Hostess of the White House.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 1, 6 January 1909, Page 48

Hostess of the White House.

The newly-elected Pre-i lent of the I’nited States and Mrs T:’f will not go into re-idence at the AVhite House until March 4 next. On that day Mr. Roosevelt will accompany President Taft to the Capitol, but, contrary to the usual custom, President Taft will return alone to the AA'hito House to view the march-past of the The month of January. 1910. will be filled with arduon- *<i.iil engagements for rhe new President and his wife. On January 1 the great national reception takes place. Any Aim .i. an citizen who cares to meet the President has the-right to attend the reception. Happily for both the President and his wife the handshaking orgv has been abolished, and now the < row’ds merely pa*s as quickly as possible in front of the President. The month of January is occupied by official receptions, beginning with the Diplomatic (brps and including the judges and the navy and army. Every day of the week certain hours are set aside by the President for what would, in England, be called private audiencesand the President's wife must also receive ladies at least once a week. Mr* Roosevelt gave a weekly reception to ladies only, and provided good musio. and Mrs. Taft is likely to follow her ex--ample. At the official reception* the x President’s wife only shakes hands with thosa whom her husband greets in that manner. It is an unwritten law-’ of etiquette in AA’ashington that the Pr.-id-nt and his wife cannot accept invitations to formal dinner parties. The President can only attend dinners given by the Cabinet, and his wife can only go to informal little dinners with relatives or great personal friends. Mrs. Taft will make a splendid hostess at the White House. She is not only a very able but a very cultured woman, with strongly intellectual tastes and much quiet dignity. She was in residence not long ago at Oxford, where she s]H*nt many hours in the old libraries, and she has a great admiration for English institution-. She is a devoted wife and mother, and has three children—two boys and a girl who is still in her car.t.v teen.*.