Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-12
Simple Ceremony will Hark
Back to Days Jefferson
and Jackson
Oath to Be Administer
ed in Senate Cham
Der All Out sid e
Ceremonies Cut Out
Only Room for
1000 to See Affair

Washington. Jan. ll-President-
Elect Harding will take the oath of
office next March T. with ceremonies
approaching in simplicity those
which attended the induction into Of
fee of jefferson and jackson.
The joint congressional inaugural
committee, meeting today to consider
the request of Mr.. Harding for the
simplest inaugural program" dccid-
ed that with the approval of the
president-elect the oath of office
should be taken in the Senate cham
Der and all outside ceremonies at
the capitol be dispensed with. The
new president, under the new plans
formulated by the committee, would
thus take the oath of Office in the
small and almost Semi-priVate cham
Der of the Senate Immediately after
the swearing in of Calvin Coolidge as
vice president and then would deliver
his inaugural address within the
ate and House, the justices of the
Supreme Court and not more than
1000 persons able to crowd into the
restricted gallery space.
The committee at the conclusion OF
it's session submitted it's plans for
the approval of Mr.. Harding through
a telegram sent by Senator Knox OF
Pennsylvania. the committee chair
man. as follows:
THE joint committee on Inaugural
ton has received your telegram
transmitted through me as chairman,
dated January 10. 1921, indicating
your desire for extreme simplicity in
the inaugural ceremonies OH tho
Fourth of next March and that the
same shall be conducted practically
without expense. The committee has
considered your suggestion in the
Spirit in which it was made and has
decided, subject to your approval
that the inaugural ceremonies shall.
take place in the Senate chamber,
which involves no disturbance of the
arrange ment incident to the inaugu-
ration of the vice president and in
wolves no expense except such as in
cidental expenses for police as cir
cumstanceS shall require
The District OF Columbia inaugural
committee held d meeting early in
the day and this session was follow
ed this evening by meeting of the
committees executive committee.
Chairman Mclean. at the conclusion
of the second meeting. said that no
formal action had been taken on the
request of Mr.. Harding, as forward
ed to the committee last night, for
abandonment of the proposed cele-
hration incident to the inaugural as
"a wholesome example of economy
an dthrift.'
The chairman added. however. that
the local committee would. of course.
fall in line with the president elects
desire. This was taken to indicate
that the historic inaugural parade
as we'll as the inaugural ball. almost
as equally historic, would not be
features. of the induction into Office
of MI. Harding.
Abandonment of plans for the
capitol reviewing stand and for the
sending out of engraved official in
yitations, members of the congress
sionai committee said, probably
would entail loss OF about $4,000 for
preliminary work done This sum
will he paid out of the $4,000 appro-
priation finally voted by Congress
yesterday and sent today to Presi-
Gent Wilson. The remainder of the
appropriation will be returned to the
Treasury.