"Were I a foreign minister, I would pick my country's representatives 'on the sorting tray,' for political representatives who conduct themselves badly in society do harm to their countries."

The representative of The Woman's Voice put a few questions to Mrs. Eva Malik, wife of Lebanon's Minister Plenipotentiary in Washington, Dr. Charles Malik; Mrs. Eva answered the questions and sent her greetings to the

dear readers.

•

— What occupies your days most this winter?

— What occupies me most these days is entertaining. Every winter Washington comes down with the fever of entertaining. All the lega-tions, embassies, and government and official bodies in this country try to discharge all their social duties at one stroke during the season, so as to be free in the other seasons for their many labors; then in summer they scatter to the summer resorts, and many of the diplomats return to their various countries. That is why you see the round of parties at its height this winter: luncheon and dinner invi-tations, teas and cocktails, musical parties and evening gatherings — and sometimes one of us has two or four engagements in a single day!

— And can you describe for me a specimen of one of your days?

"Dr. Malik is always asking his wife for an Arabic dish, so she spends two hours in the kitchen with 'Clara' to prepare it for him.

"And Clara marvels at stuffed grape leaves, has never heard of 'raw kibbeh,' and is trying to master mujaddara."

— My dear, I have no single day that could serve as a model for the rest of the days; every day brings me new surprises I had not reckoned with.

— And who prepares these parties and arranges their appointments?

— The appointments for these par-ties are arranged by our secretary, who is entrusted with our social affairs at the Legation. She usually sends me, at the beginning of each week, a program containing that week's engagements, after we have conferred by telephone about accepting or declining each invitation, and about sending our

own private invitations to our various friends.

(Mrs. Malik picks up this program from the table and, after casting a quick glance over it, says:)

— Take Monday, for example: I have only one engagement, in the afternoon, and since my husband is always asking me for an Arabic dish, I shall spend two hours in the kitchen before noon with Clara and prepare an Arabic dish...

— And who is this Clara?

— She is our cook, a black American woman of fifty. Like all American cooks she is skilled at roasts, broiled chicken, fish, and the making of certain sweets and cakes... She has the advantage over others of being of the old school, so her cooking is more finished; but like most cooks in this country, her artistry in this matter is very limited.

— And what does Clara say about our cooking?

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