The Washington herald., 1913-01-22
INAUGURATION
PLANS MUDDLED
Whether Reception Will Be
Held or Not Up to the In
augural Committee.
ARRANGEMENTS GO ON
Marching Clubs from Southern Com
mercial Bodies Are Expected
Here.

Plans for the Inauguration Of Presi-
dent-elect Wilson have become 50 COM
plicated at "A time when Washington Is
within six weeks of the event that the
matter would be grotesque IL 1t did not
suggest a situation that may become
very serious The joint committee of
Congress appointed to take charge of
the ceremonies at the Capitol Building
for the Inauguration OF President and
Vice President will meet to-day to take
action on President Wilson's letter to
the local inaugural committee of Wash
ington in which he called of the time
honored inaugural ball. but expressed a
willingness to hold a public reception in
the Capitol Building. Acting on this let
ter the local inaugural committee held
meeting and passed the matter OF the
public reception up TO the joint commit
tee OF Congress of which Senator Mut-
ray Crane is chairman.
1t is reasonably certain that Senator
Cranes committee at its meeting to-
morrow will pass the buck back TO the
inaugural committee along with a sug-
gestion that the joint committee Of Con-
Gress has no jurisdiction to arrange for
receptions, hops, or other social en-
tcrtainment, but Is limited, under the
resolution creating 1t, to the task of ar
ceremonies of inauguration. II will then
be up to the inaugural committee to re-
assemble and grope its way out OF the
maze OF difficulties. II is evident that
members of the Congressional committee
are unwilling to assume the responsible
ity of arranging a public reception sug
gested by Presidcnt-eleCt Wilson. In
conveying this information TO the in
augural committee. Senator Crane and
,a1l ,ka-h s1,.g
Congress would undoubtedly grant au-
thority for the use of the Capitol Build
ing If the local committee will arrange
the function. II is expected that fol-
lowing the action of the joint committee
to-day the inaugural committee will as
sumo the responsibility of arranging for
the reception and that some Democratic
Senator will introduce a resolution plac-
ing the Capitol Building at the disposal
OF the inaugural committee.
In the meantime the routine work of
the inaugural committee is going on
regularly. Chairman Weller of the pub
lie comfort committee has completed
sending out to the military organizations
East of the Mississippi River inquiries
as TO the number they will bring TO Wash
ington March and he estimates from
the returns he has already received that
the crowd will be larger this year than
ever before.
To Light Up City.
Money to illuminate the sign Jesus.
the Light of the World" over mission
near Seventh Street and Louisiana Ave
nue. Northwest, was refused yesterday
afternoon by the inaugural committees
subcommittee on inauguration, meeting
at the Chamber of Commerce under the
presidency of William +. GUIDE. The sub
committee. which thus acted after con-
sderation of a letter from the officials
Of the mission, made their decision a
precedent for not appropriating any of
the publiC's contributions TO the inaugu-
raj fund for private uses.
Requests that not only the public
buildings. but business houses and resi-
dences, be lighted as brilliantly as possi
BILE during Inauguration week are to be
made by the committee, II was deter
mined General schemes of illumination
were discussed, and Chairman GUIDE was
empowered to appoint subcommittee.
Indications at the meeting were that no
effort will be made to have set pieces
of illumination for decorative purposes,
but that the stringing Of lamps along the
streets and in the trees in the squares
would be the main work of the committee.
The committee will meet again on call
of Chairman GUIDE.