Evening star., 1954-04-28
Society News
The Congress Goes
To the White House
Oft-Postponed Reception Finally Held;
Senate Hearing Topic Of the Evening
Society News
By IsobeIIe Shelton

The thrice postponed White
House reception for Congress
finally was held last evening,
with well over a thousand guests
in attendance.
It wasn't quite the same kind
of a party it would have been in
February, when originally sched-
uled. however. At least. the
topics of conversation had
changed.
New stars have moved front
and center on the political stage
since that time. Members of
the Senate Investigating Com
mittee, whose faces television
has brought into millions of liv-
ing rooms during the last week,
were the lions of the evening.
Senators Mundt, Dirksen, Pot
ter, jackson and Dworshak, the
committee members present, were
surrounded from the moment
they arrived. Almost every one
had some comment to make
about the Army-Mc Carthy hear
tngs.
'1t's the darndest thing" COM
planned Senator Potter of Michi-
gan. "All anybody wants to
talk to me about is the hearings.
Can you imagine any worse as
signment than sitting there all
day long as a member of that
committee? And now I can't
even go out in the evening and
enjoy myself"
Foce Is Fomilior
Several guests went up to Sen
ator Mundt of North Dakota,
chairman of the famous investi-
cation, and said joshingly: my,
your face looks so familiar"
The Senator spent much of his
time good-naturedly denouncing
television.
I'm against it." he said. "How
do I feel? Terrible. Those
lights in my eyes all day"
Toward the end of the evening
the North Dakotan observed:
II don't think anybody is doing
any housework. All these wives
of Congressman have been talk
ing to me about the hearings.
When do they get their work
done?"
Senator Mundt added he hopes
the hearings will be over "by the
end of next week."
He explained: Stevens is
almost through teStifying. and
he will be the longest witness.
Adams will be fairly long, and
maybe Mccarthy. Cohn-well,
he talks so fast, he shouldn't
take long,"
Guests, and particularly re-
porters, were. watching for the
arrival Of another of the actors
in the drama being played in the
Senate Caucus room, Senator
Mccarthy of Wisconsin. He did |
not appear.
Hes probably home taking
some more pictures" said one
guest acidly.
The hearings were the topic
of conversation even in many
groups which did not include
the committee members.
Mrs. Hubert Humphrey, wife
OF the Minnesota Senator, said
she watched the hearings for an
hour Monday, land they made
me so nervous I went out and
dug holes in the Maryland clay,
to plant my rose bushes"
Serious Business
There we're other topics. too.
One Congressman, obviously fas-
cinated with the lighted fountain
on the sideboard. which con-
tinually spouts fruit punch. led
his wife over to look at it.
I'VE ought to get one of those,
honey" he said. cts a real self
server"
Vice President Nixon and Sec
retary of Agriculture Benson
even found some time for a
serious business talk" ESQ their
wives reported). The subject,
presumably. was the agriculture
votes in the Senate yesterday
afternoon.
While the two men talked
their wives relaxed on one of /
the red benches in the central