Evening star., 1925-02-23
See Simple Inaugural
AS Wise Coolidge Act


among the editors of the country upon
President coo.idge's veto Of an osten-
tatiors Inaugural and his demand for
the simplest of ceremonies. The gem
eral sentiment OF approval given carries
with il the statement that the President
in taking this stand is not making
"grandstand' play toward Jeffersonian
simplicity. but is following natural
bent against pomp and ceremony and
displaying his well known trait of rigid
economy.
Slowly and with sadness nigh
unto tears declares the Phila-
delphia Public Ledger, Washington
surrehderss TO the new kind of
inauguration Warren G. Harding re-
vived the Jestersonian trend in inaugu-
rails. There was no ball in 1921. The
parade had no thunder in its feet Now
comes this New Highlander who does not
know how TO dance, this Yankee who
knows the value of a dollar. There has
been nothing quite like IT since Tom
JEFFERSON rode his nag up the hill.
wrapped the bride reins around a post
and went in and kissed the book"
The New York World adds: I'VE do
not believe that he has abandoned any
thing very much worth saving He keeps
the ride to the Capitol, where he will
inaugural address; he will return
through pennsylvania avenue with a
small company of military detachments
now on duty in Washington and a dozen
or so governors attended by their staffs
Mr.. Coolidges decision against spend
ing much Of the publics money on all of
this is taken on grounds of economy. He
might have reached the same decision as
an artist"
The attitude of the President is not
determined wholly by his attachment TO
policy OF economy" the Minneapolis
tribune thinks. He has simple tastes.
and he lives SO far as he may. the sim
pc life. With him it is a plain ca -Se of
habit, not one of affectation" The Pnes-
dent doesn't dance himself. remarks The
anaconda Standard ''and, even if he did
what with his well known views on
economy and simplicity he is not the
KIND OF man to lead grand marches nd
EXHIBIT his proficiency in the gentle a IT
or shimmying at swell public halls ="
however. the Standard continues. with
Gen. and Mrs. Dawes to lead the lesser
celebrities, the dance will be on. joy will
be unconhned. there will be eclat enough
for all and the ball won't be such a wide
pitch as the grandstand has feared
y y 4
THE President disIiles pageantrv~
is not pose. assumed for effect. but,
natural antipathy, like that of
some men for co'ored vests and fiashy
neckties. In this Executive ban on
pomp and circumstance the country
fs getting sample of the granite
character imported from Vermont.
where simplicity and directness have
oeen ingrained for a couple of CEN
turtles"
O inn rx,V 1,
keepers and other residents of that
city with personal interests at stake
are rather wroth with the Presi-
dent" observes the Columbus Ohio
state journal, but the people of the
country at large are with him on the
economy issue and like his plain
ways because they are natural TO
him. While the Worcester Telegram
agrees: The country as a. whole will
applaud the Presidents course. The
inauguration of a President is not
really social affair. II rs q serious
governmental ceremony, and nothing
viii be lost il il is not made the oc-
casion for great social activity 1t
is safe to predict that the inau gura :
tion next month Will be as dienified
ana impressive as any in the past."
Mr.. Coolidge's disapproval of pre-
tentfous ceremony, thinks the Ashe-
viile Times, lis of piece with his
character" 1t adds: 1T is as natn raj
an expression OF his New England
upbuilding as the nasal tone of is
voice" The Kansas City Star sun =
misses: Whether the President rs
| through whiting down the program
OF the inaugural committee is uncer-
tain, but it now seems the expense
OF the purely spectacular part of the
event has been reduced from the first
estimate OF sI00,o00 to $3.50. Maybe
| the President will allow that much
| to be spent. even IL it is a waste. 1t
will go for badges, and we suppose
the inauguration wouldn't be Official
without badges. Nothing else in
| America is."
while it is proper that the cere-
| monies should be impressive" the
| Fargo Tribune thinks, "befitting the
| inaugural OF 8 Chief Magistrate of
1 so great republic, yet il is Just as
| well to make ii a simple affair, for
such an inaugural will help to i'm
| press anew upon the country the
| Presidents viewpoint that real and
| sound economy, both governmental
and private, will promote the Nations
welfare more than any other one
thing at this time" But, aside from
| the question of economy" asks the
Waterloo Tribune, why the pomp
and splendor? We are not crowning
a king. All we are doing is estab=
fishing an American citizen in a job"
| The Ell Paso Herald reflects: "Jeffer-
sonian simplicity is well enough to
l talk about, but that part of Wash
| ington which has its eye on the dol
Jar wonders why a Republican Presi-
dent should be emulatins such Demo
Gratis as Jefferson and Cleveland any