The Washington herald., 1921-01-13
M'LEAN ISSUES
STOP ORDER ON
INAUGURATION
Work Definitely Halted.
Committees Disbanding.
To Return Donations.

Operation Of the general inaugu
raj committee. the citizens body
having charge Of arrangements for
the induction Of President-eIect
Harding, has definitely ceased, with
the exception of the executive,
finance and auditing subcommittee
and the office Of the secretary. Jess
W. Smith.
Chairman Edward B. Mclean is
sued a general stop-order last night
He took occasion to assure con-
Itributors to the guarantee fund Of
$l5O.OoO that all save a small
| amount spent would be returned
to them and thanked his fellow
workers and citizens generally for
their cooperation.
The farewell message" said in
part:
/ The inaugural organization, fol-
| lowing the wishes Of President-elect
! Harding. will Immediately cease 20
function, with the exception Of the
executive, finance and auditing com
mfttees and the Sofilce Of the sec
/ y
charge Of winding up the affairs
Of the organization. They, too, will
disband as soon as possible.
The finance committee, when the
business incidental 70 the prelim-
mary work is finished, will return
the funds, less the small amount
spent, to the spirited Ctti-
zens OF Washington, to whom the
/ lcommittee is very grateful for their
whole -souled support, shown in gen
erous contributions OF money. time
and effort
inaugural Location
The main development OF yester-
day as regards the ceremonies in
!dispensable in connection with the
Inauguration, namely the swearing
/ in Of President and Vice President
at the CGsitol on March 4. was an
| interchange of kilograms between
Harding and Senator Knox. OF
Pennsylvania, chairman Of the Con
gressional joint committee on the
| inaugural, in which the former des-
ignated his preference for holding
the affair on the east pOrtico Of the
| Capitol.
By the removal Of the ceremony
| from the Senate chamber, which is
a small apartment for such pro-
ceeding. witnessing Of the admins
tration Of the oath will be made
possible for thousands who may as
semble on the Capitol plaza and
they may hear Hsrding's address
as we'll il plans for installation OF
magnavox have not been aban-
doned.
HardIng's Wire.
The President-eIect wired as fol-
lows: Il am deeply grateful to your
committee for its action in arrang-
ling for the simplest possible pro-
gram for the inaugural ceremony.
! It is wholly pleasing to me to take
the oath of office in the Senate
chamber II such is the decision OF
your committee. However, I am not
unaware Of a natural and becoming
popular interest in a President elect
assuming his ofhcial obligations,
and would gladly have the simple
ceremony on the east porch OF the
Capitol, weather permitting. pro-
vided II can be arranged amid such
1 facilities as are afforded without
special construction for the occa-
sion.
/ Il do not forget that during the
! late campaign which eliminated in
my election I spoke frequently TO
J the people from the front porch OF
my home and they were courteous
| enough to stand and hear amid ac-
! commodations less comfortable than
/ the Capitol steps and Plaza AFFORD.
! II this seems impracticable to your
committee, it deserves no further
| consideration. The abandonment OF
| public expenditure and the end to
all suggestions Of individual outlay
! have put an end to my concern and
mere detail of oath-takinE which
/ your committee deems best will meet
my ready assent"
Knox's Reply.
Senator Knox, in reply. sent TIE
| following:
The committee suggested the in
side inauguration subject to your
approval, as We understand that Il
! might be your preference. as you
! named il first in your telegram.
I Understand now that. weather per-
mitting, you prefer the east porch
! of Capitol, am sure the committee
will gladly so arrange II and ! am
calling a meeting at once for that
purpose"
| Senator Knox called his commit
L tee to meet this morning. Prepara-
tions for the erection OF a huge
ceremonial stand on the east plaza
of the Capitol have been halted,
with the materials on the ground
to begin the work. II is understood
that q stand sufficient to accom-
modate the dignitaries Of the oc-
| casion, Including the retiring
President and his Cabinet, members
of the Diplomatic Corps, the Su-
ipreme Court and Congress and the
press will be necessary.
The plans of President Wilson to