Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-15
House Committee to Hear Oh
jections Friday.
FISHER INVITED TO ATTEND
Secretary's Protest Of Use Of Pen
sion Office to Be Considered.
TO TAKE UP RECEPTION IDEA
His Suggestion for Appropriation of
100000 by Congress Also to
Be Given Thought.

De 01Ven VnOuSuC.
With a report of Secretary Fisher OF
the Interior Department, adverse to the
use Of the pension office for the inaugu-
raj ball. before the House committee on
public buildings and grounds. Represent
alive Sheppard of Texas. chairman OF
that committee has announced hearing
for Friday morning of this week. at
which the members of the inaugural
committee, Secretary Fisher and the
commissioner Of pensions may express
their views. If they desire.
Although Representative Sheppard him.
self has expressed favorable attitude,
personally, toward giving to the inaugural
committee the pension office for the ball,
the public buildings committee has before
it from Secretary Fisher the recommended
ton that the whole idea of the inaugural
ceremonies be changed. Secretary Fisher
has recommended that Congress ap-
propriate 100000. that the burden of the
ceremonies be taken from the citizens Of
Washington, that the plans for the In
auguration shall be carried out by the
present inaugural committee and that in
place Of a ball a public reception shall
be held in the rotunda of the Capitol
building
The public buildings and grounds COM
mittee also has before it a letter from
Beekman Winthrop, assistant secretary
of the navy, which states that there will
be no objection to borrowing navy f1ags
and ensigns for use during the Inaugural
ton. Letters from each Of the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia are
favorable toward the appropriations for
the protection of life and property and
the preservation of pubic order In the
hands Of the committee.
Expect to Get Pension Building.
With reference to the report of Secre-
tary Fisher Of the Interior Department
on the bill before Congress authorizing
the use Of the pension Office for the in
auguraI ball, transmitted yesterday after
noon to the chairmen of the Senate and
House committees on public buildings and
grounds, Chairman Eustis of the inau-
gural committee said today that his COM
mittee had under consideration only the
pension office as a place for the ball.
Chairman Eustis and the members of
his committee are still confident that the
pension Office will be granted for the
ball as in the past, it was said today.
and are continuing with their plans for
holding the ball.
In his report Secretary Fisher, although
agreeing to cooperate in every way with
the inaugural committee II the ball Is to be
given by the citizens of Washington, still
urge a congressional appropriation of
500, 600 to meet the expenses OF the in
auguration, with reception in the ro-
tunda of the Capitol to which there
should be no charge for admission.
Secretary Fishers Views.
Secretary Fishers report said in part:
Il find that it has been customary for
an unofficial committee of public spirited
residents of the city of Washington to
take charge of the popular features at
tending the celebration of the Inaugural
ton of the President and Vice President.
Among the principal features of this cele-
bration are an inaugural ball. held on
the evening of the inauguration day. and
several popular concerts held on subse-
quent evenings.
Il desire most respectfully to point out,
first. that the present use of the pension
office is radically different from that
which has heretofore existed, and that it
is not possible to use 1t as heretofore
without the most disastrous effects upon
the administration both of the pension
Office and of the office of Indian affairs,
ing; and. second, that the time has arrived
for making a fundamental change in the
method of celebrating the inauguration of
the President of the United States.
Limiting Use of Building.
Il have conferred with the chairman
and other representatives of the inaug-
ural committee, and have found them
fully appreciative of present conditions in
the pension building. and ready to admit
that substantial changes must be made
in the character of the use to which that
building is put If 1t is to be used at all at
the approaching inauguration. The only
suggestion which has been made by this
committee and which is at all possible
is that the use of the building shall be
confined TO the central court and to a
few rooms for the presidential party; that
the concerts shall be limited to two even
lngS and two matineeS. that the ball sup
per shall be entirely omitted; and that
temporary cloakrooms shall be construct
ed around the exterior of the building 1t
will be necessary. however, to construct
temporary quarters for storing large
part of the files and file cases of the Of
flee of Indian affairs and of the pension
office. which must be taken from the
central court This, the committee is
willing to do under the supervision of the
department. 1t will permit the retention
Of a sufficient quantity Of the active files
to enable the important and essential
work Of these two bureaus to proceed
without prohibitive interruption.
1t is probable that this matter will be
taken up for consideration of the inaugu-
raj committee at its meeting tomorrow
morning at IL o'clock in the New VIII
lard Hotel. At this meeting, it is ex-
pected, the allotments for the expenses
Additions to Committees.