Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-12
BY VILLA POE WILSON

WOIIleIl WHO contributed
social graceS and keen minds
to aid their parties and fav-
orite candidates color the
chronicles of political conven-
tons of the past.
For deca des traditional
feminine rostrums we're draw
ing rooms and dinner tables,
or the seats of observers in
convention hall galleries.
Convention Veteran
Conversation at the re-
unions of the distaff side of
the political parties are re-
plete with stories Of past con-
vention dramas and the men
and women who took part in
them.
Convention regulars regard
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth as a
convention veteran. She has
attended every Republican
convention. and many Demo-
cratic ones. Her first one was
in Chicago in 1908. With her
aunt and uncle. Mr.. and Mrs.
Douglas Robinson, she was the
house guest of Mr.. and Mrs.
Medill Mccormick. She en-
joyed the convention to the
utmost from her place in a
box. She launched many quips
and arrows as she does to-
day. She attached the So
briquet, Sunny Jim" to vice
presidential nominee James S.
Sherman. which stuck to him
all his life. Stories printed
about her during the conven-
ton stated that she waved a
fan inscribed Third Term for
Teddy although her father
had signifled his approval of
William Howard Taft as the
nominee for President, Other
stories dealt with her wide
brimmed hat which INSTRUCTED
the view of those in back of
her. Perhaps in defiance of
criticism she formed the habit
of carrying her hat in those
days when mo lady appeared
in a public place in the day.
time without a hiatt" One story
claimed that she tantalizingly
delighted in placing her hat
on the desks of the mighty.
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt had
always attended political con-
ventionS with her husband. At
the 1903 convention she gave
a tea for the women of the
press which might be classed
as the very first press confer
ence of a Presidents wife.
After the Republicans NOM
mated Taft and Sherman,
Alice and her party hurried
to Denver to attend the Demo-
cratic Convention.
Mclean Romance
The romance of Edward
Beale Mclean. son of the
owner Of the Cincinnati En-
quirer and the Washington
Post, and Evalyn Walsh,
daughter of the mining king
Thomas F. Walsh provided
sidelights of both the Chicago
and Denver conventions.
Ned Mclean a tall thin
youth. took his place in the
press box as a cub reporter
armed with an diversified note
book and array of pencils in
every pocket of his suit.
Thomas F. Walsh was a dele
gate at large to the Repub-
lican convention in Chicago,
but Denver was in his home
state. So. Mr.. and Mrs.
Walsh and pretty dark haired
blue-eyed Evalyn occupied
boxes at both conventions.
The heir to the Mclean for
tune and the heiresS to the
Walsh fortune were the cyno-
sure of all eyes at the luncheon
given by Representative and
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth in
Chicago.
Within the memories of
some Democratic and Repub-
lican women are the battle
royals which rocked both
conventions of 1912. These
conventions were also notable
because a few women were
admitted to the center of the
political stage.
Preconvention and conven-
ton reports swept through
Washington creating divided
emotions. The words dearly
beloved enemy" became
parlor platitude and tea table
and after-dinner conversation
sometimes became acrimonious
and controversial.
All eyes we're turned to the
Republican nominating con-
vention in Chicago and TO the
Democratic one in Baltimore.
President Taft sought the
nomination for a second term
Theodore Roosevelt had
thrown his hat in the ring for
the nomination.
The engaging. popular Theo-
dore Roosevelt family had only
been gone from the White
House four years. Alice and
Nick Longworth we're favorite
Washington dinner guests and
hosts President Taft enjoyed
much personal popularity with
the people of Washington.