The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-02-28
Inaugural Ball to Be Bargain at IS
BY MARTHA STRAYER

XXTASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-At
w positively bargain price of
admission, the Roosevelt inaugural
ball Of March 4 will be the big
gest, best, and only official event
Of its kind since William Howard
Taft was inaugurated in 1912.
Admittance fee is S5-haf the
price in 1929. Mrs. Roosevelt and
members of her family will be
there, which makes it official; no
member Of a Presidents family
has attended an inaugural ball
since 1912 And so far as attrac~
tons, music, and decorations go,
no such array of music and talent
ever has been billed on one Wash
ington program.
Rosa Ponselle, internationally
famous opera star, will sing. Rudy
Vallee's band will play, together
with half a dozen other famous
dance music aggregations. The
marine and army bands will be
added attractions.
Twenty-eight state governors
and their escorts will march
through a lane Of soldiers, sailors,
and marines, in the crowded ball
non to be received on the stage
and seated in flag-draped boxes.
The ballroom itself will be
sheathed in flags and bunting
literally thousands Of flags and
miles Of bunting.
Democrats Won't Get Bill
All this will cost the Democratic
party and the Roosevelt inaugural
committee nothing at all. In fact,
while the price of admission is
only SIS a person, or $40 couple,
proceeds from hundreds of box
seats at 81 apiece will mount into
thousands of dollars and thou
sands more are expected to be
realized from the sale of tickets.
Seven thousand general admis-
sion tickets have been issued.
Boxes sold so fast that more had
to be built than had been origin
ally planned for. One society
woman alone has taken 100 box
seats and another 40.
DECORATIONS also will cost
~ the Democratic party and
the inaugural committee nothing
at all. The ball will be given in
Washington auditorium, largest
building Of its kind in the national
capital.
Officers of the navy department
will provide the decorations; they
will use service dags and bunting,
and will put all in place without
charge or expense.
Proceeds will go to charity.
Previous inaugural balls have net
ted close to $4,000, and according
to present predictions, in spite of
depression, the event of March 4
should be equally as successful.
It'll Be Long Night
From $50 p. m. till a. m, or as
late as anybody wants to dance,
the two floors of the auditorium
building will be gay with merry
makers.
Early corners will find pro-
gram of music and dancing ar
ranged for their entertainment,
beginning at $50.
a T 10 o'clock the really spec
N tacular features of the night
will get under way. Shortly prior
to that time, Mrs. Roosevelt and
her party will have entered quietly
and taken their places in boxes
overlooking the main floor of the
auditorium.
The reception committee will be
on the stage, waiting to receive
the Vice-President and Mrs. John
N. Garner and the tWenty-eight
state governors with their escorts.
The marine anG army bands
will be seated in their bright uni
forms on two semi circular band
stands, one at either side of the
big auditorium.
In the foyer outside, the navy
band will play. AS each Governor
arrives in the foyer, the navy
band will announce his appear
ance by swinging into the air of
that particular state.
Formal White House military
and naval aides, in gold braided
uniforms, will be waiting at the
ballroom door facing the stage
and leading to the lane of service
men, standing at attention.
"a S the governors party steps
K "A through the door, the army
and marine bands will play the
same four "ruffles" as for a Presi-
dent; then they will swing into
his state air, while two non-com-
misSioned color bearers, one carry
ing his state flag and the other
the Stars and Stripes, lead the
way to the stage.
This formal reception program
will be climaXed by the arrival Of
the Vice-President and Mrs. Gar
ner, after all the governors have
been received.
This will close the program and
serve as an opening signal for
dancing. The human lane" of
service men will fall out.
The two mi-circular band
stands will be swung together into
one circular stand which will be
occupied by a succession of or
chestras through the remainder of
the evening. There will be con-
tinuous music, upstairs and down.
No food will be served, nor will
there be any drinks-not even soft
drinks. There may be ice water,
hnMnNa1. in 11-atot. nooln,-r