The Washington times., 1920-05-29
(cs.tl..s1 ire. Yssserssy)


Curiously enough. this Demo-
cratic chief magistrate was the one
20 introduce q carriage with four
horses instead OF two. and with
white coAchman and footman In
stead of black AZ q matter OF
fact. a riding teacher at the club
did the driving, and the leaders
were borrowed for the occasion.
But the souipapge really did make
. very good appearance. and think
the innovation Is excellent.
Never before had women march
ed In the inaugural procession, but
now they formed quite an important
part OF II. most OF them In costume
and representing trade unions. suf-
frage, and other organisations.
. A warlike flavor was given the
affair by the corps of petrolettes
with rifles and the four-whesled
motors with guns. as well az the
huge tanks trundling along. A
woman in the crowd near me re-
marked triumphantly, you see we
are prepared, after all" But as \
matter of fact, there were only
eight OF those tanks In existence
and they were all In the process
sion. Moreover. mono ever reached
the other side OF the water.
The parade was q mixture OF the
serious and the ridiculous. The po-
lice came first and looked well. as
always, on their handsome horses.
The regular troops Just back from
the border. the West Point and An
napolis boys. all marched nnely, as
also did the students OF the Culver
Military Academy. Distinguishes
looking Governor Mccall Of Massa-
chusetts, with his guard OF naval
cadets in gay uniforms, and Govern
or whitman Of New York. with his
mounted aides, and with Squadron A
following, made a magnificent ap-
pearance. No less fine were the dig
nified Indian chiefs on horseback.
superb In their regalia- The little
band of G. A. r. veterans, too, earn
ed their share of the applause.
The governor Of Mississippi. who
had swept the State twice, and his
stan of thirty-eight majors rode in
carriages. One of the majors hav-
ing married a distant cousin OF LIS,
we made 1t an excuse for inviting
them and their wives to have tea
with us the day before the parade.
When I offered this cousin horse
for her husband to ride In the pro-
cession, she refused it with the sim
pie explanation, 1.-THE major weighs
two hundred and ninety pounds"
1t was surprising, though, to see
how few governors came to Wash
ington for this occasion--I had
supposed there would be many from
the Southern States, at leest, on ac-
count OF President Wilson; but
Maryland, Virginia, and Mississippi
were the only ones represented.
Some Of the marching OF the troops
was especially bad. Hired for the
various personages to ride were
work horses, some fat and frowsy.
and others so thin and decrepit that
they looked At only for a bullfght.
The colored drum major. with his
fuzzy hat and twirling stick. was
greeted with hilarious applause.
Tammany Hall was out in full
force, along with endless political
clubs, some of whose members
wore derby hats, some top hats.
some no hats at all. Some waved
flags and smoked cigarettes at the
same time. The various kinds OF
bows and salutes given to the
President as the different organiza-
tions marched by the reviewing
stand afforded us many good laughs.
Great precautions had been taken
for the Presidents safety, and the
bomb predicted by the fortune
tellers was not thrown. So every
thing ended well.