The Washington herald., 1913-01-19
Inaugural Heads Hope to Hear
More About Ball from the
Governor by Tomorrow.
OTHER WORK GOES ON
Public Comfort Committee Expects Big
Influx of Visitors at the
Last Minute.

| may pe fresiuehtidl receptlOn, tnefe
may be both-but the probability is that
there will be neither
This about expresses the ideas of the
majority Of the inaugural committee
anent the final settlement of the in
augural problem as 1t now stands.
But, Il is learned on good authority,
that IL there is no inaugural ball II
| Will not be because there was not an
effort made to change the sentiments
OF Gov. Wilson In regard to that feature
| OF the ceremonial. II is hoped that by
I the time the meeting of the inaugural
committee Is called to order Monday the
royal invitation" OF the President-elect
| against the bali may have been with
drawn, and that the committee may take
up the preparations for March where
they we're dropped when the letter from
| Trenton arrived.
An effort probably will be made to-
day to bring the inaugural ball to Gov.
Wilson In a different light, in one that
will make 1t acceptable TO him.
Hope for Change of Heart.
Whether this effort will take the form
Of a delegation that will call on him at
Trenton. or a telegram, or merely
letter. could not be learned last night.
but 1t was admitted by certain members
of the inaugural committee that n seri-
GUS effort would be made to cause
change of heart In the Governor before
Monday morning at II o'clock. 1t is felt
| that his objection may be due to his
! having been misinformed. and that IL
certain points are Strengthened out his
objections may turn to approval
At inaugural headquarters yesterday
afternoon the officials protested with
vigor that nothing further had been
~, 1,al
made, and that the matter had not
even been discussed since the arrival
| of Gov. Wilson's letter. They insisted
| that nothing had been done. and that
nothing would be done until the COM
mittee convenes on Monday morning.
At this time. they said. the matter of
the substitute for the ball would be
taken up and some plan decided on.
subject to the approval of the Presi-
dent-elect.
There were others who did NOT as
sumo this indifference and aloofness to
matter that has stirred Washington to
its foundations.
There were these who admitted that
yesterday morning Chairman Eustis had
called certain OF the committee heads
together for conference on ways and
means TO better the situation, and, IL
possible, save the ball. which most are
frankly Ioath to bid farewell to.
Just what took place at the morning
meeting IL could not be learned, except
that il was decided that something
ought to be done 10 bring a change be-
fore Monday morning, in order that
when the inaugural committee comes to-
gether for its meeting, instead OF hav-
ing to consider substitutes, ii may so
right to work where 1t left of.
Those that told of this did not talk in
-r-fth n
success, however. They admitted that
they had many and grave doubts of the
inaugural ball ever coming from the mill
alive. The committee is hoping-hoping
against hope, to state it plainly.
Hope for Best; Look for Worst.
I'VE are hoping for the best. but look
ing for the worst said one OF those
who had attended the morning meeting.
And in the meantime the regular rou-
tine Of the inaugural work is going on
in about its accustomed way in the COM
mittees except those that are to deal
directly with the ball. They have sus-
pended OPERATIONS for the time being,
but the other committees are planning
even bigger things. 1t is felt that IL the
ball is to be abolished the parade must
needs be made more attractive and
elaborate.
One of the busiest of the committees is
the public comfort committee, of which
NJ l. Weller is chairman There will be
an enormous crowd in Washington
March 4. and this crowd will demand
beds and food, and il is the province of
Mr.. weIler's committee to supply the
same.
He reports that the registration OF
lodgins houses is now picking up and
that the outlook for plenty of rooms
for the visitors is rosy, but says that
a. Co. yso eln
in coming in than in years past. and he is
afraid of an avalanche of requests for
lodgings at the last minute.
1t is noticeable, in particular. that the
number of State military bodies that
have applied for lodgings so far this year
is far behind that of other years, and Mr..
Weller has sent of sheaf of letters
to the different adjutant generals OF
the States east of the Mississippi urging
them to advise him of the intentions OF
their commands that he may prepare for
their reception. The same is true of the
civic and political clubs that are usually
in attendance on inaugurals.
There is one thing that will make the
work harder this year than 1t has ever
been before" said Mr.. Weller yesterday.
"and that is that there will be beside
the regular inaugural crowd the many
women visitors to count on. They will
have to have accommodation, and. prac-
tically speaking, for every one OF them
We will have to provide one more room
than we have had to before"
letter was received yesterday from
Adjt. Gen. Thomas ]. Stewart. in COM
mand of the Pennsylvania State troops,
saying that arrangements had been made
for the use of Convention Hall and for
the Civil Service Commission Building
for the lodging of the militia from Penn
sylvania. Virginia will send State
troops, about LOO. strong. Their ac-
commodation has been arranged large
ly through Senator Swanson and they
will be lodged in the governments build !
ings between Pennsylvania Avenue and
B Street and Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Streets Northwest. A letter was re-
ceived from Maj. A. II. SlcoX, of South |
Carolina, saying that he would bring not
less than 200 men from that State.