The Washington times., 1917-03-07
FIGHT GROWS FOR
INAUGURAL CHANGE
Campaign to Fix Event for Last
Thursday In April Is on
In Earnest.

With Cabinet officers, members OF
the Senate and House, the District
Commissioners, and all Washington
civic organizations positive in their
advocacy Of a change in the inaugural
date, the campaign for an amend
ment to the Constitution fixing the
inauguration on the last Thursday In
April was begun in earnest today.
The frigid atmosphere OF Monday,
which was the only element marring
the big demonstration. has served TO
renew the activity OF the national
committee on the change OF inaugura-
ton day, and tomorrow afternoon the
committee will put In motion com
prehensive campaign that Is expected
to result in the passage Of a resolu--
tion at the next session of Congress
deferring the inaugural ceremonies to
an April date.
Personnel Of Comnittee.
Chairman Henry B. F. Mcfarland
has called a meeting Of the Washing
ton members OF the committee in his
office in the Evans buildinging to-
morrow afternoon at 4 o'clock. The
committee will devise q program Of
future efforts to end for all time the
possibility Of illness and perhaps IA
taIities to inaugural participants from
exposure by having the date changed
to April.
The committee includes chairmen
of past inaugurals, John Joy Edison,
Charles J. Bell, E. J. Stellwagen. ana
william Corcoran Eustis. Col. r. N.
Harper, head Of this years inaugural
will be added to the list
tomorrow. Members of the commit
tee representing civis organizations.
and public spirited Washingtonians
include 8. W. Woodward, John w.
Foster, Theodore w. Noyes, Frank A.
Munsey, Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles,
c. c. Glover, Thomas w. Smith, ].
Henry Small, and William F. GUIDE.
Reasons for Change.
Nonresident members are the gov
ernors of the forty-eight States and
former governors to the number Of
seventy ty-fve.
Chairman Macfarland today, giving
reasons for the proposed change, said
the Weather Bureau has compiled
for the past thirty years
March 4 weather with that |
OF the last Thursday in April. The |
average temperature on March 4 was
3S, while on the April date, the tenn |
perature was 81. Seventeen years the |
on March 4 was below |
The freezing point, while at no time |
during the thirty years has there been |
temperature on the April |
date.
Another reason Is that a day OF
the week Is preferred over a date in
any month, to escape Sunday, as In
the inaugural this year. Sentiment
suggests the selection Of the last
Thursday in April, as upon that day
George Washington was inaugurated.
weather L. Chief Reason.
March weather. with its chilling
winds. frequent SHOWS and, as in the
beginning OF the Taft Administration,
, terrific blizzard, is the chief reason
FOR selecting an April day for the
Chairman Macfarland points to the
death Of President Wilson Henry Har-
rison shortly after he was inaugu-
rated as one of the principal argu-
nents for a change. The deaths of
Senator PIatt OF Connecticut, Senator
Bates of Tennessee, the Mexican am
oassador, Asprioz, and Judge Weldon,
II the Court of Claims, all directly
iue to exposure in the Inauguration
Df 1901 are also cited.
Secretary OF the Navy Daniels, in
approving a change, suggested a May
iay, to escape April showers"
Speaker Clark is in favor OF chang
ng the entire system by electing the
President for a term OF six years ans
he members of the House every three
,ears, In August. He would have the
on October 1. Leaders
II both Senate and House has assur-
ID the committee OF support