The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1948-05-04
PARTIES ARE FUN, !.
SAYS WIFE, CHIEF
JUSTICE +. VINSON
BY JhiJE EADS

date book and IS always on the go.
Two or three nights weekly she
and her husband must attend one
of the formal dinner parties which
custom prescribes that all heads Of
foreign missions give in their honor
There are So ambassadors and
ministers here. That's means SO din
Iners a season for the Chief Justice
and his Lady.
OF course they don't have to ac-
cept every invitation. But the Vim
sons not only have strong sense of
duty to their government, they hon
estly like to go to parties.
The only trouble is, the Chief JUS
tice must abide by protocol and leave
early. No one can leave before him
because he is the ranking guest. He
might be keeping some early to-bed-
der up.
Besides the diplomatic dinners,
there are many evening affairs given
by other individuals. Many private
hcstesses have entertained for the
Wilson's this season. The other night
they we're ranking guests of the Con-
gressional Club.
In addition Mrs. Vinson repre-
sents her husband at scores of alter
noon functions which his duties at
the Court prohibit him from attend
ing.
And Mrs. Vinson is the only cabi-
net wife this year to. follow tradition
and have an "at home one day a
week through January, February
and March.
In the old days no cabinet wife
failed to have an "at home" one
day a week through the social sea-
son. Many embassy and COMPRESSION
al wives also followed the custom.
Anyone in town who wished to drop
in for a cup of tea could, and usually
did.
During the war the custom was
dropped. 1t has not been resumed
except by Mrs Vinson, who says
she feels it's her duty as the wife Of
the Chief Justice.
MY at homes are not big affairs
as those held by cabinet wives in
former years says Mrs. Vinson. Il
only serve cakes and little sand
wiches and tea.
Sometimes as many as so wo-
men call on me, sometimes as few
as eight. It's a good way for folks to
get to know each other, and it's
very helpful to the newcomers"
Mrs. Vinson, in addition to these
helped organize and is
the first president of the new Sc
Nor Congress Club, composed OF
os-e wives Of senators and represen-
tatives of the 68th and prior con-
crosses.
The club plans to have two hig
parties every year and has just cleo
ted a number of honorary members,
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson,
Mrs. Harlan F'iske Stone and Mrs.
Truman.
The idea of the club was that OF
Mrs. Walter George, wife OF the
senator from Georgia.
The choice of Mrs. Vinson as presi-
dent no doubt resolved from the fact
that her husband first came to Con-
gress with the 68th
Mrs. Vinson says she never gets
begged down with all these goings-
on. But 1 guess l couldn't take 1t
if I didn't enjoy it so thoroughly
When l talked with Mrs. Vinson
the other day she was bursting with
pride. Her son, Fred, Jr., %, who
graduates this June from Washing
ton and Lee University, had just
been elected to Phi Beta Kappa, top
scholastic honorary fraternity.
Not only is Fred, Jr., a star stu
dent in law but he's captain of the
university's baseball team and guard
on its basketball team. He won a
game for his basketball team here
the other night when they played
George Washington U. He tossed the
ball into the basket in the last four
seconds.
James Vinson, 10, who also grad
yates this June-from st. Adams,
in Washington-plays guard on his
schools basketball team.
Their graduations had better not
l,a on the same date" saws Mrs.