Evening star., 1924-11-10
SIMPLE INAUGURAL
CEREMONY LIKELY,
WHITE HOUSE HINTS
Presidents Well Known Dis
like for "Fuss and Feath-
ers" Is Recalled.
FOLLOWING OF HARDING
EXAMPLE is PROBABLE
-
Some Pressure May Be Exerted
for Return to Glories of
Other Days.
BY ROBERT #. SMALL.

Washington is in for another
simple" Inauguration. 1t was ex-
planned at the White House today
that, while President Coolidge has
had no opportunity to give any par
ttcular thought to the matter, his well
known views of simplicity and lack
of ostentation in public as we'll a.
private life will guide his plans for
his formal induction into a second
term.
The President will ride TO the Can
itol publicly to take the oath of Office.
which will be administered to a Presi-
dent for the first time by a former
President. William Howard Taft
twenty-seventh President of the
United States, in his present capacity
as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Will solemnly commit Calvin Coolidge
to uphold and defend the Constitu-
ton against all enemies from with
out and within. Since there is no
retiring President, Mr. Coolidge, a.
course, will ride TO the Capitol alone
Example of Harding.
Warren G. Harding set the style
four years ago of calling off all spec
tacular performances in connection
with his inauguration. 1t had been
planned that there should be a grand
celebration. The Republicans had
been out of power in the United States
for eight long years, and all the march
ing clubs and bands and patrols from
the country over were wildly anxious
once more to strut their stuff down
historic Pennsylvania avenue
Inc folks from the old home town
OF Marion, Ohio, were to be here in
full force, and 1t was even planned
that DR.. George T. Harding, the Pres
sidents father, should ride in his
one-horse shay in the inaugura!
procession, typifying the ever faith
full country family physician
Then came the historic dispute over
hotel rates. 1t appeared that some of
the home town folks were being
charged prices which they considered
outrageous. The matter was taken
up, but no concessions appeared to be
in sight. Mr.. Harding sent for the
chairman of the inaugural committee.
his friend, Edward B. Mclean, and
after a conference with him, the
whole Inauguration scheme was
called off. The ceremonies were left
entirely in the hands of the joint
committees of Congress and were
confined to the specified formula at
the Capitol. There was no inaugural
ball. The McLeanS gave one instead,
and it was t that ball that Calvin
and Mrs. Coolidge were officially in
troduced to Washington society. \
little more than two years later, the
former was President of the United
States and the latter the first lady
of the land.
Custom Long Held.
Up to the beginning of the Hard
ing regime the inaugural parade and
the inaugural ball had been consid-
cred a fixed quadrenial event in
Washington's officials and social life.
Even where Presidents We're inaugu-
rated for second term, the parades
and the balls and the fireworks were
made just as much a part of the day
and night as if an entirely new
President was being inducted into
office.
The Mckinley second inaugural
was an especially splendid affair.
When Theodore Roosevelt was in
augurated for his second term he had
bully time and the parade in
cluded virtually all of the survivors
of his old Rough Riders and many
of his>"buddies" from the West-com-
panions of wild animal hunts and
other strenuous excursions. Even
Woodrow Wilson at his second in
augural, in 1917. just a month before
the United States entered the war, did
not discourage the usual pomp and
military ceremony. March 4 that
year happened to fall on Sunday.
Mr.. Wilson took the formal oath OF
Office that day. but the public cere-
monies, parades, etc, were held on
Monday, March 5.
Washington residents, merchants
and hotel men are extremely anxious
that there shall be a return to the
old time inaugurations next March
with all the fuss and feathers of the
pre- Harding period. Much pressure
will be brought upon President Cool
idge to fall in with their plans. They
are aware of Mr.. Coolidge's dislike
for display and of the fact that the
White House mourning will be but
barely ended by March 4. but they
are hopeful that the Presidents rev.
erence for custom and tradition may
bring him to consent to at least
partial return to the pageantry OF
the past.
At other inaugurationS there al
ways was a quarrel as to the use OF
the Pension Building for an inaugural
ball. 1t upset the Government bust
ness. Now, however, Washington
has a civic auditorium that can be
made ready for the ball and all
thought of Government expense or
inconvenience is past.
The hope of Washington Is that Mr..
Coolidge may consent to a military
escort from the White House to the
Capitol and a ball rendered wholly
by the citizens of the Capital and the