The National tribune., 1909-03-11
Department Commander

ershp OF department Commanoer
Rausch.
The skies were gray, snow fell f,t-
fully. slush along the Avenue was ankle
deep. and the few people who had
gathered were as sullen az the skies
and disinclined to cheer. Tho flags
and bunting along the line Of march
to the Capitol hung disconsolate and
snow covered close to staff and walls.
but up through the center Of the
Avenue. billowing on the damp morn.
ing wind went the big silk Flag Of the
Department of the Potomac, Grand
Army of the Republic. and the big
silk Flag of the United Spanish War
Veterans of the Department Of the
District of Columbia, with the big
blue colors belonging to each, and the
red never looked redder, nor the blue
brighter than they did as they floated
OFT on the snow 1adened air cleaning
above the clouds like things of life.
Cheer for the old Flag, boys"
yelled some youngster, and the cheers
went up right Justify, and the Flags
felt 1t, for they stood straight out
after that, the only bit of brightness
in that awful grayness. But it may be
that the shadow armies bending" also
walked with their comrades up that
wide Avenue as they walked A years
ago, and the Flag of the Union just
felt proud to again lead the hosts
preserved us and made us Nation"
Once again, perhaps, the Veterans
will march as proud escort to a
President of the United States and
then-Well, the Flag will still be there.
and It will lead. Old Glory must lead
the procession or 1t cannot march.
Already the harvest Of death is
being gathered in.
The Inaugural day must be changed.
The day was simply stumbled upon In
the first place, and finally came so
embedded in our laws that a Consti-
tutional amendment Is considered nee
essary to change it. II this must be
done, and the Lawmakers of the
United States Congress say it must,
out exception. Fully 10000 people
stood in the snow and slush for five
hours last Thursday to see President
Taft take the oath of office and hear
his inaugural address.
Fully 10000 people faced empty
seats and an Inaugural platform
which could have accommodated every
one Of them and then had room to
spare. Just pile of lumber costly
as could be, rich with decorations.
glorious with Flags-and snow piled
over all. Thousands of those people
had come from the Pacific coast and
interior States for this splendid pa
PedHt, ana SLOW ana SIuSn greeted
them, while the President they wanted
to honor was taking the oath of Office
inside the Senate Chamber for the first
time in nearly 100 years.
Change the Inaugural date.
We should also have an auditorium
In which to hold the Inaugural recep-
ton. The Pension Office, the largest
room in the world under one roof, was
all too small for the crowds that
packed themselves into it. 1t cost
the Government enormously Just to let
this building go for that particular
purpose, though the cost Of decorating
it came from the pockets of the people,
and then it was inadequate. It was
magnificent scene, that Inaugural ball
room, and President Taft and Mrs.
Taft, Vice President Sherman, and
Mrs. Sherman enjoyed every minute
Of their stay there. Splendidly
gowned women had their laces and
Jewels fairly shaved off of them In
the "sardine-box." as 1t was called, be-
fore the crowd began to melt away.
Change the Inaugural date, and give
the National Capital a fit building in
which to hold great National affairs.