes are
now seen about as frequently as
the old coach-and-four In which
Washington dowagers once drove
to dinner. And even less formal
dinner jackets have largely been
relegated to the moth balls.
This Is really astonishing for a
town which once fought vitriolic
battles over who should sit where,
n town in which the Vice Pres
ident Of the United States issued
formal communicates to the effect
that his balf-SiSter must 60 In to
dinner ahead of the wife OF Speak
or Nick Longworth.
Reasons for the change are:
at first, gas rati0ning against
pleasure driving; second, food
rationing; and now all the furry
over the Big Red House on II
Street. In other words, you
can't tell whether you're going
to sit beside war contract lob
byist these days and get your
name In the headlines later.
When gas was rationed for
pleasure driving, a certain amount
Of dining out went on anyway,
although most people observed
the regulations. Some used public
transportation, some walked, in
Guiding the Vice President and
Mrs Wallace; and some consid-
cred dining out an official bust
ness.
AS a matter OF fact, some OF 1t
Is business, and Is SO recognized
by the State Department. Visit
ing dignitaries to the U. S. A. have
to be wined and dined. American
visions are royalty entertained
in their countries, and they would
not understand 1t If we did not
reciprocate.
Recognizing this fact, the State
Department has allowed extra
point rationing for embassies and
legations which must entertain,
and also for certain hostesses who
are asked to entertain Latin AM
erican delegations,
Cabinet members also have 10
do n certain amount Of dining
out, though most of them are
40 tired at the end Of the day
that they avoid IT as much as
possible. Jesse Jones Is to be
seen from time to time at the
Brazilian Embassy. Since Brazil
is an ally at war this can be
construed as official business.
though "a visit to the Embassy
is not hard medicine to take.
because Jesse loves bridge and
even gets a kick out Of watching
the conga dancers.
Frank Knox also likes to stir
about at an occasional dinner
party, especially when Senators
are present, and he can warm up
his contacts on Capitol Hill.
But Of late It's no longer a mat
ter OF gas and locomotion, it's the
fact that hostesses just aren't will
ling to spend their ration points
OH entertaining anyone at dinner.
Some OF them do manage to in
vite q few guests when they are
lucky enough to find extra chick
ems or batch Of fish; or when
their guests are people like Sen
ator George Of Georgia or North
Cardinals Max Gardner, who
don't mind helping to cook hominy
grits In the kitchen.
ptit nvcapt fop IT,t, tNo ce., dinyarg
with extra ration points, or Mrs.
Evalyn Mclean Of Hope Diamond
fame, who will always carry on,
or few black market dinners
where questions aren't asked, old
fashioned dining out in Washing
ton Is almost passe.
Added to which, 1t probably will
be long time before anyone OF
Importance accepts an invitation
to any dinner where he doesn't
know all the guests In advance, for
fear he may find himself head
lined afterwards as being present
at some place like the mysterious
Big Red House on II street,
alleged rendezvous for war con-
tractors.
CALVIN COOLIDGE'S EAR
The mystery Of who made off
with part OF the left ear OF Calvin
Coolidge's marble bust still has
Capitol Hill politicos almost as
baffled as they we're over his third
term intentions.
While confeSsing that he Is
completely in the dark as 10 how
Coolidge's ear was mutilated, or
by whom, Capitol Architect David
Lynn discounts rumors OF Demo
ratio vandalism" He points Out
that 1t was a Democrat, Repre-
Jentatiye James M. Curley OF Mas
sachusctts. who first brought thu
matter to his attention.
while jOUrneying through
the Senate side OF the Capitol