Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-04
BY DAISY CLELAND
Star Staff Writer

nedy, their honor guest at
dinner, DR.. Sarvepalli Rad
hakrishnan, president of
India and 166 guests at the
White House last evening
saw excerpts of an opera but
Martha Washington missed
it all.
The famous portrait Of
the First Lady in the East
Room ended up behind the
scenes when the extravaganza
planned by President and
Mrs. Kennedy had to be
moved indoors due to the
weather.
The state dinner enter
tainment planned for the
President Of India included
the finale of act one Of Mo-
zart's The Magic Flute" by
the Opera Society Of WASH
ington.
The East Room and the
guests glittered with impor-
lance and talent-chande-
liers flickered, the famed
portrait of President George
Washington looked benignly
on the group but the one of
Mrs. Washington ended up
behind the wings.
Mrs. Kennedy, herself, was
all but a disappearing act"
The First Lady, who is ex-
pecting her third child in
August, had announced
earlier this spring that she
would not be able to fulfill
official social engagements
but she has made most of
those, so far, involving an
international guest.
No photographs
Last evening, however, she
did not go through the long
duties Of the receiving line,
and even though she looks
very slim, she did not pose
for the usual newspaper pic
lures.
Mrs. Kennedy, wearing the
loose fitting pink matte jer-
sey beaded dress by her de-
signer Oleg Cassini, that she
wore to the opening Of the
exhibition Of the Mona Lisa
here, met the Indian Presi-
dent Just before time to be
seated for dinner.
Because Of the huge num-
Der Of guests the seating was
unusual in that the two
Presidents were separated by
rooms. The Indian President
dined with Mrs. Kennedy in
the Blue Room and President
Kennedy headed his table in
the State Dining room with
Mrs. Lakshmi N. Menon,
the Indian Minister Of Ex-
ternal Affairs on his right.
President Kennedy again
called on one Of the newest
citizens Of the United States.
Sir Winston Churchill. in his
toast. The President said:
The United States and
India are the two largest
democracies in the world.
IL do think it Is important
for US TO recall the obliga-
tons which go with that
form Of government.
Winston Churchill once
said that democracy Is the
worst form Of government
except for all the other sys-
TENS that have been tried"
Former Teacher
President Kennedy &C
knowledRed that the Indian
President was a former teach
er and professor but then
kidded United States Ambas-
sador 10 India Kenneth CAL
braith, who was there with
his wife.
Mr.. Kennedy said. Here
In the United States. we have
never gone as far, nor may
I say 10 Prof. Galbraith do
we plan 10 90 as far. as 10
make q professor the Presi-
dent OF the United States.
But we admire those coun-
tries that do"
The scholarly Indian Presi-
dent. who followed the opera
performance with interest
and with asides from Mrs.
Kennedy, spoke eloquently at
the dinner when he answered
President Kennedy's toast:
you spoke about the COM
mon bonds between our two
countries. on the first OF
August. iD42. former Presi-
dent Roosevelt wrote . letter
TO Gandhi and said, We two
..-g- -. :. h..ft..,.. a.. A.,.o,.,l :