The Washington times., 1917-03-28
COMMITTEE MAKES
GIFTS TO HARPER
Head of Inaugural Ceremony
Planners Is Shown Asso-
ciates' Appreciation.

Members OF the inaugural committee
today expressed their gratitude and
the gratitude of the city of Washing
ton to Col Robert N. Harper, chair
man of the committee, for the efforts
he put forth and for the success which
attended the preparations under his
leadership on March 5. A meeting of
the committee in the red room of the
Willard Hotel, followed by a buffet
luncheon. was the occasion for the
expression of thanks.
To mark their appreciation, the
committeeman presented Colonel
Harper with a gold watch and chain.
a silver punch bowl and service and
the third inaugural medal struck in
this year one was presented to Presi-
dent Wilson yesterday and the other
to Vice President Marshall, to COM
memorate their Inauguration.
In making the presentation of the
watch and the punch bowl. Commits
sioner Louis W. Brownlow called at
tention to the work of Colonel Harper
his untiring devotion and the success
which had attended his efforts The
District Commissioner also lauded the
cooperation of the other members of
the committee
A Perfect ChrOnometer.
Daniel J. CalIaha.l, chairman OF the
committee on badges and medals,
made the presentation of the medal,
and remarked that IL was only fitting
that the three medals in gold should
be presented to the three men most-in
timately concerned in the inaugural.
The. watch presented TO Colonel Har
per is plain. substantial chron-
omoter of Swiss make. Accompany
ing it is a certificate from the super
intendant OF the observatory of the
Swiss government at Geneva, stating
that the timepiece is an excellent
tested. chronometer and perfect in
every detail OF construction as far as
human effort could make it so.
The silver service and punch bowl
and the watch are each inscribed as
follows: presented to Robert N |
Harper. Chairman OF the Inaugural |
Committee. 1917, by His Associates, |
IN Appreciation Of His Services,
The committee which purchased the |
watch and silver. service consisted of /
Cuno II. Randolph. Arthur Peter, 1
Capt. James w. Oyster, and James S.
Easily Smith.
Reads Final Report.
In expressing his gratitude for the
remembrance from his associates,
Colonel Harper said:
"It is always pleasant to work for
and with others. When your main
object is the success of your work it
is dOubly pleasing to receive the
commendation and felicitations OF
your fellow workers. In the words
of friend OF mine, had your remem-
brance been nothing more than a
cigar rendered in the same spirit, ]
should have still been unable to
speak my gratitude"
Colonel Harper presided at the meet
ing and read his final report covering
the entire inaugural The report made
no mention Of the total expenditures Of
the ceremonies or the total number Of
but called attention to "our
regular inaugural visitor-March storms
harassed us once again" The
sbsence-sf a number OF State troops,
due TO the Mexican conditions, was
spoken Of as accounting for the pres
ence Of fewer Of the militarn than in
some years.
Simon Wolf spoke on the excellent
work Of the chairman. and moved the
adoption OF his report. Corcoran Thorn
offered a resolution OF thanks to the
Of the Willard Hotel,
where the committee had its headquar-
ters. for its cooperation in the prepara-
tions for the inaugural This was unan-
imously accepted.
The, feature Of the buffet decorations
was a miniature court Of honor repre-
senting the one in front OF the Execu-
tive Mansion.