European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1962, Darmstadt, Hesse The stars and stripes tuesday May 1, 1962 capitals getting smaller but cocktail parties bigger and bigger massive Gindro hic afflicts All Washington anybody in Washington said on old timer who hangs out a tug he is serving a free drink and a fre Nork Ohop had better pre pare far a the Cook toil party be a major Industry in the a of capital. By habby Ferguson Washington us i Resi dents of the nation s capital suf Fer team an ailment which a psychiatrist might Call cocktail com its symptoms Are irrational and irresistible desires to give or attend cocktail parties. The ailment has reached epidemic pro portions and there is no known cure. Any person with governmental diplomatic or journalistic connections who is suffering from a communicable disease or been convicted of a felony easily can at tend 3,450 cocktail parties a year or about four a Day. Not Small gatherings in living rooms but Escholie mass meetings with a receiving line and an orchestra. Getting smaller As world capitals go washing ton is a Small town and getting smaller. Between 1950 and 1960the population declined from 802.000 to 763,000 because of flight to the Maryland and Vir Ginia suburbs. It does t have much theater. There Are a few nightclubs and the usual allotment of movie houses. But there is to night life each As you find i London. Paris or Rome. The result is that entertainment Here is on a do it yourself basis. Or three big parties a year to celebrate their Independence Day or the birthday of a King presi Dent or prime minister. Finally there Are the gifted Host esses who give parties just to Fiatt their social Muscles. Some of them Are widows some Are married some Are just lonely but they have one thing in common Money an the will to spend it. The Winner and still Champion of the world is mrs. Ferle Mysta. She is a wealthy widow who move to Washington from Pittsburgh several years ago and cast a wide and deep on the social Waters. Somewhat to her Surprise she immediately began hauling in some pretty big fish. Mrs. Mesta does regard political consistency As a virtue an supported the presidential Candi Dacies of Wendell Willkie and Harry Truman with equal enthusiasm. Part of mrs. Mesta s Success was due to her Knack of persuading the guests to furnish the entertain ment. Among her successes she lists a piano Solo by Harry tru Man a Buck and Wing dance by the late Alben bark Ley and a Bari tone rendition of Abdul Bulbul Amir by Dwight d. Eisenhower shortly before he ran for president. A Champion can reign Only so socially speaking the people exist by taking in each other s washing. Some entertaining is for Busi Ness reasons. The town swarms with lobbyists they give about400 big parties a year who Are seeking preferential treatment for clients. Joe zilch alga abound Here it esp per Awn an with Thi figs tilt Fribis Toom staffer to 8 pin. To meet can be almost by he is a Mas who but name in the the Money to in f about to embassies inbound to give two Long before a worthy challenger appears. Her name is mrs. Gwen Cafritz wife of a wealthy Washington real estate dealer. It was grudge fight from the Start and mrs. Mesta claimed first blood. She said she was standing in a receiving line one night when mrs. Caf riot approached and started to Shatas hands but she was so Ner Vous at confronting the Champ that she spilled the contents of bag and the catastrophe was recorded by newspaper Pho like a general standing on stricken Field and reviewing the events of a losing Battle can Tell you exactly Bow and when she missed the big Hance. When Harry Truman was a somewhat obscure senator from sabotage seen growing in Cuba Fie and other revolutionaries in pointed to the burning of the Missouri mrs. Cafritz failed to see his potential. I used to see him at parties when he was in the Senate she said and he was Dull Dull. So naturally i never invited him to my parties because i was sure he could t be an interesting guest. Who would have thought he would Ever get to be president spotted Truman Long shot mrs. Mesta of course spotted along shot Early and was a firm Friend of Truman Long before he got into the White House. To a newcomer the mob scene at one of the big parties is frightening experience. Your name is announced in a loud voice an you Start Down a receiving line but nobody seems to remember your name. A whimsical journalist once had himself and his wife announced As or. And mrs. Don Ald Duck and then waited for the laugh. Nothing happened. The customers were too Busy conning each other to pay any attention to who was arriving the conversation is almost Exi club Lovely political and you need a code Book to understand it. There Are mysterious references to Stu Secretary of the Interior to rules a powerful committee in the House. The new congressman can be found at most of the parties. He May become president in time but for now he s Here for two year with no guarantee that he will re turn an a Contact with the tended. Courier of themed he had re after spending inside Cubit. Rama Clara and other cities j Christian of the revolt movement peo movement democratic movement Stu a to Der tory and other group sin the echoed i Jor Vidlet and food Matt mostly on Iti uninhabited the Suchun or off a vhf _ training of 25 Inen of his movement was act Lvi emn mended he said. But the primary need is help for at ready in serving wine at their dinners. Tru Man and Eisenhower continued that practice but the was missing. Now guests can c is o o s e their cocktails from a tray carried by butlers who circulate among their dinner guests. President Ken Nedy made another change in pre Vious administrations the presi Dent and his wife said Good night Anu disappeared usually before 11p.m. Or. Kennedy frequently Lin Gers and sees the last guest out of the front door. And that brings us to another Story about mrs Mesta. Back in the Days when Margaret Truman still was a Bachelor girl mrs. Mesta decided to give a part for the Truman. Match for Margaret i was always trying to make match or Margaret mrs. Mesta wrote in her memoirs and she be Gan the search for an eligible Man to seat next to miss Truman. Finally she chose a Young Congress Man from Massachusetts by Nam of John f. Kennedy. History re cords that miss Truman and subsequently married but of course each other. does t come right out and say so but she hints that or. Ken Nedy s costume May have had some thing to do with it. His dinner jacket was faultless his Black tie neatly arranged his shirt gleaming , mrs. 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