Evening star., 1948-03-21
Smiles
OmPmty Wbml
In the Capital
Mrs. West Gives
Traditional Tea
By Mmgaref Hart Canby
society Editor

Oy W"S0ret H0fr Cdn6v
Society Editor
With typical spring weather
beaming on Washingtons party
whirl yesterday, Capitalites found
additional pleasure in attending the
delightful affairs on the calendar.
Hundreds Of personalities, who play
prominent roles In society here.
donned their srnartest spring attire
and turned out for the fetes that 30
gayly ushered In the fayorite sea-
son Of the year. Blossoms, too,
added lilt to the scene for they
burst forth in all their glory to
make lovely settings for the festiv.
tiles.
A party that was inaugurated 33
years ago again glistened on the
party picture yesterday. For at the
attractive apartment of Mrs. Parker
w. West at 2101 Connecticut avenue.
this gracious hostess was giving one
OF the traditional teas that she and
the late Maj. West gave throughout
the years for the new Chief Of Staff
OF the Army and his lady.
The first similar function given
by Maj. and Mrs. West was for the
then Chief Of Staff and Mrs. Hugh
L. Scott. Yesterdays gala fete
honored Gen. Omar N. Bradley, who
recently succeeded Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower in this high office, and
Mrs. Bradley.
Mrs. Vests home gave the ap-
pearance OF garden in bloom. And
the gorgeous Easter lilies and other
blossoms throughout the pleasant
rooms attested to the popularity
Mrs. West enjoys. The flowers all
came from friends and some were
from those who had been present at
the first Army Chief tea-33 years
ago.
The time.honored receptions Of
Mrs. Vests that are tops in hos
pitality are novel in way. They
have always been teas-where tea
Is really served-and no stronger
beverages have ever been felt neces-
sary to make the occasion enjoyable.
Assisting the Hostess
Yesterday Mrs. West had some Of
her close friends assisting her in
seeing that the guests representing
a cross-section Of society, had a good
time. At the beautifully appointed
table, where silver and crystal
sparkled under soft candlelight, Mrs.
Kenneth G. Royal, wife of the
Secretary Of the Army, took her
turn presiding over the tea cups.
Senatorial hostesses, who served
tea, coffee or Ice cream, included,
Mrs. Robert H. Taft, Mrs. Eugene
D. Milliken, Mrs. Owen Brewster
and Mrs. Wallace H. White, jr.
Others from congressional circles
assisting were Mrs. Carl Stefan and
Mrs. Joseph r. Harrington.
Mrs. Harold Walker was another
who helped at the tea table and still
others included Mrs. Everett Strait
Hughes, Mrs. Thomas II. Green.
Mrs. Hoy Sanford Vandenberg, Mrs.
Carl Andrew Spaatz, Mrs. Emil
Hurja, Mrs. Ellen D.. Woodward.
Mrs. Peyton Gordon and Mrs.
Joshua Evans.
Also assisting were Mrs. Conger
Pratt, Mrs. Allingham Burks Sum-
mers, Mrs. Frederick Mitchell Gould,
Mrs. Emerson Howe and Mrs. Alan
Mills. They were responsible for
the smooth running Of the party
and saw that all went well in the
dining room.
Mrs. West was quite pleased so
many of the Army officers wore
their uniforms to her party, and the
fetching Easter bonnets of the ladies
were, Of course, chief conversa-
tional pieces.
The hostess wore a becoming
black satin and lace gown with a
corsage of orchids. Mrs. Bradley
was in American beauty crepe and
her bouquet was of white gardenias.
Vireinians at Fefe
Many prominent Virginians, most-
ly members of the Fairfax Hunt,
made the trek to Georgetown yes
terday for the first party Mrs. H.
Edwin Rainals Kondrup has given
for sometime at 1852 Thirty-fourth
street. Mrs. Kondrup had this