Evening star., 1962-02-18
EXCLUSIVELY
YOURS
Kennedy Dances Described;
Gun On Presidents Plane
By BETTY BEALE

From here on in it has no
place to go.
The lady who did it with
Secretary of Defense Robert
Mcnamara at the White
House dinner dance last week
was none other than Jacque-
line Kennedy. And accord
ing to the other guests, she
does it beautifully!" and HE
was terrific"
Anyone who still has any
misgivings about the current
dance craze simply hasn't
seen it done the way Mrs.
Kennedy, who looked lovely
in a long white satin sheath,
and Secretary Mcnamara,
frequently called "The Brain"
of the Cabinet, performed it.
1t was rhythmic, fun and
poppy and more restrained
than the good old Charleston
which doesn't seem to shock
anyone.
Reports of that party will
continue to emanate from
the 125 guests for a long
time to come, but perhaps
the best description of these
private dinner dances at the
White House under the Ken
nedy administration comes
from society orchestra leader
Lester Lanin who is humble
and thrilled to have been the
one invited to play each time.
Here he describes them in
his own words:
They are as cheerful and
as gay and as dignified par
ties as you will find from
coast to coast. Everybody is
having fun but everyone is
dignified. The White House
walters all say they have
never seen such beautiful
parties there" said Lester.
Everybody is on his good
behavior, but he (the Presi-
dent) makes you relax. Every
time he passes me by he gives
me a "spread"-that little
smile or that little glance
that peps me up. He likes
good. spirited, cheerful dance
music, but he never comes up
to you and bothers you.
That's the kind of guy he is.
He never asks for any special
pieces. I am always looking
to see if he is pleased, and I
get that little smile. He
doesn't dance often and he
doesn't hold them close-he
talks when he dances. He
only dances a couple of min
utes then he takes another
partner"
Then Lester tells you again
what it means to play in
that house Of all houses. He
sounds like a man who has
to keep pinching himself to
ind out if it's true.
X *
ATT ENTION SECRET
SERVICE: Princess Eliza
beth of Yugoslavia and hus-
band Howard Oxenburg of
New York flew up from Palm
Beach recently with the John
F. Kennedys but got off the
plane wit hout collecting
HoWard's fishing equipment.
Among the forgotten was the
speargun he had used for
underwater fishing.
Howard instituted an in
direct inquiry to the White
House on behalf of his spear
gun, ETC., and as a result re-
ceived a startling call from
President Kennedy's person.
al secretary, Mrs. Evelyn Lin
coin. Just what kind of a
pistol, the amazed Mrs. Lin
coin wanted to know, did Mr..
OXenburg leave on the Presi-
dents plane!
y * Il y
POSTMASTER GENERAL
EDWARD DAY made such
envious remarks about the
State Department entertain
ing rooms when he attended
a party in the top floor
Adams Room, that a friend
was moved to remind him
that he had very handsome
offices himself in the Post
Office Department.
Yes, but we have moth
ing like that" said Mr.. Day
pointing to the exquisite and
distinctive crystal chande-
lier overhead that was pre-
sented to the State Depart
ment by Secretary of the
Treasury Dillon.
How we'll do you now
Douglas Dillon?" put in this
columnist who had heard his
comments.
Il am getting to know him
better all the time but he
afssssssI :