Evening star., 1954-10-31
Queen Mother Elizabeth Returns to Scene
OF Triympho| Visit With George VI in 1899

social secretaries and offering
novel reasons as to why they
should be.
One woman called to say
she ought to be invited be-
cause she is a descendant Of
a long line of British ances-
try and she began to trace it
back TO King Alfred! Another
said she had arthritis but she
knew that If she could go to
the party her arthritis would
be cured! Arthritics all over
the country will be glad to
hear of this painless remedy,
I'm sure. Back in 1889 a
woman said she should be
invited because she had such
fine old English furniture. The
same old tune.
The British Embassy under
the guidance Of Sir Roger and
Lady Makins will offend no
one. All requests are received
with the utmost tact. The
social secretaries take down
the names and notify the call
ers that they will see what
they can do-"But If not for
this party" they add charm
ingly. :tperhaps for another"
This time the aloof British
garden party, procedure will
be banned at the Embassy. In
1889 the King and the Ambas-
sador started out in one direc-
ton midst the thong, the
Queen and Lady Lindsay in
another. pausing ever so often
to be introduced to a few se--
lected persons. On November 8
Her Majesty will stand in a re-
ceiving line and shake over
1000 hands, probably the most
she has ever had to clasp at
one time:
She will keep her glove on
and every feminine hand Of
fered in return should be
gloved. AS usual, American
women are not expected to
curtsy.
Learned Hard Woy
BY specifying "day clothes
and uniforms" on the invita-
tions, the British have avoided
a town tizzy and hundreds Of
telephone calls. They learned
1t, Of course, the hard way.
There was a new story on the
subject nearly every day in
the newspapers. Lady Lind
say stipulated that her gown
would be 2 inches from the
ground, which set the women
OF on q new shopping spree.
She said the men could wear
what they pleased. which put
their wives in q fright, know
ing that their husbands some
times favored a suit earmarked
for the secondhand dealer
II there's any stew con-
nected with this royal visit, it's
over the press reception on the
5th. This is the gathering
that's probably giving the
Queen the most concern. too.
It will be the first time she's
faced a barrage Of flashing
bulbs and some 500 members
Of the press corps. Her daugh-
ter went through it, but the
journalists took a dim view Of
the arrangements for that re-
ception when they stood behind
ropes like prize cattle on dis
play waiting for the owner to
come down from the dais and
give them a pat.
So the ropes have been done
away with. But the request
that the newsmen and women
be allowed to sit in chairs dur
ing the speechmaking and ad-
vance hours wait has been
turned down in London. Now
they've asked to be allowed to
treat themselves to fountains
of fruit punch bubbling during
all that time to create q nor
NAL party atmosphere.
However it is settled, the
Queen Mother will win us over.
She passed the test Of a good
will ambassador back in that
June of 1899. That's why she
Is returning to Washington
Thursday. That's why she
may be embarking alone on a
new career Of travel to tighten
the bonds between nations
We're glad she's starting
with US.