Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-11
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Washington Is a Kissing Town
When You Come Right Down to 1t
BY BETTY BEALE
LADY AsTOR,s outspoken


LADY AsTOR's outspoken
censure OF kissing in public
was received In the Nations
Capital with mixed feelings.
Washington is right much
Of a kissing town when you
come right down 10 II.
Women brush cheeks with
women they hardly know
every time they meet.
Certain politicians kiss every
other woman they greet at a
private party.
President Eisenhower kisses
his wife publicly at the air.
port: so does Secretary OF
State Dulles MRS. Dulles,
that is, not Mrs. Eisen-
hover.
Then there's the kiss Of
death a man In public life
frequently delivers TO a po-
litical rival. But that's some
thing else again.
Anyhoo. to get the official
slant on this business of oscu-
lation before an audience
which her ladyship de-
nounced in London last week.
I first called up her Wash
ington counterpart - Alice
Roosevelt Longworth, grande
dame Of Capital society.
II agree with her heartily"
vigorously affirmed Teddy
Roosevelt's daughter. Occa-
sionally at swords point with
her old friend Nancy Aston,
she reaffirmed: II agree with
her on this completely" &.
Princess" Alice went even
further: an fact, I am
against handshaking unless
you have gloves on"
The elegant Spanish Am
bassador, the Count de Mo-
trico, was approached on the
subject. Its a wide practice
in this country. and I yield
to this practice with much
pleasure. Sometimes, that Is"
he added with debonair hui
NOR. at isn't done in
Spain; the kiss is more i'm
portant. In America it is the
innocent sign Of friendship
or the end Of a nice. evening.
In our country it's the begin
ming of a chapter or perhaps
q whole new life"
Perle Mesta was outspoken
as usual. Does she believe in
kissing in public? Il GER
tainly do" exclaimed the
warm-hearted Oklahoman,
who gives parties for every
body from press to princes
and Presidents.
at can't see that there's
any harm In kissing In pub
lie. Lovemaking Is entirely
different, but just to give q
friendly kiss is all right" nm
ished Mrs. NJ, who Is regu-
larry bussed at parties BY
Speaker Sam Rayburn and
Senator Lyndon Johnson.
Hostess Gwen Cafritz had
no qualms about being in IA
vor Of 1t either. MY personal
reaction" pronounced Gwen
smartly. sis that I am de-
lighted to turn both cheeks"
The women seemed more
eager than the men for con-
dictionary public greetings.
Said Senator Mike Monroney
of Oklahoma: II think kiss
ing has very little to do with
official receptions and it
should be strictly limited to
babies as far as politicians
are concerned"
White House Bachelor Bob
Gray, new secretary to the
Cabinet, had the kind Of fast
answer you might expect
from an eligible 36-year-old:
ITO public kissing I'm
averse. To private kissing,
the reverse"
And how about the British
Ambassador, envoy Of the
country where her ladyship
held forth? Does he believe
in public kissing?
"Of course" replied Sir
Harold Caccta with enthusi-
asm in his clipped English
accents. Eventually you
might run into some luck"
There's a man with the
practical outlook.
4 4 Il
THREE PRESIDENTIAL
HOPEFULS turned up at the
80th birthday party of Con-
gresham Tom O'Brien Of
important Cook County, nli-