March Them In

At Margaret Truman's first White House dance last week, no rugs were cut. The President's daughter ordered the U.S. Marine Band's dance orchestra to open her party for bride-to-be Gloria Chavez (see MILESTONES) with a medley of Strauss waltzes. After that the 60 youthful guests fox-trotted sedately about the huge East Room, occasionally frisked a bit more gayly to rumbas and congas.

It was the first time the Marine dance band had played in the White House since 1941. But its 13 scarlet-jacketed musicians were no strangers to the executive mansion. As members of the 85-member Marine Band, and the 20-piece Marine symphony orchestra, they get to almost all presidential social functions. At receptions, they march guests in with tunes like Under the Starry Banner, march them out to Loyal Comrades. Says blue-eyed, dimpled Captain William F. Santelmann, director of the three-in-one band: "The effect on the guests is psychological. Something about the tempo of a march makes you feel . . . things have got to move."

Santelmann has been a member of the band through three White House occupancies, became its conductor in 1940. During the Hoover Administration, the band played barn dances in the East Room. In the days of Calvin Coolidge, the Marines never appeared at the White House without Lord Geoffrey Amherst. In Franklin Roosevelt's day they always carried Home on the Range. Now they are never caught without Missouri Waltz. For the music-loving Harry Trumans they have lately been playing as often as five times a week. Said Santelmann happily: "White House entertaining is getting back to normal."

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