The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-12-14
Observations
Mrs. Truman Not
Binding Self by
Social Precedent
BY HELEN ESSARY

~
Mrs. Truman certainly IS doing
as she pleases. Il Is a pleasure to
watch her knock down presidents.
Particularly social presidents.
There were those observers who
said. "Oh dear Mrs. Truman isn't
going 20 hold press conferences.
What an uneye!tlng course for the
First Lady 20 take! Particularly az
ter Mrs. Roosevelt
A mistaken prophesy indeed.
Mns. Truman is following her own
unconventional bent with as much
persistence as Eleanor Roosevelt
ever showed. Take the matter OF
party-glying and party going.
Mrs. Truman was guest o. honor
at a lady dinner gwen by Mrs.
Joseph L. Davies, wife OF the for
mer ambassador to MOSCOW. The
dinner was quite formal. Low Gu:
evening gowns, diamond and ruby
trimmings here and Their not with
in the memory OF the Oldest chron-
icler OF the capital gossip has any
First Lady ever gone 10 formal
dinner for gals alone.
Mrs. Truman created an even
more remarkable social precedent
earlier in the fall. She went TO
formal luncheon at which she was
not the guest OF honor. Previous
first ladies have never gone any
where when they were not the
stars. This was extraordinary In
deed
Mrs. James F. Byrnes, wife OF the
secretary OF state, was the lunch-
con guest OF honor. was shade
embarrassed when I asked the vile
OF the President OF The United
States ito come. too But Mns.
Truman did come, too" Likewise
her daughter, Margaret. II was
very pleasant luncheon. We had
lots Of fun, and | learned much
about lack OF a>fectauon in high
places.
Just forget me-" said Maude
Byrnes. You'll want to look after
Mrs. Truman" Don't give me a
thought" laughed Bess Truman.
The party is really for Mrs.
Byrnes."
When Mrs. Truman entertained
newspaper and radio women re-
Gently at a supper, she obviously
decided she would not invite the
entire feminine press brigade 20 a
single affair.
Mrs. Truman asked the women
she wanted TO ask for this occas on.
She said she would not crowd the
state dining room with too many
tables Nor did she want guests
standing around, buffet style, with
plates in their hands. She would
give two or three suppers. But she
would give them in her own way.
Still further proof OF Mrs. Tru-
mans social precedent smashing:
She Is entertaining wives OF Off
GERS Of the Army and Navy and the
wives husbands at several forth
coming teas. Mrs. Roosevelt used
20 have the ladies in solid blocs for
tea. Bloc after bloc OF ladies. Mrs.
Truman is inviting the gentlemen,
too. She may be getting bored with
too many females.
One more item 10 prove my prece-
dent breaking point-when Mrs.
Truman gives out the lis: OF her So
cial engagements TO the press she
does not give all OF the engage
ments. Here and there, II you keep
your ears open, you hear OF lunch
cons and teas, unpublished. Nat
urally she has a right to go places
without heralding. II she did no:
have the right she would do It
anyhow. SO that's that.
Still another word. Mrs. Truman
went 10 her husbands news con-
ference recently. Sat right out front !
where she could fix a discerning
eye on some Of the press. I'll bet
she was sizing up the crowd. And
that later on she said something
like this:
Il liked the looks OF that young
man in the front row, third from
your desk on the left But the one
farther over near the window ap-
peared TO be picking fuss. Most OF
your answers to he questions were
good. But | thought, Harry, you
Nigh. have been a little sharper
with the one about
What an entertaining family, the
Trumans, With showmanShip quite
OF their own variety. The way Mr..
Truman jumps up in the air and
sails away 10 see his mother on
her birthday-without telling any
one but the aiprlane pilot. Some
day. somebody is likely to say:
Haven't seen Harry around town
lately. Where has he been?"
"Shucks. didn't you know! He
took II into his head to have a per
sonal talk with Chang Ksi-Shek.
So he hoped Of to Chungking day
before yesterday. Sure he is back.
Cot in today. He's down at the old
sw mining hole in the White House
this very minute. Talking things
over with the boys
TEN ENROLL IN