Evening Star Newspaper, March 4, 1929, Page 35

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1929. | MRS. HOOVER IS IDEALLY EQUIPPE e WHITE HOUSE MISTRESS WELL FITTED FOR ROLE Travel and Education Have Made Her Competent to Take Charge of Mansion. NEW mistress of the White | tion in the White House. It keeps her House is entering the doors of the mansion today to preside there for at least the next four years. The country at large is welcoming Mrs. Herbert Hoover and | Washington, the Capital, which knows her well. has every reason to rejoice. As mistresses of the mansion go there | is no just comparison between them. | each woman being a law unto herself, at least in so far as personality goes. Of Mrs. Herbert Hoover, perhaps, even too much is expected. The world is | viewing her through eyes that belong | to the new and progressive cast of | ‘womanhood, women who stop at nothing in achieventen: There is absolutely no doubt in the minds of the great Republic but that this new First Lady of the Land is larg enough and capable enough to fill her position with credit. She is perhaps more generously fitted in the way of travel, education and general knowledge of the world than any of her prede- cessors. ‘While large events have come to Mrs. Hoover through association with her husband, and she has shared with him the demands of his country, whether in this or other lands, she has also made a particular place for herself among ‘women and men, a place so important that had she been an “old maid,” her career yet must have stood forth boldly against that of other women. Not tha' she ever sought the larger places and world-wide publicity, or even a little generous recognition, but through her work it has come to her. Prepared for Duties. As she assumes her duties in the White House today she is prepared to do her duty from every standpoint. Physically she is fitted to grace the drawing room, being comely and pleas- ant to look upon. She stands abou? five feet six inches and her athletic tendencies has left her a strongly built, well rounded figure, erect and inde- pendent looking. Her exquisite complex- ion of pink and white has taken on none of the harshness of her out-door life and with her halo of white hair shading eyes as blue as turquoise and a perfectly shaped nose and mouth, she is always considered a handsome woman. To be sure, there is a square- ness of jaw and a curve 2t the corner of her mouth which show decided char- acter. Mrs. Hoover may be shy of pub- licity and large crowds, but she doed not show it in her general demeanor. She is self possessed, perfectly poised and unafraid in meeting people. Candor is one of Mrs. Hoover's para- mount traits, and add to this the joy- ousness of living and of being of use in the world and she balances in the scale with her predecessor, Mrs. Cool- , to perfection.’ While the women of the world are saying “poor Mrs. Hoover, what a gi- gantic task she will have in managing the White House,” she is eutenng the knowing just exactly what awaits her and that many a woman without half her strength and none of her executive ability has weathered the four or even eight years of life there with credit to themselves. This is be- cause the White House is a Govern- ment run institution with some domestic life attached. Though the head may change, there are always the competent employes there who know their duty to jon and were the First Lady deaf, dumb and blind, the institution would still move on with noiseless ma- chinery. This is the wise arrangement in every department of the Government. Completely Equipped. Even should Mrs. Hoover have for- gotten to take her possessions into the Mansion with her, it is so perfectly equipped that she could do nicely with- out them. And as for housekeeping devices, no ready furnished mansion to 1et, no matter how perfectly equipped, could equal-the White House, where, from cellar to attic, everything has been thought out, tried tout and favor- ably péssed upon. syhg does ngg have to wonder what 1o do next. The schedule is practically set for' everything and she has only to be consulted as to the hours for dining and what she would like served at meals. There goes w th Mrs. Hoover to_the White House today her secretary, Miss | Hall, and many of the servants and attaches of her mansion on S street, m}ufln' Mary Rattley, the cook, whose | : ps, salads and other parts of a ‘menu are prime favorites with both the President and Mrs. Hoover. There will be a sufficient number of their domestics to give the White House | a genuinely home-like air and to carry | out the more personal wishes of the| master and mistress of the mansion. It has sometimes been said that Mrs. Hoover does not care for society. Per-| haps she does not in the general accept- | ance of the term, but she is so frankly hospitable and so little of the n'a]l society end of things—unofficial society—is exacted of her in her new position that this will not matter, even if true. Met Obligations Promptly. In her official life in Washington as the wife of the Secretary of Commerce, Mrs. Hoover met her obligations promptly, did what the official world expected of her, both in and out of her home, and kept up a number of old and familiar friendships. Wednesday afternoons at home will long be remem- bered for their distinctive hospitality— things such as open fireplaces, plenty | of flowers, tropical fruits and a general welcome from the carriage door to the; tea table. | With women in the congressional set | Mrs. Hoover is particularly a favorite | and were one asked to name some of | the women in official life who will be | nearest to her and have most frequent entry into the White House it would indeed be difficult for they are all her friends. : When members of the Congressional | Club were getting up their cook book to use as a means for financing the ad- dition to the club building, Mrs. Hoover wrote for the book its foreword. There | are some touches of humor in this bit of writing and some touches of imagina- tion to lift the writer—she signs her name Lou Henry Hoover—quite out of the ordinary line of housewives. “* * * For our cooking, like our governing, is done for the people and by the people.” Then she leads the housewives of the country on to purchase by citing the fact that its many recipes, contributed through the wives of Am- bassadors and Ministers, they may imagine themselves dining at a diplo- matic table or even in some strange and far-away land. And yet Mrs. Hoover is not domestic in the way of prying around in the corner of pantries, selecting rounds of meat in the market, making up market- ing lists and in the detailed supervision of a house. She manages to have a housekeeper who does these things for | adding the only relief. | from the disappointments that have | | beset many First Ladies who walked | |into the mansion with ideas begot of | | their own limited domestic sphere and | found, alas, that it did not fit the | Nation's big hostelry. One of the most difficult things for, Mrs. Hoover will be giving up those ! upon whom she has depended, like Dr. | Frances Foye, who has been her house- hold physician for some years. The | Government again steps in and provides | physicians for the President and his | family. However, the professional atti- | tude of the First Lady and her well| known woman physician need not trou- | ble their friendship. While Mrs. Hoover is fond of rather severe tailored street garments, always resorting to her Girl Scout uniform when necessary, or wearing ankle- length, closely fitted skirts and severely plain tailored jackets, she is careful to adapt her costume to the occasion. This was never better shown than in the | wardrobe she selected to carry with her on the South American trip with Pres- ident Hoover. One of her becoming costumes was a hand-woven two-piece suit of white, the design in the border ‘With this she wore a becoming soft white hat. She likes hand-woven fabrics, and an- other of her garments was a long coat of white, so woven as to show pink in the border. She likes rose tints, but rbx;equently wears becoming shades of lue. After the death of her father last Autumn, Mrs. Hoover adopted more somber colors, wearing black for travel- ing. On election night, when she and President Hoover were entertaining their friends, official and intimate, in their Palo Alto home, Mrs. Hoover wore one of the new printed velvets in black and gray. For their Florida trip Mrs. Hoover added several of the mnewer printed crepe de chines to her wardrobe, one of white with a figure in green over which she wore a black chiffon coat, quite long enough to cover the dress, and a black hat and shoes. Only with her evening gowns does Mrs. Hoover adopt the French heel, her favorite footwear being Oxford tles, laced snugly over the instep. She is fond of watking and finds it an easy, pleasurable task because she outfits herself for it. Not Partial to Jewelry. Mrs. Hoover is particularly dainty in evening clothes, being fond of hand- some laces and the richer materials, though she frequently wears soft crepe de chines, chiffon velvets and geor- gettes. Mrs. Hoover is not much given to wearing jewelry, though, like Mrs. Coolidge, she does not object to a neck- lace or chain as part of her costume and she has a decided fancy for small ornamental combs to keep in place some wandering lock of hair. When she wears furs, they are of the best, carefully selected and of the most fash- ionable sort. Silver fox appeals to her and for evening she wore to the last few White House receptions, before Mr. Hoover retired from the cabinet, a great fluffy white fox that left at the back only the top of her head visible, while gt stole reached the bottom of her at. - ‘Women the' country over always wonder what has the First Lady of the Land as a hobby. Does she sew, knit. paint, collect some special line of art, or what is it? While Mrs. Hoover has many treasures collected in her world travels—or perhaps acquired is a better word—she apparently runs to. no spe- books, hangings, screens and other things that go to make a house look homelike, have for the most simply been “brought along” on her return to the States, because they had been part :xgi,e her household goods in other coun- s. The new First Lady is an adept with her needle, and while she does little in the way of fashionable garments, she makes a study of and executes tapestry, embroidery of all sorts and knows many lace stitches. This, however, is all work that requires close attention and the thing she likes best and does the most of is knitting baby sacques, sweaters and bootees for her grand- children, Peggy Ann and Herbert, 3d, aged about 3 years and 14 months, re- spectively. She likes to stitch their dainty dresses and other garments and there is a grave suspicion that she is a baby spoiler. Fond of Children. Mrs. Hoover is always very solicitous about those two children, and exceed- ingly fond of the pretty young mother, Mrs. Herbert Hoover, jr, who before her marriage was Miss Margaret Wat- son and, like her husband, a graduate of Stanford. For a fact, it was js. Hoover who went out to California to attend the wedding and see the young people established in home life. She has frequently visited them since Her- | bert Hoover, jr, took his family to Cambridge, where he has spent about two years at Harvard. Allan Hoover, the younger son of the President and Mrs. Hoover, 22 years old, who accompanied them on their South American voyage, js still a stu- dent, but will furnish untold interest in his visits to the White House. The coming of the Coolidge boys and be- fore that the Roosevelt boys from their respective schools always afforded the public a thrill, Both of the Hoover sons were born in London, in the Little Red House, which became the central meeting place of celebrities dufing the World War. However, they are typically American, even though, like other boys, they like to reminisce about their trips on the Thames, and their acquaintance with other boys of their age in and about London. Mrs. Hoover is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henry, and | was born at Waterloo, Towa, where her only sister, Mrs. Jean Henry Large, also | was born. In the nineties they left Towa and went first to Los Angeles and then to Monterey, Calif, where her father entered the banking business. Mr. Henry, who died less than a year ago at the advanced age of 82, con- tinued to make his home in Monterey, | only going to Palo Alto in the school season that Mrs. Large might be with | her son, Delano Large, who is in hi early teens and attending Stanford. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover were married in the Church of St. Charles Borromeo, Monterey, Calif., in 1899, the Re Father Ramon Maria Mestres, pastor of the church, officiating. It was a Catholic ceremony, the priest, as the only minister of the town, having a spe- cial dispensation to perform ceremonies for Protestants. ; The Hoovers’ wedding journey was a long one, taking them to China, where they set up their first housekeeping in half-American, half-Oriental fashion, | i but where, nevertheless, they made a real home. Miss Janet Large, the niece of Mrs. Hoover, will be the young lady of the White House, She is a student at Holton Arms, but undoubtedly will her, while she merely gives the general eytline of what she wants. Ferience alone equips her for her posi- bring many young people around her This ex-'during the days she spends in the fine | cially made. old mansion. | cial line, and her pictures, bric-a-brac, | Lal MRS. HOOVER AND MRS. GANN. g —Sketched From Harris-Ewing and Associated Press Photographs. President of U. S. Heads All Rulers In Absolute Power| Many Honors and Favors| Are Given Executive by .Government. What are'the perquisites of the of- fice of Chief Executive which Calvin | Coolidge of Massachusetts deliberately relinquished when he said he did not &hm to be a candidate for re-elec- ion? First and greatest of all the powers and privileges and opportunities is that as President of the United States one exercises more absolute power than any other ruler in all the world. He is the most powerful person in the world while holding office. ' Here are some of the other emolu- ments that “Uncle Sam” gives him: A salary of $75,000 a year. ,Another $25,000 for traveling and en- tertainment expenses. A mansion to live in on which the attention of the entire world is focused. Furnishings and maintenance com- | plete for this sumptuous residence. Has Private Detectives. A private room in the Capitol Build- | ing, which is the most elaborately deco. rated office room in the world, and furnished with historic furniture, heir- looms from famous predecessors. A fleet of the best automobiles American factories can produce, and an electric car for the First Lady of the ind. A private detective force to guard A special police force of about 50 picked men to guard the White House and grounds. A private art gallery. A historic library. A score of nhouses to keep the ‘White House decorated and to provide plants and blooms for dinners and re- ceptions—one of the greenhouses be- ing among the largest orchid houses in this country. A private yacht. A private g&m—whetnezer he wants it—which is given right of way. The best brass band in the world. A flag that no one else may unfurl. A personal physician. Naval and military personal aides. An official secretary, who on occasions acts for the President, the best private ry he can find. A confidential secretary, who knows him more intimately than any one else. A large office force, and a complete retinue, a man to keep track of appoint- ments, another to open his mail, a bar- ber, etc. Private telephone and telegraph lines. A private code for sending confiden- tial messages. A sochl‘secreury for the mistress of the White House, who is social leader for the country. A daily newspaper prepared for him alone. A disbursing officer to - keep the White House accounts straight. An official steel engraving portrait. Right of way wherever he may go. These are some of the honors and favors that Uncle Sam presents to the President—but he can enjoy them only for eight years, two terms. Many Courtesies Extended. In addition to these gratuities paid for by the people, the new President falls heir to many courtesies, such as: A private Toom at the Union Station in the National Capital. Z A private box at his favorité theaters specially decorated in his honor. A specially reserved pew in whatever church he prefers. Membership in the most exclusive clubs. Idealizing reproduction of his fea- tures by portrait painters and sculptors. Services of dentists, tailors and others as much as he may be willing to ac- cept. Gifts of all sorts—pets, books, jewelry, prize turkeys and hogs and pumpkins, bed quilts and whatnot. There is nothing niggardly about the appropriations made by Congress for the upkeep and maintenance of the White House, including furnishings, re- pairs, heat, and in fact everything ex- cept what the President’s family eats. By virtue of his being Commander- in-chief of the Army and Navy he can i | get, his larder filled at the Army or Navy commissary, taking advantage of reduced prices. ‘Then, too, he is frequently the target for expert cooks who send in pies and cakes, and of proud growers who sénd in fresh-killed livestock or poultry or fancy cured hams. $75,000 for White House. ‘The appropriation for White House maintenance is about $75,000 to $100,- | 000. The furnishings are generally re- paired or renewed every four years. The linen is especially made with the U. 8. Coat of Arms weaved into the texture of the cloth. The china and glassware also have the U. S. Seal. It | takes 10 dozen of everything to properly “set” the White House table for a for- mal dinner. Practically all of the fur- niture and draperies have been spe- The White House itself, the official | | WHITE HOUSE REAL HOME Typically American Residence Has Been Inspiration for Past Presidents and Declared One of Most Genuine Thrills Associated With Office. ORE than one President of the United States is known to have remarked upon retiring from that high office that one of the greatest and most genuine thrills associated with the presidency was that derived from living in the White House. ‘This beautiful white residence, mag- nificent in its simplicity, its perfect architecture and its colorful setting. has been credited with serving as an inspiration to many of the distinguished men who have lived in it during their | tenure of office. President Coolidge is among these. The White House from all accounts is a most comfortable place of abode. It is spacious without being barnlike, and it is furnished and conducted in such a typically American manner that the Presidents and their respective families have been able to live simply and with the same freedom that was theirs in private life. Not only is the White House a home- like place, but it is beyond al question the most famous residence in America. Its graceful, Colonial lines are well known to millions of people throughout the country. It is rare that a visitor to Washington for the first time goes away without having seen this house— their President’s home. Architects and artists from foreign countries have been charmed with it. Perfect Colonial Type. Some readily concede it to be the most beautiful residence in America. At any rate, it has been described by | as mistress of the White House. authorities as the most perfect type of American Colonial architecture in this country. and beauty, there are the grounds in which it is situated, with their hun- dreds of shade and flowering trees, its hundreds of shrubs, and roses and countless other flowers, which, duriig the flowering season, transform the more than 18 acres forming the White House grounds into one of the beauty spots of the Capital. This home of the Presidents is just as attractive inside as it is on the out- side. It is actually four stories, although from the exterior it appears to be only two stories. This deception is due to the fact that the basement floor is not noticed from the front, and because the arrangement of the top story, or attic, as it is generally known, is such as al- most completely to hide it from view. There are about 50 rooms in this fa- mous old building. No one seems to know the exact number, but that is as close as the older attaches can estimate. ‘The main floor is more or less public, and for that reason is little frequented by the Presidents and their families. Of course, the private and state dining rooms are on this floor, but the occu- pants of the house never have their meals in the latter, except on occasions of banquets or other state functions. The remainder of this main floor is for formal recelving and entertaining, and is not used by the presidential families except for these purposes. East Room Most Famous. ‘Unquestionably the most famous of the rooms in the White House is the East Room. It is also the largest and most magnificent. The Blue Room, although consider- ably smaller, is next in importance, be- cause it is in it that the President and the First Lady receive. The presidential families themselves to the second floor. confine It is | some personal belongings. In addition to its own grace | there that the bedrooms, the rooms and the library are located. It is on this floor that intimates are received informally and where the presidential familles foregather in the evening for reading and conversation. ‘The rooms on the top floor are used principally by the servants and for storage purposes. This part of the house was rebuilt, two years ago, when an entire new roof was put on the White House. In the basement are the kitchens, pantries, storage and refrigeration rooms, as well as the laundry. Several of the rooms in the basement have been converted into a sort of art gallery. At least oil paintings and busts, mostly of former occupants of the White House, for which a display place in the upper part of the house could not be found, have been put on exhibition. There is a huge furnace room, with space for fuel, but these are no longer used, as the heat for the White House is piped from a central heating plant operated by the War Department. ‘The big house is completely and well furnished. It is not at all necessary for any incoming President to bring anything in the way of furniture, dra- peries, linen, china, or the many other articles that go toward making a large house presentable and comfortable. ' Personal Belongings. Of course, each new occupant brings It has been a custom for each succeeding First Lady personally to select the design of the china to be used during her term ward pleces from the china of each administration are placed in the Na- tional Museum. There are 26 servants employed to keep the White House in order and to cater to the wants of the presidential family. These do not Include a house- keeper and a head usher. Also there are a head gardener and assistant and about 12 laborers employed throughout the year to care for the grounds; a carpenter, an electrician, a mechanic, a valet to the President, a maid for _the mistress, four social clerks and two messengers. For the purpose of protecting the White House, the executive office and patrolling the grounds surrounding them, the Government has provided a police force of 40 men. The 10 secret service men detailed to the White House do no patrol duty. Nine of them are assigned to protect the Presi- d(;;lt and one to protect the President’s wife. The house itself and all that has been mentioned in connection with it are furnished by the Nation. The President is called upon neither to pay any salaries, nor to pay for the heat and light. His only expense is for what he and his family and the house and kitchen servants eat. The food and other costs incident to state func- tions are paid for out of the Presi- dent's traveling expense fund, for which Congress appropriates $25,000 annually. Uniil the administration of Presi- dent Roosevelt all of the business of the Executive was transacted in the White House itself, but he had an executive office built onto the west wing_of the residence and there are the President’s office, and the offices of those engaged in assisting him, as well as the'room in which the cabinet ?fitm“ and other conferences are el f residence of the President, was the first public building erected .in Washington. The site was selected by George Wash- ington, who personally laid the corner stone in '1792. It was first occupied by John Adams in 1800. The building, 176 feet long and 86 feet deep, was partially destroyed by the British in 1814. An annex containing the Executive offices and a Cabinet room was built in 1902 during the Roosevelt incumbency. ‘The early occupants of the White House used candles. Gas was not installed until 1848, and a heating and ventil- lating system in 1853. The United States Government has never felt it necessary to buy a special car for the President to travel in, be- cause the railroad companies have al- ways placed at his disposal any private car he might express a preference for whenever he was planning a trip. This car has to be paid for out of the travel- ing allowance of $25,000. The President is not restricted in the number of automobiles. They are paid for out of the White House mainte- nance fund. Uusually there is an ar- rangement made with one of the lead- ing automobile manufacturers to keep the White House supplied with new cars. Constant Vigil Is Kept. Whenever the President goes out driving he is attended by Secret Service men and by policemen outriders on motorcycles. There is a force of Secret Service men on the alert night and day to protect the President. A 24-hour vlglr is also kept about the White House grounds. The use of Secret Service men at the White House began after the assassination of lznldent McKinley. ORDER OF PRESIDENCY SUCCESSION LISTED Law of Congress Provides for All Emergencies so Nation Will Have Chieftain. A question often asked is, Who suc- ceeds to the presidency, in case of need, after the President and Vice President? This has been provided for by law of Congress, so that no matter what hap- pens the country may not be without an_executive. The order of succession is as follows: Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War, Attorney General, Postmaster General, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Although the following question has no bearing under present conditions, it is interesting to know that if the man elected President of the United States should die or in any way become in- eligible between the time of the meeting of the electoral college and March 4, the man elecled Vice President would be- come President. In case of such a vacancy occurring prior to the meeting of the electoral college, that body would have the duty of elevating the man elected by the votes of the people of the various States as Vice President to the highest office in t:le land. That has occurred in the pas sitting | Presidential Oath Given Coolidge by | Father Is Recalled |Ceremony by Lamplight| in Old Home Followed Harding’s Death. Calvin Coolidge walks out of the White House today with a distinction that no other President had. He is the only man in American history who was sworn in as Chief Executive by his own father. In August, 1923, the world learned of | the death of President Harding. But the world knew that the ‘“President” was not dead, for with almost grim swiftness a new man had stepped into the office. The night of Mr. Harding's death was a hectic one in official circles. ‘Thére were only two Cabinet officers in Washington and there was a grave fear that the sudden death of the Presi- dent was part of a plot against the Government. Postmaster General New was insistent that Vice President Cool- {idge be immediately sworn in. Secre- tary of State Hughes, next in line of succession and himself a former Chief Justice, ruled that any person qualified under the State laws to take an ac- knowledgment could swear in Mr. Cool- idge.. In the still hours of the night, by the flicker of a kerosene oil lamp, in a modest farm home in the hills of Ver- mont, Calvin Coolidge's father “offici- ated” and swore in his son as President. FLAGS FOR HOOVER Thousands, Specially Made for Celebration, Are Waving Here Today. Théuundx of flags were especially made ‘to’ wave in Washington today at the inhuguration of Herbert Hoover. ‘The, quartermaster general arranged with the Army's manufacturing depot in Philadelphia to supply flags of every dimension ranging from the big garri- son flags 20x38 feet to the small storm flags 5x9 feet. In the same city where Betsy Ross made the first American flag hundreds of girls were kept busy stitching white percale stars on a blue field and care- fully laying red and white stripes of bunting together. The Philadelphia de- pot was responsible for all the flags used by the U. S. Army, including | colors and standards for regiments. The national flag is made in 12 sizes. Advance In Making of Flag. ‘The making of Old Glory advanced along the same lines of economical production as other commodities in the needle industries. At one time the en- tire flag was fashioned by one operator. Now the work is divided into 13 opera- tions. A different task is assigned each worker, the work passing along from one machine to another until it is com- pletely assembled. ‘The material for stars is stamped out with a steel cutting die on an elec- tric-driven stamping machine. The fully smoothed out and the proper posis tion of the stars marked on each fleld, using a perforated pattern. National colors of silk are carried by unmounted troops and standards by mounted organizations. Making of these differs from the work on bunting flags. The tsars are made of solid em- broidery silk on a Swiss hand-em- broidery machine. Placed By Machines. ‘The blue silk fields are placed in frames on this machine, which turns out a stitch-like hand embroidery. The regi- mental banners are made of heavy taffeta silk with an eagle and the regi- mental coats of arms are embroidered by hand. There are as many as 30 different shades of- silk used In em. broidering each banner. The work- CPECTAL INAUGURAL . SECTION. D TO ASSUME DUTIES OF FIRST LADY MRS. GANN TO BE OFFICIAL 'HOSTESS FOR HER BROTHER Home of Vice President Cl;rtis Will Be Presided Over by Up-to-Date Woman With “QOld-Fashioned” Virtues. blue field is placed on a table, care-{{n BY MARGARET B. DOWNING. HEN Charles Curtis, Vice President of the United States, came to the Capital for the first time it was in| August, 1893, and in re-| sponse to President Cleveland's call for the Fifty-third Congress to meet in ex- traordinary session. He was a new member elected to the House of Repre- sentatives from the fourth district of | Kansas, and he was accompanied by his wife, who had been Miss Anna E. Baird of Topeka: his son, Harry King Curtis; two daughters, Permilla, ndw Mrs. Charles P. George, and Leona. Mrs. Webster Knight, and his sister Dolly. | Mrs. Edward Everett Gann, who will be | his official hostess. Except for an interim of less than two years from 1913-15, when a tangle n the laws of Kansas prevented his securing the nomination to the Senate, which he had won by popular vote, Senator Curtis has been a resident of | ‘Washington and he and his family are well intrenched in the affections of its people. Mrs. Gann before coming to the Capital had completed her educa- tion in the schools of her home city, Topeka, and had developed as Pre- dominating traits a flair for politics and a sound sense of values in apprais- ing men and their motives. Charles Curtis, after an adventurous youth and long before coming to Washington, had settled into the quiet | dignity of a law office and the routine | some years and established in Topeka, when, on the death of her mother, his sister, Dolly, became an inmate of his home. The tenderest affection always was |a The second child, Charles Curtis George. is almost 6. Mrs. Webster Knight of Providence, R. 1, was married in her father's home on Belmont strcet in the Summer of 1918. She too, has two children, her son now 7 years old and a namesake of his grandfather, Charles Curtis Knight. The little girl, Constance, is past 5. Mrs. Knight received the major part of her education at the University of Kan- . _She later took a finishing course Mrs. Somers’ school, familiar | through many years in Washington as | the Mount Vernon Institute. She sup- | plemented this with study abroad. Sena- tor Curtis’ only son, Harry King Curtis, spent his boyhood at the Capital, stud. fed at Central High and graduated Ann Arbor, Mich. He now lives in Chi- cago. His wife, an exceedingly hand- some woman with abundant deep au- burn hair, was, tefore her marriage five years ago, Mrs. Beatrice Cameron. then a resident of New York City, but for- merly Miss Beatrice Elliott of Washing- ton. They have no children. Expert Needlewoman. Next to Mrs. Gann's acknowledged and often proved talent for political leadership, her outstanding accomplish- ment lies in the domain of what has | been called the art in which woman | attains her most exalted and perfas expression, namely that of needlework. Always a lover of fine, dainty articles, she especially admired those delicate, | handmade lace curtains which could b | seen in homes presided over by women | of wealth and of discriminating taste. But when the Ganns set up their house. hold goods in their first home, a semi detached house on the brow of Har- maintained between the orphan sister and the brother's wife and she was reared in a home where the strongest bonds of family unity existed and where, in her impressionable years, she was in touch .with public affairs and the men who dominated them. She was keenly interested in her brother’s political ambitions and has been an acknowledged factor in his success. Her nieces and nephew regarded her as a kind and sympathetic clder sister and, in later years, as a'second mother who could share their experiences. The best description of Mrs. Gann is that she has accepted the fact that different ideal prevail in the world and that reluctance to accept them would be both futile and embarrassing. She is the rare type of the thoroughly modern woman, possess- ing in a marked degree all the old-fash- joned virtues and those amiable quali- ties which were, as the phrase goes. more abundant in the years “when mother was a girl.” Political Acumen Admired. From her earliest residence in the Capital, the hostess of the Vice Presi- dent was admired for her political acumen, and it was a frequent pleas- antry of Representative Curtis’ friends to wish to take over the services of his campaign manager and general secretary, especially when a doubtful campaign was on hand. She supervised her brother’s office and personally saw visitors when he was very busy and wrote and dictated letters which proved a valuable asset all the years when his political fame was growing. Mrs. Charles Curtis was an excellent home-keeper, but she found her young sister-in-law a tremendous aid in the amenities, knowing, as she did, not only the names of the most distinguished callers on official occasions but also something in the personal sense which made for their pleasure. Meantime she was just as invaluable in the homelier dutles, aiding in the family sewing and taking a hand when the always uncer- taln domestic staff to be engaged in the Capital was in rebellion. Although always renting or owning a home in Washington, Senator Curtis and his family returned to Topeka on all possible occasions and to the roomy home endeared to every member by most sacred memories. This house is now occupied by the older sister of the Vice President, Mrs. Jerome Colvin, and she keeps it in readiness for his visits. This house is on a corner op- posite from the home of Senator Arthur Capper and between the two families there has existed for many years a strongly entrenched friendship. Kept Out of Suffrage. As Dolly Curtis, an astute politician popular in Washington and Topeka, Mrs. Gann had many opportunities to attract public attention in her own behalf. The-equal - right - for - women movements were gaining momentum and their leaders singled for honers any woman performing high-class work. To attain the reputation of being the most successful political manager in the Mid- dle West was in this category and noth- ing is more indicative of Mrs. Gann's poise and good judgment than that she kept aloof from all the stormy episodes which marked the progress of woman suffrage to its eventful triumph. Nor did the idea of seeking political prefer- ment in the personal sense ever find lodgement. She was content to share and enjoy the honors conferred on her brother and to play her part for his steady advancement. _During this period before her mar- riage to Edward Everett Gann of Louisville, Ky.." a young lawyer then in the Department of Justice, she found time to play a conspicuous role the compact body of Kansans resi- dent in Washington and to co-ordinate them to their best interests and those of the Sunflower State. She was a sympathetic aide when the Kansas So- clety of Washington was founded, and she has borne her share of res) 1~ bility for the success of its annual meeting. Mrs. Gann was among the first wom- en to obtain a license to run her own motor car, an electric, in 1915, ‘when this was deemed the most ladylike for her sex and less dangerous than gaso- line. She was promoted from this class many years ago and has since driven the largest and heaviest of cars for the pleasure and convenience of her family. Her big car has long been fa- miliar at the Senate entrance. She has always taken her husband to his office and no engagement in the afternoon woman must use the greatest care and ! judgment in her work in order that | the different shades blend properly. The colors for the President, Sec-: retary of War, chief of staff and West | Point cadets are embroidered by hand in the same manner as the regimental colors. Few Entertained by Adams. John Quincy Adams was the last President from Massachusetts, prior to Mr. Coolidge. When he assumed office the diplo- matic corps consisted of 1 proved too fascinating to detain her when it was time to call for him. | Since Senator Curtis has made his home with the Ganns his faithful sister has included this morning and afternoon duty for him also. Only in the past six months, when duties of all dmflguons H multiplied for every member of the | have the Ganns engaged -[ fam chauffeur. Married in Topeka. Mr. and Mrs. Gann were married in the Topeka home June 13, 1915, and came at once to Wi , where they established their home. Permelia, the elder daughter of the 7 Sir Charles Vaughn, the Bflm ister, was dean and but four other n: tions sent ministers or envoys of the first class. Portugal had as Minister the witty and M:comg}lshed Abbe Correa de Serra, author of the phrase—“Wash- ington, a city of magnificent distances,” that has been preserved to these days when it is even more appropriate. John Quincy Adams entertained an official ofical Tt Tor the. Gaolidge’ receptions of it for tI has been upward of 6,000, Vice President, and bearing the nlmnl of her Grandmother Curtis, previously had married Charles P. George, a West | Pointer, and now_ranking as a major and stationed at Fort Sill, Okla. Mrs. George graduated with honor from Wellesley and is of a studious, rather re- tiring turn. She has two children. Ann, who is 8 and who, as the first grand- child, born while her parents were liv- ing in Washington is an especial fa- vorite of her grandfather and much time with Mr. and Mrs, et o | Prof. H. V. has spent | she vard terrace, such articles were ond | their income. So, with the besth?t')oks jon the subject and a few specimens loaned by friends who possessed such | laces, this energetic homekeeper made | her own curtains, and of such entranc- | ing design that they were envy of all | beholders. Every window in the home | was thus covered. | _Added to an almost prenatural skill | with her ncedle, Mrs. Gann has an ex- | ceptional talent for cooking. This shona ‘resnlendemly during the doleful’ days | when the Food Administration had | placed the forbidden sign on so many cherished dishes. ~Mrs. Gann could readily obtain a place of responsibility with a canning firm, such was the skill | she attained with vegetables and fruts. | Sweet corn, freshly gathered, was her specially, and many the day she spent in the farming country about Wash- ington getting fresh corn and rushing { home and canning it. During the lean | days of the following Winter this made i dish for the gods when mingled with | the breakfast bacon. It was served as | & special treat once a week for the | family. | _Mrs. Curtis’ long and painful illness ! proved & crucial test for the Senator, and he became the marvel of his friends, | that, despite mentsl anguish, loss of rest and ever-increasing sorrow, he so | faithfully discharged his routine duties | and so cheerfully accepted the inevita- | ble. Mrs. Gann gained just as much | admiration at this sad period, prolonged almost 10 years. during three of which she was bed-ridden. For she attended with the most exacting . care to the houszhold needs of her brother's home |as well as her own. The daughters | were matried and living out of the city and they had young children, whom thev could not leave for a protracted period and whom they could not bring to Washington for fear of disturbing the beloved invalid. B More Spacious Home. It was to provide a more spacious environment for Senator Curtis that Mr. and Mrs. Gann parted with their home on Harvard terrace and moved to Ma- comb street in Cleveland Park. The house and grounds are much I arranged on a more pliant entertaining. As in their first home, the garden is a major interest for the entire family. It had been already de- signed and planted before Mr. y_things lanted Spring bulbs in such profusion t few private grounds show such a grand ar- ray of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and iris. They still cultivate roses and have a plot which is a credit to amateurs. They have placed elumfs of chrysanthe- mums in between Spring and Summer bloomers, so that all through the Sum- mer the deep green of chrysanthemums and the delicate foliage of dahlias give that desired aspect which few Wash- ington gardens attain in Summer. A wholesome edifying family is that of the Vice President and in this cate- gory he proudly includes his sister gclly. and her husband, Edward Evere‘t ann. 2,600 CONSTITUTION CHANGES OFFERED Book Written by Pittsburgh Law- yer on Proposed Amendments After Five Years' Study. By the Associated Press. PITTSBURGH. March 4.—Some 2,600 resolutions to amend the Constitution of the United States have been intro- duced since the Constitution was made the law of the land. and M. A. Musman- no, Pittsburgh attorney, knows the his- tory of every one. Not only that, but after reading through 40 years of the Congressional Record and more than 100 books deal- ing with the introduced resolutions. Musmanno has written “Proposed (A’m‘eme;z. to lhet h(z:mltuuon of the ] ," 80 can know as much. The book"r‘eypfmw“:.‘l the work of five years’ study. Having been adopted by Congress as & Government document, 5,000 copies will be printed and distributed among Idbnrlu. schools and courts of the Na- lon. Musmanno's book covers about 300 pages and is said to constitute the first attempt at analyzing the subjeot of amendments since the book in 1889 by Ames of the University of Pennsylvania. Representative Clyde Kelly sponsored the resolution in Congress adopting the book as a Government document, CORN ON HOOVER TABLE. Ten Choice Ears Sent From Towa by President-elect’s Friend. Ten ears of red. white and yellow corn from “To-way,” the State of tall corn and also of Herbert Hoover’s birth, served as a Winter centerpiece in the dining room of Mrs. Hoover. The corn was sent at Mrs. Hoover’s request by Newt Butler, boyhood chum of the President-elect. When the Hoo- vers visited West Branch, the place of Mr. Hoover, last August, the far-famed Iowa corn was at its best. Mrs. Hoover remarked that she would like & few of the ripened ears to use as a centerplece in a special dish which that purpose. . Butler to send some. He did.