Evening star., 1954-11-21
CONTINUED From Page D-l.,

fabulous debut-as Mrs. Mesta'S escort u
was quite triumph.
It was there she got to know the late MRS.
Cornelius Vanderbilt who decked out IN her
diamonds and the proverbial band OF silver
lame across her forhead, whistled Duet Win
another guest at party Perle gave IN newport
about five years, ago. Mrs. Vanderbilt could
not only whistle, "she gave marvellous paTtles,
testides Mrs. Mesta.
What did she think Of Evelyn (Hope Dia-
mond) Walsh McLeans parties that gained
such reputation? II thought they were
wonderful and loved her." says Perle, but OF
course, nobody gives better parties than
Marjorie Davies"
What did she have to say about the other
hostesses to be covered In this series-Mrs.
Joseph E. Davies, Mrs. M. Robert Guggenheim
and Gwen Cafritz? "I think they're wonderful.
and she gave non-comrnittal smile. buJ
there's only one No. hostess here and that is
the First Lady"
Hostess to Tumons
During the Roosevelt administration, she
took house on fashionable Observatory Circle
that is now the New Zealand Embassy, and she
entertained many Of the Italian diplomats Wnom
she was drawn to because OF her huspands
connections. She also knew fellow Dy the
name Of Senator Harry Truman who was to be-
come her fourth vice presidential guest-not
think. The first was Thomas Marshall vice
president under Woodrow Wilson.
During the war, she was whipping back
and forth between a cattle ranch she bought
in Phoenix Ariz., which wasn't great success,
and Washington, where Harry and BesS 1ru-
man were her frequent guests.
She was not says Perle, a Republican COM
mitteewoman from Arizona, as Somenmess
rllmored She had always leaned toward the
Democrats, but she did help raise money TOR
wendell Willkie. sI was a Republican therR
she admits.
Woman'S Party to help the white collar woman
get salary and job equality with men. She was
active in it until few years ago.
Then 1945 came and the woman who had
the whereWithal to entertain and the desire to
do lit takes both-found that she had a good
and loyal friend in the White House. Perie
Mesta'S star which had been rising right along
catapulted like meteor.
Comparatively few women in our history
have presided over dinners graced by the Ma
tion'S Chief Executive, but this one was to en-
tertain the President or his wife or his daughter
not once, but time and time again. Any one who
hadn't sat up and taken notice before paid con-
siderable attention now. It was an enviable
position.
President Comes to Her
On onef occasion after she had leased the
Herbert Hoover house on S street, the PreSi-
dent Vice President, Chief Justice and entire
cabinet were all her dinner guests Other host
esses began to drool with envy. (She was, by
the way, eventually to entertain Herbert Hoover
In New York when he was ex-PreSidentl
It was in this house that she gave small
dance for Margaret Truman that must have
set her back an easy $4,000. That may not be
excessive where famous parties are concerned,
but for small affair in conservative Washing
ton it was not chicken feed.
Then came the offer of the Luxembourg
appointment "but didn't want it, insists the
woman who ended up by accepting the minis
tership to the grand duchy.
india Edwards and the Democratic Com
mittee people worked on me for six months.
wouldn't talk to Mrs. Truman about it until
had made up my mind. The President asked