Evening star., 1923-08-03
FEDERAL OFFICES
CLOSED FOR DAY
May Not Open While Body of
President Lies in State
Here.
The government departments were

The government departments were
closed between 10:30 and IL O'Clock
by order of Secretary of state
Hughes, after conference with Post
master General New and several as
sistant secretaries. They Will remain
closed all day today and will prob
ably close on the day Of the funeral
of President Harding, although this
was not definitely announced today.
The departments will open as usual
tomorrow.
The order closing the departments.
issued by Secretary Hughes. read as
follows: out of respect to the mem
ory of the President the executive
departments will be closed today
Mr. Hughes issued the order after he
had conferred with Mr.. New. Acting
Secretary Pugsley of the Department
of Agriculture, Assistant Secretary OF
War Dwight F.. Davis and Z. J. Hen
ming, acting Secretary of Labor.
Chief Clerks Notified.
Chief clerks of the several depart
ments and Independent establishments
were Immediately notified by tele-
phone. and a few moments after notl-
ficatiop had been completed o0,ooo gov
ernment employees began vending
their way homeward. saddened by the
news OF the death of the Chief Exc
cutive-their chief. with whom the
government employees felt a greater
kindship than any President for
many years. President Harding mao
informally visited several OF tnc ae-
partments on foot, and had thus en-
deared himself TO the government
workers.
The departments will open. again
tomorrow morning at the usual open
ing time. Although Secretary Hushes
nrnnOSal
partments while the body OF the iate
President lies in state at the Capltoi'
no action was taken, as it was leiI'
II was understood President Cool
idce would issue an executive order
en- the matter on his arrival IN " ash-
.ngton tonight.
Flags mt HaIf-MnSt.
While flags over all government es-
tablishments and all over the city
and the nation were at half-mast to-
day. scores of tourists visited the
White House, anxious to see the nome
where President Harding lived during
the last two years OF MS lHe. Inss
saw White House whose GROUNDS
were torn up and disarranged py tne
change from heating within the Wnite
House to the plant at the state DR.
and Navy Department. Rudoipn SoI-
ster, executive clerk at the White
House, was the only official at the
Z home of the President, and no one
but newspaper men were admitted 10
the executive ofhces.
A precedent for the closing or the
government establishments today was
set according to State Department
officials at the time of the death OF
President Mckinley, when the de-
partments were closed the day fol-
lowing the death of the President
Another order may be issued later
in the day, 1t was said at the state
Department, following telegraphic
communication with President Coo
lidge, who is now on his way 10
Washington.
The 10000 employees of the govern
ment, released from work just before
IL o'clock, gathered in small groups
outside and inside the government
buildings TO discuss the death of
their President. The news of the
death of the President was such a
distinct shock, and it's suddenness so
unlocked for, that most of the gov
ernment workers felt a personal loss
in his death.
District Onices Closed.
On the heels of the order of Secretary
of State Hughes closing all federal de-
partments, the District Commissioners
at II is o'clock today ordered the halt
ing Immediately of all activities of the
District government.
The Commissioners were holding
semi weekly board meeting when word
was given them that the federal offices
had ceased operation out of respect for
President Harding. They Immediately
ordered the closing of the municipal
departments for the day
II the federal departments shut down
on the day of the funeral Of the Presi-
dent the District departments also prob
ably will close.