The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, January 9, 1929, Page 12

By ALLENE SUMNER (NEA Service Writer) Washington, D. C., Jan. 9.—The vice president of the United States has been dubbed “the official diner out.” Some vice presidents have resented the title and its implication that they simply ate their way through a four- year term. Some vice presidents have denied that it was their job to dig clams out of the half shell while the president preferred to sit by his own hearth fire and read a new book. Vice President Dawes, for instance, he says. “Haven't driven a car in 15 years, and don’t intend starting now. “But whenever I hear of a county |fair with racing I hanker to start— most times I do,” he added, slyly, in the manner of a school boy confessing some mischief. Perhaps in training for his job as “official diner out,” the senator ad- mits that in place of his horses and his driving he walks from 30 to 40 blocks night and morning. No, he hasn't an electric horse, either. Neither does he play golf, and he explained very carefully from time! only “sits in” on a bridge game when to time that his position was some- that more than a social subbing for the tired business man in the White House, But Senator Charles Curtis from Kansas, next vice president, frankly admits that he will toss away the formidable reports, which have kept him at his senate office desk till nearly midnight night after night during his reign as floor leader in the senate, for the golden fish knives and polished ballroom floors of of- ficial society. ee “There's no use dodging the plain unvarnished truth, whether one likes it or doesn't, that the vice presidential job is largely a social one,” Senator Curtis told me as he tilted back in his big swivel chair at his senate of- fice desk and surveyed his roomful of cartoon and autographed pictures of the men he has known in Washington for the past 40 years. i “The public has the idea that be-; ing vice president means socially pinch-hitting for the president when} he himself can't attend. It’s worse than that—it means being the social gladhander of the administration. It's never a case of being called to attend at the last minute because the presi- dent can't go. It’s a straight, clear- cut job of doing the social stuff rath- er than forcing it upon the president.” The present senator from Kansas and the vice president-to-be is wary “they need a dummy.” He likes the theater—used to be a first-nighter when he had time, he says, and he likes “interesting books and stories—doesn't care for bi- ography—it’s to dry—too interested in my own life to take time off for other men's, I guess.” see Favorite authors? president is still wary. “You must see that in my position I can’t seem to be discriminating. I couldn't mention one author and slight some others. Lots of the boys are writing good books that keep you up nights. I like stories—adventure —action.” Senator Curtis’ plans for beginning his job as society man of the adminis- tration are not really completed yet. His half sister, Mrs. Dolly Gann, who has been his hostess since his wife's death, will continue in that capacity. They'll probably move into a bigger house, he says. But he doesn't know yet. Might as well do the job right and be ready for anything,” he sum- marizes, pointing out some social jobs up to some preceding vice presidents. The time the Marshalls had to enter- tain the king and queen of Belgium, the Prince of Wales and other not- ables who came to Washington when President Wilson was abroad and when he was’ to ill to receive even royal guests, for instance. The next vice * in expressing his opinion on the of- ficial social racket awaiting him. “You can look at me and listen to me and read by biography to judge how much I'm going to like it,” he said. “But I have no criticism to make of. the system. I accepted this job. I knew what it meant. I will do my duties faithfully. If my job requires being social man of the administra- tion, I'm that—that’s all. It's not for ™e to say whether I hanker for the job or approve of the system or not.” eee Perhaps social secretaries of the capital should be warned about fea- turing the next vice president as guest of honor on days when races at county fairs are being held any- where within a considerable radius of the capitol. The very word “horses” brings the senator upright in his chair. He tells of the pony he had for his own on the Indian reservation, of the nine horses he once drove at a time. “Could never drive a car after that,” The vice president attends all the official White House receptions and dinners. He must attend all 10 cab- inet dinners to the president and the dinner given by the speaker of the house to the president. But the vice president goes like a lamb to the slaughter, and if he sees the same mugs every night for a week, that’s just too bad. But he must go anyway. It is said that Vice President and Mrs. Dawes figured out that they had just seven tvenings at home during the congressional season last year. “I know all about it,” Senator Cur- tis says. “But that's my job, and Til do it. Sartorially the senator will find his social way about ,if his senate office costume is any indicator. He wears the once favorite senatorial costume of striped trousers and long coat. Al- so he shakes hands with his left hand when his right’s occupied. A vice president to the manner born! ——— ———— — New York, Jan. 9.—It's a long trek from the dim squalor and wine- éoaked odor of a tiny “gargotte,” or dnn, in Genoa’s Portia section to a dim lit, plush curtained, elegantly at- tended theater in the mid-Fifties of the Broadway belt. But when the plush curtains were drawn the other afternoon, Pasquale Taraffo pieced together the story of tis climb, in excellent Spanish which I couldn't understand, but which an interpreter could. Tazaffo is the latest addition to the Spanish invasion which has been un- der way for a season—in fact it dates back to Raquel Meller, who really came from Paris, even if she did sing Spanish songs. Segovia, the guitarist, arrived a year ago and no Manhattan theater is large enough to house the L’Argentina, who can do things to castanets like Helen | wrangling groups. {|bums of yesteryear are gone. A very But the bar different crowd comes today. And they come because word had traveled of a lad who sat in a corner and Played a guitar. There are writers there now, and critics and artists who come and play. The squalid gargotte has be- come a musical mecca where in now hangs a large painting of a young man, below which is an inscription: “Pasquale Taraffo—master of the guitar.” Of course, the American con- cert agents found him sooner or later, And that’s that. ee The big town gossip—When Ethel Barrymore opened her new theater the name of the director appeared as E. M. Blythe, which happens to be Miss Barrymore’s family name. . . . Only a few caught on... . Thyra Sampter Winslow gave her annual holiday party the other night and something like 1000 people must have crashed the gate... . One of the wisecracking guests* remarked that ~ {you could dance on a dime an still all hot and bothered this semes- now comes Taraffo—and if I to pass over the others to reach » it because Taraffo had a story to tell—the sort of story I should like to tell about New York places and things if I knew where to find them. see ‘The dark lane of Genoa's Portia section is not a pretty place. We who go slumming would find it “colorful,” “amusing” and all that. But also we would find it drunken. Here, some yeare ago, appeared s youth with a broken, nondescript guitar. He de- posited himself on a bench in the corner and began fo play for the herd drunken hangerson. He played be- food. A loaf of bread asked of life. pyeeeys slpgey i fi get change.” . . . M. Samuel Gold- wyn’s Christmas pencil is now used to correct the minor and major errors of this author's copy. . . , Come again, Sam! ... Eddie Cantor, whose name has appeared in the department at one time or another, is expecting an- other heir. . . . It seems that Eddie hhas been trying lo these many years to become father of a son, but always: the stork fooled him and brought a girl. . . . He has about half a dozen children now, all girls... . “And,” he remarked. the other evening, “if this one is a girl I'll give up and have a chorus of my own.” ‘ GILBERT SWAN. (Copyright, 1928, NEA Service, Inc.) THE GUMPS—THE STATE VS. Refine _ TOMMORROW. EVERY SEAT . 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