Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-05

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An hour before the program
appointed to act as ushers were n
who was to be seated where, anc
radio and television technician,
we're busy setting up equipment or
high platforms built for the pur.
pose inside the auditorium.
On the stage where the "a sign.
ers and the President of ths
United States were to be seated
flags of the II countries, with
great banks Of palms and ferns
formed colorfuI backdrop. AND
across the front of the stage a row
Of huge pink hydrangeas and
ferns made an effective decora-
ton.
The hall itself, with its classic
Greek columns and blue ceiling
harmonizing with the deeper blue
carpets and upholstered seats
was an appropriate setting foi
Americas first peacetime alliance
with European nations. 1t, too
had been the scene Of the mo-
mentous draft drawing back ir
1910.
Ms. Trumon in Front Row
A section of the Marine Band
stationed at the front of the audi
torium played a program of music
as the guests assembled, and ush-
cred to the first rows of seats
nearest the stage were Mrs. Tru-
man and the wives of the Ambas-
sailors and Foreign Ministers who
were to sign the pact.
One of the first diplomatic
couples to arrive on the scene
was the Greek Ambassador and
Nine. Dendramis, she wearing
dark glasses to shield her eyes
from the SUN as we'll as from the
television lights inside the audi
torium. Nor was she the only one
to take this precaution. Several
Of the pact signers. on whom the
lights played constantly, wore COL
ored glasses.
A threesome appearing later
included the Brazilian Ambas-
sador, Mr.. Mauricio Nabuco, with
the Brazilian Minister and Nine.
de Mello-F Franco, she in a halo
hat of bright-colored flowers and
wearing platinum foxes over her
black coat. ..
Senator Arthur Vandenberg
escorted his attractive daughter,
Mrs. John w. Bailey, who wore a
gray suit and straw hat, and Mrs.
Charles Brannan, wife of the Sec
rotary of Agriculture, in black
with a white straw hat trimmed
In bright green ribbon. arrived
alone. So did Representative
Edith Nourse Rogers. And Sena-
tor Margaret Chase Smith. hat
less and wearing her inevitable
boutonniere. discussed the pact
pledges with Senator and Mrs.
George Aiken.
The Attorney General and Mrs.
Tom Clark made their entrance a
few minutes before 3 o'clock and
were Immediately escorted to
front-row seats. Mrs. Clark
handsome mink stole topped a
smart navy blue suit with which
she wore a white spring hat. The
Postmaster General and Mrs. Jesse
Donaldson got in just under the
wire too, as did Senator and Mrs.
j. Howard McGrath, she in dark
blue with . hat made entirely
of daisies.
ECA Officiols Present
Mr.. Paul Hoffman, Mr.. Howard
Bruce and Mr.. William c. Foster
of the Economic Cooperation
Administration alighted from q
limousine together and obligingly
posed for photographers, and the
former Ambassador to Japan and
Mrs. Joseph Grew did likewise.
The Guatemalan Ambassador
and Sonora de Gonzalez Arevalo
were among the Latin Americans
who came to witness this historic
event, and Mrs. Stanley Wood
ward, whose husband, the Chief OF
Protocol, had come straight from
the State Department, was ac-
companied by Mrs. Mary Buford
and Mrs. John E. Peurifoy.
Princess Wan Waithayakon, wife
of the Siamese Ambassador. wore
o smart black suit of American
design and small black hat in
lieu of her customary native
costume, but several ladies from
the Pakistan and Indian EN-
bassies wore their loveliest and
most colorful saris.
Mrs. w. Stuart Symington, In
navy blue with a white straw
hat trimmed In field flowers, chat
ted with friends in the lobby
when the program ended. And
Mrs. Claude Pepper, whose sena-
torial husband is too busy usually
for less important functions. was
on hand yesterday to escort his
wife. Like many of the other
ladies present, she, too, wore navy
blue with q yelled straw hat.
The Swedish Ambassador and
Nine. Bohemian and other men,
bers of their staff left in a limou-
sine after the pact had been
signed, and Mrs. James E. Webb
who arrived alone, was Joined
by the Undersecretary of State
after the ceremonies.
Speaker of the House Sam
Rayburn was accompanied by
Representatives Percy Priest and
John Mccormack and like Sena-