Evening star., 1953-01-19
Society News
Society News
Governors Reception
Draws Four Thousand
Nixons, Cabinet, Dewey and Warren
Big Attractions at Inaugural Kickoff
By Betty BeoIe

cts a great sight here today.
I've never seen anything so
thrilling" said one wide-eyed
feminine guest as she stepped
into the huge scene of the Off
cial Governors Reception yester-
day afternoon.
Like the other 1000 or so in
vited, she had made her way
through a broad and lengthy
line that extended from the
corner of Sixteenth and K
streets up to the Sixteenth street
entrance of the Statler Hotel,
into the lobby where roped back
crowds watched every move, up
the long stairs to the mezzanine,
down the corridor there and a
long receiving line consisting of
18 people and finally into the
Congressional and Presidential
Rooms where the chiefs Of the
States of the Nation were wait
ing to meet her.
It was an impressively we'll
arranged scene and one that
made it startlingly clear whom
the people really wanted to
meet. Lining the walls of the
two adjoining rooms that were
thrown open to each other were
boxes for the 48 States each
plainly identified by the State
seal high on the wall at the
back. Beside the entrance to
each stood the State flag and
usually not more than two feet
away stood the Governor with
a specially assigned military aide
at his elbow to do the introduc-
ing. A roped-off section down
the middle Of the two rooms
kept the center free and made
it possible to view the whole
scene in the, Presidential Room
from across the room.
Hence it was easy to see where
the biggest crowds were gather
ing. They were, of course,
pressing around the headline
names.
Crowds Press Headlines
In the northwest and north
east corners of the Presidential
Room the Great Seal of the
United States indicated to the
Washington resident and gaping
stranger alike that here were
officials of the Federal Govern
ment. The biggest throng of
all pressed forward in the north
west corner. They were there to
shake hands with the new vital
young couple on the Capital
scene, the next Vice President
of the United States, Richard
Nixon, and his beautiful blond
wife.
Pat Nixon was a picture in a
black velvet suit and small fiat
little hat of pale pink rose petals.
Her husband politely presented
everyone he shook hands with to
his wife and he in turn was
introduced by Lyle O'Rourke, a
young lawyer and member OF the
Inaugural Committee who start
ed working for Gen. Eisenhower
two years ago both here and in
New York. The Nixons took their
places at the opening hour Of
$3.50 and Mr.. O'Rourke never
stopped introducing until 6:25.
The latter was consequently late
to his own party in honor of U.
S. Airlines President Fred A. Mil
ler of California and Mr.. and
Mrs. Milton r. Underwood of
Houston, Texas.
Grouped in the large box under
the Great Seal in the northeast
corner were members of the
Eisenhower cabinet who imme-
diately drew another eager crowd
around them. Not all were pres
ent but in the line they formed
were the future Secretary OF the
Treasury and Mrs. George M.
Humphrey. Postmaster General
and Mrs. Arthur Summerfield.
Secretary of the Interior and
Mrs. Douglas Mckay. Secretary
of Labor and Mrs. Martin P
Durkin and Secretary of the
Navy and Mrs. Bob Anderson.
Mrs. Summerf1eld wore a white
beaded hat and a black dress
ornamented with little black tas-
sells. Young Mrs. Anderson was
cool-looking and pretty in an
original mauve taffeta model
appliqued with strips of pink and
aqua taffeta.
Three Hobby Birthdays
In the box with the cabinet
were the future Assistant to the
President and Mrs, Sherman
Adams. the next Federal Secur-
ity Administrator Oveta Culp
Hobby and her husband, former
Gov. William P. Hobby, and the
next Budget Director, Joe Dodge.
BY strange coincidence Mrs.
Hobby and her two children were
all born on January 10 and for
want of time later today all three
celebrated with a birthday break
fast together this morning. The
celebrants and their ages are:
Mrs. Hobby, 48; William P, jr.,
81, and JesSica Is.
There were not many cool
people at the party yesterday.
Whether it was the excitement
that prevailed at this first off,
cial kickoff Of inaugural activi-
ties, or just the presence of four
or five thousand people-the Sec
ond floor of the Statler Hotel
was extremely warm despite full
scale air conditioning.
The entire floor was taken over
by the reception, but it is doubt
full If many people ever left the
stimulating scene of the two
bathrooms, where every time you
turned around you bumped into
S0Y1neONo iy1oY0rto nf fa foLo fao