Evening Star Newspaper, April 2, 1933, Page 69

’ 1933. THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 2 DMINISTRATIONS may come and go, but the “don’ts” of Washington etiquette continue through Repub- lican and Democratic regimes alike. The latest additions to the Cap- ital’'s extensive official family are just now learning wkat their predecessors ex- perienced as hosts and hostesses—that there are certain unwritten social rules and regula- tions which must be observed on the banks of the Potomac if State Department officials are to sleep easily and the Capital's own Little Blue Book is to represent a congenial and happy group. . The chief teboos of Washington official life are: 1. Don't invite the Vice President and the Speaker of the House to the same dinner. . 2. Don't invit> the Chief Justice and a for- eign Ambassador to the same function. 3. Don’t invitz an associate justice of the Supreme Court and the Minister of a foreign country on the same occasion. The reason is simple—there is_a quibble as to which should have the seat of honor. In the instances mentioned, the question has never been seftied, and probably never will be. Technically, the Vice President gives prece-, dence only to the President. Because the Chief Executives now adhere to a policy of not ac- cepting private social invitations, outside of be- ing dined by members of the cabinet, the Vice President has become more of a Washington social figure than his chief. Yet the rank of the executive office “spare tire” has not been without dispute. Many years ago one of the Presidents so disliked his teammate that he allowed Sir Julian Paunce- fote, British envoy, to infringe on the vice presidential dignity, even to having the Vice President make the “first call” on the alien dor. . It made such a stir that the envoy was soon told by his home government that the Vice President bears the same relation to the United States presidential chair that the Prince of ‘Wales does to the British throne. Various Speakers of the House have claimed priority to the Vice President. This conten- tion is based upon constitutional rather than upon social groures. late Speaker Nicholas Longworth, for in- stance, regarded the vice presidency as sub- ordinate to the executive branch of the Gov- ernment, whereas, according to his argument, the Speaker of the House is spokesman for one of the three great branches of administration created by the Constitution. By the same token, Speaker Longworth held that he socially eclipsed the Chiet Justice, ‘There are those in the Senate who feel that to make the Housz of Representatives supreme of the two legislative bodies, - On the other hand, argument is offered that the Speaker of the House wields maere power than the Vice President, who, to some minds, Is only a “figurehead” for the Senate for want of something else to do while awaiting presi- 'dential successicn eventualities. Yet it is a fact that the Vice President is more, precedent has long ruled m' President’s favor. | * Thus at affairs of giving separate dinners to and the Speaker of the House. - These two officials are about ones who continue to question the rank of mem- N \ \ N A breach of manners has been known to plunge nations into war, so there is definite reason for Washington's odd taboos and fusses about precedence, though some of them seem ridiculous bers of the Supreme Court. The former never calls on the justices, arid the Speakers, at in- tervals, repeat their old argument that the head of the legislative branch should precede the judiciary. 3 ciate justice outranks a fore! an Ambassador) or vice versa. that the two classes are never same function. Wives of associate justices call first on the wives of Ambassadors, as well as the wife of the Chief Justice, the State Department having ruled that on home grounds foreign Ambassa- dors outrank the native judiciary. VER since a certain foreign Ambassador challenged the right of a Chlef Justice to precede him the head of the high tribunal has traditionally - refrained from attending func- tions graced by the presence of such alien dignitaries. ; The late Chief Justice Taft took particular exception to the State Department ruling that in the United States Ambassadors of foreign nations outrank even the Chief Justice. He was not mollified by the fact that on foreign soil the American Chief Justice is returned the courtesy of ranking all Ambassadors but our own. At our own embassies and legations when the Secretary of State happens to be :;esent the Chief Justice must play second dle, The foreign diplomatic set is extremely touchy about precedence. Consequently Uncle Sam has to treat it as a preferred class. . Its members, besides enjoying diplomatic immunity, cannot be invited to meet or mingle with others below its station in life—even in such a democratic city as Washington. Hence the velvet ropes which segregate the various “castes” at White House receptions. It is by courtesy only that a diplomat’s wife shares her husband’s honors. Italy is the only country which recognizes the social position of an Ambassador's wife to the extent of pay- ing her a regular salary. Much tact has to be used in seating guests - at state dinners. When Wiedfell was German Ambassador here shortly after the World War great care was exercised so as not to seat him near the then French Ambassador, Jusserand. But diplomacy masks hatreds with courtesy and the two are known to have passed a remark or two. Not so Baron de Cartier de Marchienne, the Belgian Ambassador. He could not be in- duced to say a civil word to Germany’s repre=- sentative, and on one occasion seating arrange- ments were changed at the last minute because the baron’s American wife objected to being assigned a place near the German envoy. The rank of members of the cabinet depends upon the order in which their respective de- partments were created. Because the Agricul- ture, Commerce and Labor Departments were not born until after the presidential succession act of 1886, their particular heads are not in line for the presidenc The Secretary of State enjoys an odd status— is continual feud between the cabinet and the Senate as to which is the more im- G present cabinet members pay first on members of the Senate, but to even B Unlike & Senator’s calling card, the card of s Representative is not supposed to bear the name of his State. The explanation is that whereas a Senator represents.a State as a whole a Representative represents a single congres-