The Two-Party System

Harry Truman kept smiling, but his wife was tuckered out. Gamely they had pumped more than 1,200 hands of foreign diplomats, U.S. Cabinet officers, Congressmen and their wives. Last week's annual White House diplomatic reception--the second since the war--was, as usual, peacock-splendid, stiff with protocol and hardly hilarious.

First to handshake his way past the Trumans in the white & gold East Room was the dean of Washington's diplomatic corps, Brazil's Ambassador Carlos Martins, accompanied by his sculptress wife, Maria, and their handsome, 19-year-old daughter Nora. Portly Ambassador Martins bore up bravely in tight-fitting full-dress uniform of dark green, covered with gold-leaf embroidery, sword and medals. Said he: "One more pound and I have to get a new uniform."

The arrival of Great Britain's Lord Inverchapel and his lady caused a perceptible flurry. The Inverchapels were divorced in 1945, remarried last August. This was their first appearance at an official White House reception since then. Inverchapel was in white tie and sash. His blonde Chilean-born lady wore an eye-filling strapless gown embroidered in silver sequins.

The Soviets sent along their naval attache, Rear Admiral Eugeni Georgievich Glinkov (their new Ambassador has not yet arrived). But because of the U.S.'s part in the partition of Palestine, almost all the Arab League countries' diplomats stayed away.

Anyone who wanted to dance could foot it to music by the red-coated U.S. Marine Corps band. The thirsty had to choose between tomato juice and two kinds of fruit punch (both non-alcoholic).

Their official duties done, many of the White House's guests slipped into sleek black limousines and were shuttled across Jackson Square to Decatur House, the gas-and candlelit mansion of Mrs. Marie Oge Truxton Beale, one of the capital's omnipotent hostesses.

At Decatur House there was no music. But there was hot borsch, hot lobster pilaff, turkey and cheese sandwiches, orange sherbet, pastries and domestic champagne. No introductions were needed. It was a gathering of old friends.*

* For news of a less gay party, see INTERNATIONAL.

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