National Affairs: Party for Joan

One night last week an odd assortment of limousines and old Ford roadsters turned into the White House grounds, unloaded some 500 young men & women, all dressed to the gills. They were going to the coming-out party of Joan Morgenthau, slender, athletic daughter of Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of the Treasury. They were also helping to break a White House tradition: Joan Morgenthau was the first girl unrelated to a President to come out at the White House.

The party was informal but not rowdy. The young guests sat on the floor between dances in the East Room, sipped pink lemonade, ice water and a mild sauterne punch that would not have harmed a milk-barfly. The President, after sitting in the receiving line with Miss Morgenthau, went upstairs early. But Mrs. Roosevelt remained, tirelessly danced every one of the waltzes played by Sidney's Orchestra.

At 3 o'clock the party ended firmly. Mrs. Roosevelt, in her column next day, gave a hostessy hint on how to make guests go home:

"Franklin Jr., Henry and Bob Morgenthau [brothers of Joan] decided that a party always left happier memory if it came to an end when everybody was still having a good time, so at 3 o'clock the orchestra played Good Night, Ladies. No one paid any attention, and finally Sidney and his orchestra played The Star-Spangled Banner, so that everyone had to stop dancing and join the singing. That ended . . . [the] evening."