SHE ARRANGES FAMOUS PARTIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 14

SHE ARRANGES FAMOUS PARTIES.

Says Laughter An Important Thing in Life: SAX FRANCISCO, January 10. Vivacious and chirping like n tweed encased plump partridge. Kiwi Maxwell arrived in Sun Kniwbxo »n several errands, all redound ing to the repute and credit of KNa Maxwell, who was born in San Kmnrimi, "of poor parents," »lip prowlly proelaime<l. "My father wan an early president of the Bohemian Club," she intimated. The Bohemian Club is one of the most exclusive in the world and. has a membership of world lenders of Kurope and other continents. Klsa '» not an envoy from a foreign power, a great pacifist, a wuffrngist or even a glamour girl, but a woman of sixty or so, who, for a fee, jfived parties for people who are either too indolent, otupid or unimaginative to plan their own fun. And so she has liuilt a fame as great ns that of any contemporary —Wallw Windsor, Bnibnra Hut.ton. Mrs. Corringan or others —which she capitalize*. "I'm a business woman, a hard worker, and I'd infinitely rather throw n party than be a guest at one," *he declared. In fact, Klsa scattered epigrams and threw monkey wrenches into the machinery the minute «ho arrived at the Kerry Building in San Francisco. "I hate snoba and snobbery. I detest idlers, rich or poor. I abhor pretence itnd I love hard work." Asked to prognosticate about the Windsors, she replied: "They will stick together to the end, for they are condemned to do so. They are very happy, however, so far a* I can see. I lived but a few yards from them on the Riviera this summer. I don't lielieve Barbara Mutton will ever be reunited to her Danish eotint, for the good reason that he bore* her to death."

Obviously Elsa is not afraid to speak her mind. That fact is probably part of the yeast which has flung her to the top of the ferment which she calls "eociety." "I talk about and write about a certain claes of people." she explained.

"Juet as the sports writer discusses a certain class, I meet them on their own terrain and according to their rules. Their rules, mind you. But that doesn't prevent me from inveighing against snobbery and pretence! My friends know all about me —that I started from scratch, as it were, that every cent I have, or am reputed to have, I have earned. That whatever I am is of my own doing. The stratification of society is *o different from what it was "when I flret began to observe things—which wae at the age of two."

Soul's Highlit Dmty. "Our job now is to be gay, yet earnest. to fill each day as if it were to be the la«t. Not that 1 anticipate * cataclysm, mind you. But to be witty and useful and gracious and happy, it eeems to me, is the soul's higheet duty. In my lecture, titled 'Society is Different To-day,' I draw parallels of the tray 'nineties and theee gay 'thirties, trace the origin and development of the creature known a* the glamour girl, tell a little about the growth of cafe society ... oh, it's all eo fascinating that it's difficult for me to sift t)w wheat from the chaff." Elsa Maxwell has wide, brown eyes which nee beneath the sables and silver fox of the people with whom »he deals. "Often I glimpse just the problems

which worry the man in the street," ehe said. She has "walked with kings, nor lost the common touch. All men count with her, but none too much." She appraises and then takes it all with a grain of salt. "I'm told that <ome of the people whom I have chaffed in my articles are perfectly furious at me. Qood. I'd be apprehensive of my throne were they different. Mrs. Corrigan, I'm told, is jittery on the subject of Maxwell. But when people are kind and simple, use their wealth with regard to the other fellow, then I'm all sympathy," concluded this plain little woman of the wide waistline, straight, brown, bobbed hair, flat-heeled *hoes and keen, keen mind. lfo U.S. Social Leaden. At a luncheon Elsa Maxwell gave eome sapient observations, saying: "There are no social leaders in America to-day. What few we have ever had were either wine merchants or dowagers behind whose skirta were hidden these purveyors of champagne and liquors. Rich people are handicapped in their efforts at enjoying themselves. If they spend too much they are criticised for their extravagance; if too little, they are condemned, for being parsimonious; in either event, they may never be adventurer* in the gamble railed life." She says her parties coet very little because she knows the purveyors of things which make parties "go" and is able to pay in kind. Orchestras and vintages are here for the very publicity of her parties. She says most hosts and hostesses look like anguished martyrs ae they meet the eueets at the door because they are terrified that the party wllf not be successful. Her parties, on the contrary, do not begin that way, because *she has laid the groundwork long before the epic day and has not a thing on her mind but her hair. She says no one ever "crashe*" her parties because she never invitee anyone whom she does not know by sight. She says laughter is one of the most important thing* in life; that debutantes receive too much publicity according to the present rulings; that publicity is fine for career women, artists, musicians, even for dowagers, but not for debs. She saye the American social register U a racket run by an old lady in New Jersey who has never seen the personages she lists.