Evening star., 1928-12-07
Inaugural Preparations.


Work of the Republican national COM
mittee, representing the President-eiect,
will soon appoint the chairman OF the
local inaugural committee, who Is to
organize Washingtonians to render a
maximum of helpful cooperative serV-
ice in honoring the next President OF
the United States on the occasion Of
his Inauguration.
Also in accordance with custom the
wishes of the President-elect concern
ing the characteristics of his inaugural
celebration will prevail and be faith
fully carried out. Enthusiastic Hoover
ties in Washington naturally express
the desire that the Inauguration OF the
next President shall be of character
to honor him adequately, and to show
forth conspicuously the general pubic
rejoicing on the occasion of his installa-
tion as President. These demonstrations
in favor of the most colorful and i'm
pressive inaugural celebration which
can be made in consistency with the
simple" ceremonies upon which Mr..
Hoover insists are in essence appeals 70
the President-elect to construe inaugu-
raj simplicity as literally as possible IN
broadening the scope of permissible
features of inaugural celebration.
The two vital features OF the Old
fashioned inaugural were the parade on
PENNSYLVANIA avenue and the inaugural
"baI." The paraders. organized ana
mobilized, followed the new President
from the Capitol where he had taken
the oath of Office, to the White House,
and we're reviewed by him from stand
erected on the Avenue and on the
White House grounds. This review OF
the parade by the new President Is es-
sential to give it significance and stand
ing. Other parades on the same or
following day. without this review ny
the President. are meaningless and
futile. ....,-
The new President has naturally the
right to say whether he will stand Tor
one hour or for four or five hours to
review the marching thousands.
The old-time parades were too long.
They wearied reviewer, participants ana
snectators. In inclement weather they
spread disease and death.
The inaugural parades OF the last
three administrations have been too
short to satisfy the desire OF thousands
that the parade shall be demonstra-
ton of general popular rejoicing and
enthusiasm and not the demonstration
of a selected few.
Many hope today that with the Presi-
dent-elect's hearty assent the parade
this year shall be happy medium be-
tween the old and new. combining the
merits and avoiding the disadvantages
Of both.
The old-fashioned inaugural ball or
reception (for the floor was too crowded
for enjoyable dancing) found an ideal
location In the Pension Building. This
structure, with its immense court, sur
rounded by a narrow shell Of rooms.
was built more for governmental enter
tainment purposes than as a govern
mental work shop. For the latter pur-
pose 1t is distinctly uneconomical
During the period when its use was
permitted for inaugural reception pur-
poses 1t gave pleasure to thousands OF
Washingtonians and inaugural visitors.
who from the floor saw the new Presi-
dent and his wife In their box in the
balcony, and who took few steps to
music on the overcrowded floor in order
to say that they danced at the IN
augural ball. Through committee or
ganization the new President and his
wife we're caused to endure an absolute
minimum of crowding and discomfort
Through the sale of tickets to the "nail
the heavy expenses of inaugural prepa-
rations were readily met, the cost being
taken from the shoulders OF the fe"
and distributed among the many VINO
paid for admission to the ball.
Probably the Government will never
permit again the use Of the Pension
Building for the inaugural reception
and perhaps it will never provide any
other Government building for this
purpose. If the new President and his
wife will attend an unofficial inaugural
ball, the money proceeds Of which shall
90 to charity, the closest approximation
to the old inaugural ball which is pos
sibIe today will probably be ef1ecteo.