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the presence of Adlai Stevenson and his sister and brother-in-law, who had never been in the government, who were strangers to a large number of others. That was very pleasant. They did not stand on the receiving line. They were in the East room with Miss Margaret Truman when most of us arrived. He had conversation before the president and his wife arrived and took their positions between the military aides, formally receiving us, following the usual pattern.

They received us very cordially. They're the same way at every reception and dinner. I've been to other state dinners that have been given since the Trumans came in, as well as a number of receptions. When the Trumans first came in, we were in a period of mourning. The President was dead. There was nothing held before the first of the next January. The Trumans then always observed Lent with a bang. Everything shut right down the minute Lent was here. It was a convenient way to close off the social season. I think Mrs. Truman always rather disliked that part of the program and reduced it to the smallest number possible. Then they began repairing the white House. I think that was begun after the first term. During that period of repair all state dinners and state receptions were out. That was why there had been so few of them and why some of the more recent members to the Cabinet hadn't been involved in any of the earlier ones.