Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-20
ElY GIVE REAL SHOW
70 INAUGURAL VISITOR
committee at Least Is Doing
Best to Make Trip Worth
While

.,sutxGToN. Feb 2O.--Wnl the in
"ha ,isltor get a good run for his
4 money? ,,.....o,,,.i,.o r,oas,i,,o
rs",,,h r carolina urging his colleagues to
o.oo 20 an appropriation desired IN con-
ss.,,o, with the incoming inaugural SAID
s.sntly that the pubic would OF course
pe .,oh orcasions, and he always expected
on mt admitting that, he argued that
" ,ho more behooved Congress to do
~ hsst 10 give the visitor good run Tor
10 10 ,onev" And Congress passed the APP
preparation. lace than two weeks Of in
r,rat,on the question arises whether or
~ ~, the visitor will get the good run
W. tndicotions are that he will not
lns General way Washington does give
,osts their moneys worth The rates
W not exorbitant and beyond food ana
snsu,ng-which are not in ordinary times
nndulv high for the accommodation oHered
there is no need to spend great deal
:, .sonev doing" the town. Most of the
81 e tho visitor wants TO see are free
u,ne VII Town itself is the show-the visitor
Ine sos w see the cap tai of his country.
VIM pOSSESSIVE INTEREST
,os a nossessive interest in the public
y .,,idnss the Capitol, the White House
~ wants TO see the wheels of government
noiog round-C6ngress in action, the Su-
snso Court rendering judgment. the vari-
ssns departments at work. lie comes 3t
a,rotinn vus time probably with the idea
~ n,"s seeinp all these--and then some-the
~, w., ,n Gala attire everything at It's best
"a eyerybody i'm holiday mood hagS ny
,ng hands playing, great parade nre
errs all sorts Of added attractions
: And he gets trimmed
narrower. he does not see the city at It's
.ost He sees the puhic hulldlhsS us
srurod bv gaunt ugly scaffoldings, support
ne Ianls of hare wooden benches-"re-
"su,inp n,e stands" from which, except the one
~ front of the White House, there is NJ"
.aviewing done. lie sees Congress in acton
70 he sure. frenzIed action, it's dying
snasms. in fact. which give very little ldca
N its usual procedure-and to see even
mai he must arrive several days before the
Ib Of March. when the existing Congress
.noses 70 exist Barring a special session,
which can scarcely get under way within
a month Of Inauguration. even II called.
,he new one does not get into action until
next December
He sees the various Government depart
ments. under pretty much the same alb
normal conditions, all more or less DIS
tirbed by the prevailing excitement, the
rsual routine turned topsy-turvy. And
everywhere he is jostcd crowded and
damned and suffers from the total in
adeauacy of transportation and rcstau-
rant facilities for which he pays eN-
orbitant prices It is to he bone dry
3 Inaugural as no liquor may he sold in the
District of Columbia ou Sunday, or on an
Inauguration day. Virginia is dry and all
the counties of Maryland bordering on the
District are dry
COMMITTEE At WORK
The inaugural committee is doing its
e.. ,gtn 70 civ -
the visitor the good run for his Honey'
that Mr. Ragsdale desired. He is denied, in
t Difference to the presidential distaste for
a worldly frivolity, the inaugural ball, which
was always, until four years ago. the
crownng feature Of a presidential in
auguration The committee did it's best to
revive this feature this year. as it was
admittedly "a money maker" And the
committee needs money.
4 1t will. however. give the visitor his MI
Of flags and illuminations, brass bands and
red fire. II has planned what it regards as
= particularly splendid parade and it prom
!, ses absolutely that the President will ride
at the head of it-and Mrs. Wilson. More.
over, Mrs. Wilson is to have "A little more
part in the inaugural ceremonies than any
Of her predecessors. She WI not only ride
with the President, but she will sit close al
hand while the oath Is administered and
during the inaugural address,
1t will be the first time in the history OF
\ the nation that the wife of the Chief Tx.
ecutlve has accompanied him to the stanc
to take the oath. Mrs. Taft set the city
agog eight years ago by riding down Penn
sylvania avenue by her husbands side
She probably would have sat by while tn,
oath was administered. had not the weather
( negessitated its being done indoors-in the
Senate chamber. Mrs. Taft accompanied
the President-eleCt to the door of tina
= chamber, and then. in Difference to the rule
8 OF that body which forbds a woman ad
mission to the floor watched the ceremony
4 from the gallery.
2 Whether Mrs. Wilson will do lkews,
under similar weather conditions remains
TO be seen. There seems TO be a feeling vi
al the Capitol that If the weather makes
an indoor Inaugural necessary the Senat
! may waive its rule in favor Of the Firs
Lady, and grant her place on the floor he
= side her husband. 1t will make easier th
swallowing Of the pill of Representative
Jeannette Rankin's right, as a member o
The House, to visit the Senate chamber a
her convenience.