The Delta independent., 1917-02-16
CONGRESS sTIRs UP TROUBLE
EVERY FOUR YEARS ABOUT
THE INAUGURATION.
PARADE CAUSES PROTESTS
Some Senators Object to Historical
Floats Until They Are Explained
Other Lawmakers Wall About the
Hotel Rates.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

regularly as the Inauguration itself.
row comes in congress over the gen
eral subject of the pageantry and the
expenses of the big event
Congress If never at any other time
always is nonpartisan, to "A consider
able measure at any rate, when IL
discusses inaugural functions in ad-
vance of the event itself. Criticisms
and worse than criticisms have been
the order Of every late January and
early February every four years with
in the memory of the oldest of the
Washington correspondents.
This year 1t was the expressed in
tention of the inaugural committee, of
which Robert n. Harper is the chief,
to give the parade feature of the day
something which would differentiate II
from the parades of the past So II
was decided to have series of So
called floats picturing the history of
the United States land the great prog
ress that has been made in education.
commerce, art. the professions. finance
and the industries"
Senators Objected to "FIoats."
Now floats" as used In parades are
of as many varieties as there are spe-
cies of sparrows In the United States
and the sparrow tribe in Its various
ramifications and collaterals runs into
hundreds OF differentIations. For some
reason "hoats" suggested 10 some mem
bers Of congress classical representa-
lions Of fair women. drnped more or
less and reminiscent OF the days OF
the empire OF Rome. SO II was thar
In the upper house the scheme WIS
lnveighed against by one or two mem
bers ON the ground that floats we're
more fitting for the coronation Of n
king than for the simple swearing in
Of the president OF n republic.
They are going TO have the fonts
and they will be representatively Amer
lean, and in fact already the nnimosity
to them is dying away under the intiu
ence OF proper explanation.
Congress in addition to objecting to
the floats has had something TO say
about the expenses of the occasion.
The lawmakers appropriate nothing.
for the ceremonies of the day concern
simply the citizens of Washington who
look after the expenses of the parade
ptN"N-' VI i''hi Biib' i'uN'hn. N'h
gress. however. is expected TO appro-
pirate money for the actual ceremonies
ut the capitol.
Hotel Rates Worry Some.
The lawmakers, also. or some OF
them at any rate. are disturbed over
the question of hotel rates. This sub
ject is brought up every four years
In Washington just as regularly as 1t
Is brought up every four years in a
city which is TO entertain the dele
gates TO n great national convention.
The hotels In Washington make money
during the Inauguration days and there
is no question about this. Congress
talked with n good deal of vim and n
good deal of venom about this mat
ter.
Now II is only fair to say that there
are two sides to this story. The hotels
for the main part. at any rate, do not
put up their prices materially except
for rooms which face the streets along
which the parade is TO pass. Any busi-
ness man In Washington can get money
FOR the use on Inauguration day of an
office window that overlooks Pennsyl-
ynnln avenue. The hotel in renting its
street rooms rents them not only for
sleeping purposes. but for show pur
poses. So far as the other rooms In
the hotel are concerned II may be said
that generally speaking the price is
as IT always Is except that man must
pay for II bed what he ordinarily pays
for n room.
Building National Pantheon.
H., NpIf h.. la
place of the nations soldiers and
sailors. there Is now under con-
struction great memorial amphithe-
ater. Marble will wall in big stretch
Of green sward and there In the enclos-
ure open TO the sky will be held serv-
Ices on those days when the country
commentaries the deeds OF Its "chll-
dren unafrald."
Col. w. w. Harts United States
corps of engineers, is the executive
officer In charge of construction of the
amphitheater The plans include the
construction of chapel from which
at n point in the marble wall encir-
cling the field will run n colonnade
In which will be inches for the busts
of men who lost their lives In the de-
fense of their country. or who. dying
under the ordinary conditions of serv-
Ice, had during their lifetime per-
formed deeds which will make their
memories last.
In the crypt under the chapel will
he placed the bodies of some of the
more lllustrious Americans Of the
armed services, for Arlington Is solely
n resting place for the men of the
twin services. Today Admiral Deweys
body rests In the vault built by Lieut..