The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-12-18
PLACE TO HOLD
INAUGURAL BALL
Most Important Question
Before Committee.
MAY GET PENSION BUILDING
Hope to Work Out Problem in Con-
ference Between Two Houses.
Other Details.
MAY GET PENSION BUILDING

Were Wjll the inaugural bail DE held?
This Is the one question before Gen
eral Wilson and the other members of
the Inauguration committee at present
and SO absorbing is IL that one hardly
hears anything else discussed.
Just now the House of Representa-
tives holds the center OF attention. When
the Senate passed so promptly a resolu-
ton granting permission 10 use the
Pension Office. even though Secretary
Hitchcock, of the Department of the In
terror, was opposed 20 it, everyone save
"a few who were on the inside telt that
there would be 10 more trouble. Those
who had taken pains 10 make inquiries
knew. however, that snags would be
encountered in the House Committee on
the District of Columbia.
Library or Capitol.
IL took that committee a very short
time, as x turned out. TO put the mark
of its disapproval on the Pension once
plan. With apparently humorous in
tent, certain members of the committee
suggested that the Library OF Congress
or the rOtunda OF the Capitol be used
The combined capacity of these two
places would not be sufficient for one
half of the crowd that Will be present
when the ball in honor of President
Roosevelt is given, if the committee
should decide 10 hold il in two sections.
one IN the Capitol and one in the Ii
brary.
The Inauguration committee, though set
back by the attitude of Congress, Is not
daunted. The members of the commit
lee on legislation have been doing con-
slant work. and the Indications are that
its efforts will be crowned with success.
THE matter will have to go TO confer
ence between the Senate and the House.
and il IS intimated that the Senate con-
ferees viii make a valiant effort 10 make
the House conferees listen TO reason
and fall in with their views on the sub
ject- That they VIII succeed is the hone
Of the Inauguration committee the mem
hers Of which have been unable TO form
ulate any plan for the bail in which the
Pension Office does not figure most
prominently.
No Other Good Place.
the reasons why the Pension office
should be used-the strongest of which
is that there is no other place 10 hold
the ball. unless a temporary building is
put up-are wei known 20 everyone.
That when the Pension Office was built
General Meigs had before his mind the
idea that future inaugural balls would
be held there is, however. an interesting
feature OF the case which was brought
10 General Wilson's attention yester-
day by James H. McGul
Mr. McGin wrote a letter on the sub
teet. which is here given:
~ see by The newspapers that the
committee in charge of the inaugural
ban find that there is objection made by
members OF the House of Representa-
tives TO the use of the Pension Building
for the ball Perhaps If il We're generally
known that Gen. NJ a.. Meigs, who Con-
gress intrusted with designing and erect
ing the Pension Building, contemplated
and arranged the r0ofed-Over court of
this building and designed the balconies
around the second and third stories Of
this court so they would be well adapt