Evening star., 1925-03-04
THOUSANDS WATCH
COLORFUL PARADE
PASSING IN REVIEW
Impressive Array OF Uniform.
ed Forces Sweeps Down
Avenue in Martial Order.
OLD SPLENDOR MISSING
AT WISH OF PRESIDENT
Throngs Make Up for Lack of Color
in Setting With Spon-
taneous Fervor.

Down historic Pennsylvania ave-
nue. marched today once more a
military pageant to herald the in
auguration of new national ad-
ministration, and, passing in review
before cheering crowds, saluted
America S thirtieth President and his
suite.
Banked many deep along the flag
decked thoroughfare that tradition
has made the way of the Presidents.
doughty throngs brought back to
Washington the quickening surge
of nervous enthusiasm that has be-
come an inseparable part of the
ceremonies with which the people
dedicate the passing of each four
year milestone in the life OF the
Republic
Undaunted by the Presidents own
demand that his inauguration should
be model OF simplicity and econ
omy, gatherings thousands, drawn
from the four corners of the Nation.
supplied in jealous excitement all
that the program today may have
lacked in pompous panoply. They
made their own pageantry.
10000 visitors Here.
1t was not the largest throng that
has ever witnessed an inauguration
here. When the final figures are tabu-
lated probably the number of visitors
from distant parts of the country will
not approach $4,000.
To these, however, might be
added most of the population of the
crowds may have lacked in record
breaking numbers they made up in
spontaneous fervor.
Neither was the setting equal to
the glittering decorations of old. No
gayly decorated stands, walled high
with pulsating humanity, filled the
wide sidewalks of Pennsylvania ave.
nue.. Only few private stands erect
ed for employees of various Govern
ment departments and one public
stand, with an estimated capacity of
1000 seats, stood where dozens were
built in past years.
Decora tions Simple.
Nor could the building decorations
quite compare with the splendor of
the good old days" A few structures
on Pennsylvania avenue even remain
ed unadorned altogether. Most of
them, however, were draped with
bunting or boasted nuttering flags.
And there was color enough to have
told the least informed visitor that
a festival of more than passing i'm
portance was about to take place
along the famous avenue.
As a whole, the scene was much
as President Coolidge had wished 1t
to be-a scene thoroughly fitting the
dignihed occasion for the formal in
ductfon of a new administration, but
without unnecessary display or ex-
pensive preparation. And strangely
enough, the crowds seemed not 10
notice the lack of extravaganza in
color and pomp as they waited in
anxious anticipation for the parade
TO pass in review.
Unlike Harding inaugural.
Eight years have passed since
Washington has seen even a sem
blance of a real inaugural festival.
Four years ago President Harding
merely rode to and from the Capitol
with a small military escort. Sew
eral times he even raised his hand
to silence the cheers of the crowd as
he passed out of Difference to the
broken man who rode with him and
whom he was about to succeed Is the
Chief Executive of the Nation.
But all OF the enthusiasm and ten
sion of old was present once more
today. The crowds assembled early
to watch the President and his party
make their traditional journey to the
Capitol, where every President since
Thomas Jefferson has taken the oath
of office. Already the newly irau-
gurated leaders have returned to the
White House and the 1ong-awafted
parade is swinging around the Peace
Monument into Pennsylvania avenue.
Requires Less Than Hour.
President Coolidges inaugural pa
rade will not go down in history as
q glfttering cavalcade of military
splendor 1t required less than an
hour for IL to pass the reviewing
stand in front of the White House,
where the President, the Vice Presi-
dent, members of the newly inaugu-
rated leaders families and their
closest friends, members of the cabi-
net and high officials of the Govern
ment reviewed 1t from the official
reviewing stand. But in that hour
was crowded a colorful glimpse of
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