Evening star., 1947-04-24
|Gala April IN Paris Bal
|Attracts CAPITAL Socialifes
BY Betty BeaIe

. Z + Il s ~ x
Not since before the war has
society's champagne spirit been in
such evidence as it was at the
April in Paris ball last night.
The glitter of finest gowns and
iewelry. prominent persons. hand
some prizes and superb dance music
kept interests high all evening. The
hundreds of guests who filled the
presidential and congressional ball
rooms, Of the Statler Hotel had
bought tickets to help rebuild Saint
Lo Hospital in France. Razed to the
ground in the path of our armies
lit will be reconstructed by the
French government with the as
sistance OF American Aid to France
Inc.
Washington socialites who enter
tanned at dinner beforehand arrived
with their guests as close to IL
o'clock as possible in order to have
a dance to Meyer Davis orchestra
before the program began. Upon en-
|tering the presidential ballroom every
ones attention was Immediately
caught by the spot-lighted dais on the
left. There General of the Army
Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mrs
Eisenhower sat at table with the
Chief Justice of the United States
and Mrs. Fred NJ. Vinson ane
famous party giver, Miss Elsa Max
we'll, who injected considerable per
into the evening as mistress Of
ceremonies.
Fleet Admiral and Mrs. Chester
| w. Nimitz were also at spot
lighted table which included the
Secretary of Agriculture and Mrs
Clinton P. Anderson and the we'll
known artist, Mr.. Alfred Jonniaux
and his wife. A portrait to be
painted by Mr.. Jonniaux was one
of the coveted prizes OF the ball
1t, was won by Mrs. Benjamin r
Kittredge.
The program included songs By
Miss Jarnlilla Novotna, lovely
| lyric soprano of the Metropolitan
Opera, and a dance contest at mid
night following an exhibition by
Arthur Murray dancers. That at
tractive Capitol Hill couple, Senator
and Mrs. j. William Fulbright, wor
the contest after demonstrating
their expertness at the rumba
samba and waltz. The prize was 8
beautiful gold and emerald sun.
burst pin for Mrs. Fulbrignt.
Most magnetic spot of the eve
ming, of course, was the bubble
booth operated by the comely Mrs
John Davis Lodge at the far emo
of the congressional ballroom. Here
four beauties were in four bubble
baths of balloons each bath rep
resenting a different brand OF
champagne. A case of champagne
went to the highest bidder on each
beauty and the four enveloped in
balloons were NM. Jean Claude
Winckler of the French Embassy
Mrs. B. Lauriston Hardin, jr., Miss
Peggy Mack of Connecticut and
MIS. 1SOl SNcoli'
Glimpsed in the presidential ball
room which was lined with two rows
of tables for Il, were Mrs. Robert
Low Bacon, chairman of the ball
Gen. and Mrs. Omar Bradley, Mr.
John j. McCloy. president of the
World Bank and also president oi
American Aid to France, Inc; Col
and Mrs. Robert Gilpin Erwin, Mr.
and Mrs. Raymond Guest, Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert Mckay and Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert Rand.
Former Representative and Mrs
Charles S. Dewey were seated with
the guests they had entertained at
dinner at the F. Street Club. They
were the Ambassador of the Neither
lands and Nine Loudon, Mr.. Rob-
ert L. Garner, vice president of the
World Bank; Mrs. Donald Ryerson
of Lake Forest, a house guest of Mrs
Dewey; Special Assistant to the sec
retary of the Treasury and Mrs
| Arthur Gardner, Mr.. and Mrs. Ed