The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-12
TAME INAUGURATION IS DISAPPOINTMENT
 ID MARION FRIENDS
Harding's Cancellation of Plan Based Purely on His Own Convictions Against
 Elaborate Display
By ROBERT T. SMALL

Marious O., January 11.-tSpeciaL)- In calling off all the proposed inau- guraI festivities at Washington, inciud- i. ing the time-honored parade and ball. Senator Warren G. Harding acted on his subject of the inauguration first was proposed to him more than two months ago he snid: sIf I could have my own way about it would walk to the capi- toI on March 4, take the oath of office speak my little piece and then ride back te the White House n street car"
 When Senator Borah therefore pro- posed recently in the Senate that in auguration expenses be limited to SIG to provide taxicah for the new Pres ident, he had actually far more extrav- agant ideas about the ceremony than the man most concerned in it.
 Senator Harding was prevailed upon, however, to subordinate his own wishes in the matter. He was told that a re- turn to norma1cy carried with it a re- turn to the impressive inaugural cere- monies of the days of Taft. of Roose- welt and of Mckinley. He was told that while the festivities attending the ac- tua1 inaugural ceremonies might be irk- some to him, they would bring pleasure to thousands of red-blooded Americans who wanted to see the change of ad- ministrations made an occasion for re- joicing.
 CONTROVERSY THREATENED
 So at last MT. Harding consented, but hardly had he done so when he was made aware of the fact that serious controversy was threatened among the republicans in Washington city as to which one of them should have the honor of serving as chairman of the civic inauguration committee.
 MT. Harding disposed of the Gordian knot by forcing the chairmanship on his warm personal friend, Edward Beal Mclean, publisher of the Washington Post and the Cincinnati Enquirer MT. Mclean was reluctant to take the place, but when it was put before him in the light of personal service to the sen ator, he accepted.
 When Mir. Mclean and Senator Knox, the latter chairman of the congression- al inaugural committee, were in Marion 10 days ago, it was stated in these dis patches that Senator Harding frankly was dazed that 50 much fuss" should be made over him. He interposed no objection to the plans at that time, however. Later when he realized that Congress was being asked to appro- priate $50,000 of the peoples money for the purpose of erecting stand at the cspitol and to provide police protection, the President became worried at the possible total of the entire inaugu- ration outlay, despite the fact that he was told the inaugurations in the past always had been for the people them !, selves All of this was followed by an outbreak Of criticism in the Senate and House. Senator Harding has been read ing this criticism with a great deal of care. It has been apparent to all who have had contact with him the last week or more that his worries embraced more than the mere making of cabinet !. or deciding upon plan for new as- sociation of nations.
 HESITATED LONG WHILE
 The senator hesitated long while before finally dispatching his tele- grams of cancellation to Senator Knox and MT. Mclean. He was afraid his motives might be misunderstood. He was afraid he would hurt the feelings of many of his old friends in Washington who were looking forward to the cele- bration and who accepted responsibili. ties in connection herewith at his own suggestion. He wanted however, to go back to his own inaugura tion of merely taking the oath of office in the simplest possible way, making the expected in augural address, which is likely to be shorter than most inaugural addresses of the past, and then returning to the White House to go to<work.
 Just what the particular straw was that broke the cameps back has not been disclosed. Some are inclined to believe that the dromedary's vertebrae gave way when the senator discovered that one of his closest and dearest friends here in Marion was being "held up" for $750 for three rooms engaged at Pennsylvania avenue hotel. The bill for the rooms actually arrived here, and it is believed it was shown to Senator Harding himself. It was necessary to take each room for week, whether de- sired that long or not, and the charge s was $250 a week per room.
 MARION DISAPPOINTED
 Tho Marion home folks naturally are somewhat disappointed that all the fes- tivities at Washington have been thrown into the discard. They wanted to march in the parade, many of them had planned some unique features for the big show" The Harding March ing club had ordered 200 special suits of clothes There had been some trepida- tion about the hotel rates, but hopes were expressed that the Marionites might travel by special train and he allowed to occupy the cars while in Washington. Several score of the home folk will go to the capitol anyway to < see Senator Harding sworn in and t3 call later at the White House and wish him God speed.
 The calling off of the inaugural cere- monies has in no way affected Senator Harding's plans for a vacation in the south, which will begin the latter part