Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-13

Committee Cancels Invita-
ti0ns and Plans for Simple
Outdoor Ceremony.

VuluUUI VCt CjItUIty.
Letters recalling Invitations issued
! 10 governors. to clubs and TO other
individuals and organizations were
sent out by the citizens inaugural
| committee today, preparatory to aban-
donins its program for March and
disbanding in. compliance with the
wish of President-elect Harding.
The executive, auditing and finance
. subcommittee will continue to exist
long enough to wind up the fiscal af-
fairS of the main committee. No colt
tracts Of importance have been closed,
SO there will be no loss through such
cancellations.
Big Denomination Opposed.
tee today expressed the opinion that
any attempt at an unofficial demon
stration at the time of the inaugural
tion would be iil-advised, because e
there will be no organization charged
with the protection of the crowds
that such program would bring.
and without housing facilities or
public comfort committees the result
might be very serious, especially in
case of bad weather.
The local police will have no addi
tional appropriation to care for large
SIoWuS on MhrCn >. II was pointed
out: whereas. at previous inaugurals
several thousand dollars was required
for that purpose alone. and the orig
inal estimate was not large enough.
The new President will be sworn
into office on the east portico Of the
Capitol building, and it was jocularly
remarked today that his inaugural
address will be his last front porch
speech.
H6DR nGmf n
In reply to Senator Harding's tele-
mony Of taking the oath be held out
side the Capitol instead of in the
Senate chamber. Senator Knox late
yesterday sent the following telegram
to the President-elect at Marion:
The committee suggested the the in
proval. as we understood that it
might be yocr preference. as you
named it first in your telegram.
now that. weather
permitting. you prefer the east porch
of the Capitol. l am sure the COM
nittee will gladly so arrange 1t, and
am calling meeting at once for that
purpose.
Plans for conducting the inaugura-
ton were considered today at a meet
ing of the Joint congressional COM
mittee at the Office OF Senator Knox.
Capitol building and grounds. was in.
structed by the committee to draw
up a plan in detail. keeping the ex-
penditures down to minimum. The
committee discussed the. advisabi
of erecting small stand from which
the President-elect may deliver his
inaugural address. There VIII be no
seats. but arrangements must be made
for adequate police protection.
Should the weather be such as to
make the holding of the inaugural
ceremonies outside the Capitol mad
visable. Mr.. Hard ng will take the
oath of office in the Senate chamber
and deliver his inaugural address
there.
Thanks Committee Workers.
In announcing the abandonment of
the inaugural program to the mem
bers Of the inaugural committee.
Chairman Edward b. Mclean sent
them a farewell message" which
said, in part:
The inaugural organization. fol-
lowing the wishes of President-eIect
Harding. will Immediately cease 10
function. with the exception of the
executive. finance and auditing COM
mitteeS and the office of the secretary
These branches will have charge OF
winding up the affairs of the organi-
zation. They. too, will disband as
soon as possible.
The finance committee. when the
business incidental to the preliminary
work is finished. will return the
funds. less the small amount spent to
the public-spirited citizens of Wash
ington, to whom the committee is
very grateful for their whole souled
support. shown in generous contribu-
tions of money. time and effort
81 would like to take this occasion,
on behalf of President-elect Hard
ing and myself, to thank my asso-
ciates on the executive committee
and all subcommittees and the people
of Washington for their fine spirit of
cooperation"