New Britain Herald Newspaper, January 27, 1927, Page 16

Alice Roosevelt Longworth whose husband’s political fortunes may take her back to the White House where she lived with her famous father F course, every one knows that 0 the White House is a very nice place in which to live. It must be very difficult for those who have become accustomed to the beauty and spaciousness of the halls, the light and airiness of the numerous rooms to ever have to move out. For in all re- spects the White House is the sort of home that thousands dream of but never attain. Consequently it is not surprising to learn that two of the women who were once residents of this quite ideal home are visualizing a new lease. And of the charming women who have been privileged to make the White House their home there are probably none who were more attached to its beauty and comfort than these two aspirants who were both courted and wedded under its sumptuous roof. These two former residents of the White House are Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth and Mrs. Eleanor Wil- son McAdoo. The former is the wife of Nicholas Long- worth, Speaker of the National House, and the latter, the wife of William G. McAdoo, Secretary of the Treas- ury under the late President Wilson. Both these men are among the presidential possibilities being con- sidered by leaders of their respective parties. Some people say that one of these two beautiful women was so attached to her for- mer home that she planned from the day she left it to move back as soon as ever it could be contrived. And it looks now as though Alice Roosevelt Long- worth might be somewhere near this goal. There are other people who believe that Eleanor Wilson McAdoo has just as good chances as Mrs. Longworth to reinstate herself in the house where a few years ago her gay laughter echoed and where, in the famous Blue Room, she became the wife of William Gibbs McAdoo, then Secretary of the Treasury. Either of these vivacious White House daughters would make a charming host- ess as a President’s wife, every one who knows them in Washington de- clares. Both are vivid and colorful per- sonalities and there are many stories in the Capital concerning their spirited youthful days. Although both these daughters of Presidents are very lively and animated, their intimate friends that their regimes would be quite different. Every- body in Washington knows that the character of the hostess in the White House colors the whole of Washington society and so the residents of the Capi- tal are always greatly concerned when a new tenant becomes the first lady of the land. Alice tepped into the office of National from Ohio and thus © HARRIS & EwiNG- Roosevelt Longworth re- cently Committeewoman greatly promoted her husband’s possible nomination for the country, once more feminine heads got together in Washington and discussed highest office in the ey Have A recent photograph of “Princess Alice” and little Paulina Longworth who may spend some of her life in the executive mansion, as did her mother the personality of this often commented upon lady. What kind of a social life would Washington have if the beautiful “Prin- cess Alice” became the first lady of the land? Would her reign be as different as her character is from all the previous wives of Presidents? Would Washington for the first time the executive managed much as the queens of Europe dignify see mansion their cour It is generally agreed that although Mrs. Longworth isn’t a snob, she is at least ve particular and exclusive in her choice of friends. Lately, however, there has been noticed a marked differ- oo Will a Fortunate Turn of the Political Wheel Return One of These Daughters of Distinguished Ex-Presidents to the White House as America’s First Lady? This is the luxurious Washington home on which Mrs. Longworth and Mrs. McAdoo, both former residents of the mansion, have their eyes ence in her social life and some people attribute this to the softening effect of the baby fingers of the beautiful little Paulina. Others well versed in Washington affairs wager that Mrs. Longworth’s recent friendliness with Con- gressmen’s wives has some- thing to do with the possible presidential candidacy of “Nick.” This seems the more likely conclusion, for the beautiful Alice has never taken much interest in the “alfalfa” and “Main Street” residents of Washington. In fact, hardly one of them could boast hav- ing a bowing acquaintance with her. Many Washingtonians love to recall the days when the beautiful ‘“Princess Alice” was the White House de- butante. Never was a young . lady so feted and toasted and never was there one who so merited the title of “Prin- cess” and who accepted the title so gracefully. In those days residents of the city could look out of their windows almost any time and see the President’s daughter and the young Countess Cassini, niece of the Russian Ambassador, darting about in one of Washington’s first automo- biles. No debutante in the White House ever cut a wider swath. In fact, at one time the President himself grew worried over the exuberance of his daughter and took her away to Europe. But if pretty Alice’s distinguished father intended she should have a rest he was all wrong, for no girl was ever so much entertained on a tour of Europe nor had so many possible husbands shown to her. Even the King of Siam was reported as the fiance of the Presi- dent’s daughter. Though many girls who are spirited and vivacious settle down to formality and routine after marriage and are often even more subdued than their bashful contemporaries, Alice Roosevelt Longworth was not one of these. In proof of this, it has always been admitted in Washington that there never Copyright, 192, A new photograph of Mrs. Eleanor Wilson McAdoo and her charm- ing daughters, Ellen and Mary, who may go to live where their mother did as the daughter of the late Woodrow Wilson has been another woman resident of the national Capital with so positive a char- acter, and many believe that there are few women in the country with as fine and discerning a mind as “Nick” Long- worth’s wife. While some women stayed home mornings and bargained with the butcher and argued with the cook, Mrs. Long- worth wag an interested listener in Con- gress. Instead of spending her days as the average housewife does in household matters that could be left to others, Mrs. Longworth read the best literature, studied politics and government and in every respect kept up with the progress of her brilliant husband. All these things convince people that if Alice Roosevelt moves back to her old home Washington will see a quite different regime than it has ever seen before. In their opinion, Mrs. Longworth will be one of the most worthy hostesses that the White House has ever had and exactly the type of person suited to represent the country as its first lady. But there are others who worry over Mrs. Longworth’s alleged lack of democ- racy. They are afraid that the White House will never be open to the hum- bler members of the political set who like to feel that they are once in awhile welcome to call upon the President’s wife. E or Wilson McAdoo in many re- spects is the opposite of Mrs. Longworth. While both of these charming women are fond of society, Mrs. McAdoo is said to be a little more gencrous in her scope and really does enjoy people who are just ordinarily brilliant, unlike Mrs. Longworth who is said to sift a person’s by Jdohnson Features, Inc. intelligence to the bottom at the first meeting. Like “Princess Alice,” Mrs. McAdoo was the life of her family and everybody found her the gayest and sprightliest member of the Wilson household when the President took office. The Wilsons called her the “bubble” of the family. When Eleanor Wilson’s father went to the White House she was just twenty- three years old, some five years older than “Princess Alice” when she moved to the executive mansion. Unlike Miss Roosevelt, Miss Wilson had very tame debutante days. The Wil- son family were noted for their bookish- . ness and the purposefulness of their lives. The three Wilson daughters when they came to the White House all were interested in various lines of social wel- fare and in every way took life quite seriously. But in the White House Eleanor Wil- son blossomed forth into great vivacity and although she never was as vital and colorful as “Princess Alice” she was ex- ceedingly popular. Miss Roosevelt is now often referred to as “the flapper of her day” because in those days she shocked Washington by being as advanced as the younger generation is to-day. Washington society was aghast over the fact that Miss Roosevelt just casually removed her hat at the most formal luncheons and teas. At that period no one ever removed her hat at a formal occasion, but Miss Roosevelt was all for convenience and comfort and when her hat got in the way of her vision she threw it off much to the horror of the dignified Washing- ton matrons. Such conduct as this was never the McAdoo, once a White House daughter who sees visions of going back ‘home” as the First Lady of the Land custom of Miss Wilson, the now Mrs. McAdoo. Eleanor Wilson though lively and fun-loving always was proper and conformed sufficiently to etiquette to please the worst tabbies of the social set. If Mrs. McAdoo moves back to her old home, Washington forseces an en- tirely different social history than if Mrs. Longworth obtains the lease om the White House. Eleanor Wilson McAdoo, it is pre- dicted, would be a very demo- cratic “First Lady.” Some people have likened her to the smiling, good- natured Mrs. Coolidge who one can hardly imagine snub- bing any one or discriminat- ing against the less brilliant statesmen whom voters send to Washington. * The Wilson girls were brought up to take great in- terest in their fellow men and if Mr. Wilson had not become President and thus changed the fortunes of his family at least one of the girls planned | to take up missionary work. This sort of thing has never appealed to Mrs. Longworth, it is said, as her type of mind is entirely different and her greatest enjoyment is in discussing political matters in which she is well versed, in fact so well versed that she has become the confidante of many statesmen. Some people aver that Alice Roose- velt Longworth loves to shock people and that many things she says and does delight her for the very reason of the surprise she sees registered on other people’s faces. But however it is, she is recognized as one of the most divert- ing and interesting person ever to come to Washington. If either of these President’s daugh- ters move back to their old home the White House will again have girls wheel- ing doll carriages through the corridors of the spacious mansion. Little Paulina, the Longworth’s baby daughter, is a lovely infant who grows every day more and more to look like her illustrious grandfather. Eleanor Wilson McAdoo has two very lovely daughters, Ellen Wilson, named after her maternal grandmother and Mary Faith, named after Mr. McAdoo’s mother. If Ellen Wilson McAdoo’s father goes to the White House, he may remain there long enough for his beau- tiful daughter to make her bow to so- ciety from that auspicious spot. Nor will the White House seem strange and new to either of these chil- dren because probably their mother already has described to them the keau- tiful home where she once lived. The possible return to the White House of one of these former residents of the executive mansion is not a politi- cal affair so Zar they are personally con cerned, and it is easily possible that their husbands will not emerge as presi- dential candidates from the uncertain workings of national political conyen. tions. They may be excused, however, for gazing hopefully toward the big house where they lived as daughters of Presj. dents, and to which one may go back as America’s first lady.