MEXICO: Svelte Ministress

President Calles and his entire cabinet assembled gallantly last week in the National Palace to welcome the first Ministress ever accredited to a Mexican Government.

The Ministress was Mme. Alexandra Kollontay, onetime Soviet Russian Ministress at Oslo, Norwegian Capital. She appeared last week at Mexico City, clad in precisely the colors of male diplomatic attire, black and white. Instead of a “dress shirt” she wore a white crepe de chine blouse. Instead of a “dress tie” she wore a white crepe band around her black cloche hat. Instead of a “dress suit” she wore a black silk cape, and simulated the effect of diplomatic knee breeches by having her black silk dress fall barely below the knees.

For 15 minutes she talked in French through an interpreter to President Calles. Then the President’s Chief of Staff, General Jose Alvarez, offered the Ministress his arm, escorted her forth.