Evening star., 1925-02-10
Yielding to Presidents De-
sire, Plans for Display on
March q Are CurtaiIed.
BADGE APPROPRIATION
ONLY ITEM RETAINED
Taking of Oath and Parade of
1000 Troops Will Mark Total of
Exercises Beginning Term.

At the request of William 7.
Galliher, the Washington inaugura
committee today rescinded all Of the
appropriations 1T had set aside for
the celebration of inauguration day
next March 4, and unanimously
adopted policy of strict economy, in
keeping with the repeatedly ex
pressed wishes of President Coolidge.
AS a result plans for the creation
of beautiful court of honor in front
OF Lafayette square, to cost $4,000
were abolished; the display of fire.
works in the evening has been per-
manently Cancelled, and even an
appropriation of $3.50 to cover the
expenses of the committee on his
toric sites has been rescinded.
The only appropriate that was
permitted to remain intact was one
for $3.50 to cover the expenses of
buying gold badges for the President
and Vice President. and bronze
insignia for the members of the in
augural committee. 1t was made
plain. however, that there probably
Will be no badges distributed either.
Formal Service Only Left.
Briefly, the official celebration that
Ia to attend the inauguration of
President Coolidge and Vice Presi-
dent Dawes has narrowed down to
the formal administration of the oath
on the east steps of the Capitol, and
procession consisting of 1000
troops and a number of State gov
ernors. recurring about an hour to
pass any given point.
In asking the committee to -esoind
It's action OF several weeks ago, MI
Galliher declared that ne felt himself
obligated to make the request. He
pointed out that patriotic Washing
ton business men and public-spirited
women had contributed unstintingly
to the guarantee fund Of 100000. de-
spite repeated statements from unoffi-
cial sources that mucis of it probably
would never be returned.
Deprived of the revenue that used
to be derived from an official inaug-
ural hall and with the military pro-
cession cut to a size that would not
Justify adequate prices for seats in
the grandstands, Mr.. Galliher frankly
admitted that he could see no means
Of raising enough money to guar
antee a return of this loan to the
people of Washington, and that. un-
der the circumstances, he did not feel
justified in making expenditures that
had been previously planned.
Court of Honor Discarded.
The first plan to be erased was that
for A luxurious court of honor, in the
center of which the President would
review the passing military parade.
An appropriation of $4,000 for the
stands and $10,0 for decorations had
been voted for this purpose. but Mr..
Galliher never permitted 1t to be
= drawn from the funds. Next came
the $4,000 appropriation for fireworks
and finally the $3.50 for the commit
tee on historic sites, which were the
only three made thus far.
The committee will raise no objec-
tion to the construction of public re-
viewing stands on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. by private concerns. 1t has a
number of choice reservations which
it will rent to any responsible con-
cessionaire, but the only stand to be
built in the site of the proposed court
of honor will be one for the President
and his personal party. Chairs for 25
persons will be placed in the stand. but
its capacity can be raised to so, If
necessary.
May Lease stand Reservations.
Mr. Galliher explained that the
committee on reviewing stands will
and take up the question of leasing
reservations to persons who wish to
erect private stands. The COM
rnittee in each instance, however" he
declared, will point out that the
parade is now planned will be short
and that prices for seats should be
gauged accordingly
This meeting has been called" Mr..
Galliher began. Immediately after
Fnl ino IN
the committee. had read the minutes
of the previous meeting, at which
all of the appropriations were author
lied, Ito present to you some matters
that have developed since last we
gathered. I shall ask you to take
definite action on the matters I am
about to present.
Prom information obtained from
the War Department, 1t has developed
that the parade to be held on March
Will be able to pass any given point
In possibly As minutes. Certainly ii
will not require more than an hour
at the most. With this in mind, your
advisory committee decided that /,
would not be justified in building a
court of honor, with stands that
would have to bring SO. 81 or S. a
seat. for so short a parade
Asks Appropriations Rescinded
Neither do we feel that it would
be suitable to disburse $4,000 for fire.
works and $3.50 for the committee on
historic sites. We are obliged. there
fore, to ask this inaugural committed e
to rescind all of the appropriate
heretofore authorized with the single
exception of that allowed the COM
mittee on badges"
Without a word of debate, the com
,nittee unanimously adopted a resolu.
tion blotting out in a few minutes
virtually all of the work that had
required long hours to accomplish
AS result the inaugural COMMITTEES
Is left for the present with nothing
to do but arrange details for the short
parade. The joint congressional com.
mittee will handle all arrangements
for the administration of the oath o1
office at the Capitol, including the
construction of a large stand there.
1t is probable that the space whers
the stands in the court of honor
would have been erected will be occu.
pied by disabled veterans of thu
World War, gathered from all of the
hospitals in and around Washington
Chairman Owens of the court of honor
committee made a motion that chair.
for the veterans be placed along TIL,
curb opposite the Presidents review
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