The Washington times., 1913-01-21
NO INAUGURAL BALL.

The Inauguration committee of Washington citi-
zens has done the logical thing in dropping plans
for an inaugural ball, and at the same time in turn
ing over to Congress the responsibility for any pub
lie reception that may be held at the Capitol. 1t
is manifestly and peculiarly the affair of Congress
to manage any such function at the Capitol 1t
could not possibly be arranged by committee Of
citizens without the cooperation of Congress- and
that cooperation would have to 60 to such an ex-
tent into the details of arrangement that it would
far better be turned over to Congress altogether.
Congress will be in session throughout the period
when the physical arrangements would have to be
made in the Capitol building for the big gathering.
These arrangements couldn't be made at all without
the consent of Congress and under the immediate
direction of its agents. The difficulties of carrying
them out, at time when the session would be IN
its closing hours, when the public business would
be demanding the fullest of all facilities OF the
historic structure, when committees and confer
ences and individual members would be hurrying
to and fro, are so manifest that suggestion of them
must almost carry conviction of the impracticabiity
of the plan Congress is commonly sitting good
snare of day and night, during the closing period
of a session. The activities of a young regiment
of carpenters and decorators throughout the struc
ture, what with the racket and the dsarrangement
business quite impossible As matter Of fact, the
and interference with legislation that
would be imposed by such conditions, would impose
a good deal more seriously on tine Governments
business and represent a far more serious loss in
its activities than would the traditional of the
Pension building.
II cannot in candor be observed that the Presi-
dentelect mas handled this affair with tact grac
iousness There was, first, the long delay about
naming chairman of the local inaugural commit
tee which permitted local strife and factional dvis
ions to develop. II at the end of that period of un
certainty the Presidentelect had in naming his per-
sonal representative indicated his wish to have the
inaugural ball dispensed with, it would have made
general change of plans possible without undue en-
barrassment Certainly it is fair to that the
general character of the ceremonies could not have
heen unknown to the President-elect, by the time
he had been dragged through the campaigning that
marked the contest over the Craftsmanship. The
raining of the inaugural chairman, under all the
circumstances without ntmation that it was de-
sired to vary the longestablished custom, certainly
justified expectation that the established procedure
would be accepted But now, at an hour so late as
to prove most embarrassing, the general program
is reorganzed at the Presidential behest.
II is TO be assumed that the last inaugural ball
has been held for all time at least until proper
edi6ce for its accommodation shall have been pro-
vided in Washington, without resorting to any gov
ernmental administration building. A precedent has
been made, which everybody must nope will be sat-
isfactory and desirable.
The affair after all, with its embarrassments and
complexities will look like tempest in a teapot a
few weeks hence The Presdent-tobe is entitled
to be inaugurated as he likes The multitudes from
all over the land will come just the same and Wash
pton will be just as hospitabe in their reception
and entertainment as it mas ever been.