Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-03-05
BY WILLIAM HILL.

BY WILLIAM HILL.
!. N and out through the human mosaic OF
Inauguration pageant yesterday moved Ger
tain men-nameless to the world for which
they served as eyes, Episode history OF
the day poured into their minds from
which flowed the concatenated words that
form the newspaper record Of Franklin u.
Roosevelt's installation as President
Yet these reporters were more than profess
sional onlookers. They were the modern
bearers Of creative influence that is as old as
words This influence creates inaugural cele-
brations, brings men to them, and leaves the
story of the day that all may know.
To newspapers of the past inaugural officials
have gone to learn arrangements made in yes
tsr-years. Men now only shadows in some
journalistic Valhalla were still exerting an I'M
mortal influence. From those yelloWed pages
srrang ideas that made yesterday step higher
in the progress of Quadrennial national ell
makes. Newspapers proclaimed the unfolding
plans-plans that drew thousands to the capi-
tai with the lure of political pageant. And in
the haze that is the future men will turn to
newspapers of today for the detailed history OF
the 1888 Inauguration.
Time has altered both celebration of the in
augu-ation and the newspaper mans reporting
OF l., Automobiles have replaced horse drawn
cerrages in the passing parade. Telephones
and telegraph and radio have replaced legs as
a means of word purveyance. Pencils and quill
pens have made way for typewriters as the
principal writing tool
zen the words that crystalline mems
thoughts have changed. Compare the methodi-
cal dignity of the phrasing that opened news
paper account of the Jefferson Inauguration
with the sharpened, staccato style of todays re-
porter:
AT an early hour on Wednesday morning
March 4. 1901 the City of Washington pre-
scented a spectacle of uncommon animation,
occasioned by the addition to its usual populd-
ton OF citizens from the adjacent districts.
A discharge from the company of Washington
: ARTILLERY sshered in the day. and about 10
o'clock the Alexandria company OF rifemen
,O,th the company of artillery, paraded in front
Of Ete Presidents lodgings" -.
This article appeared quietly in newspaper
characteristic Of its day-a four page periodical
with three columns to a page. tabloid size. Inc
writer was called "printer"-a term applied
to all newspaper men, since at that time the re-
porter was usually editor, type-setter and press
man.
In that day of lonely journalists there was
no method of national PRONUNCIATION of news
except one. A copy Of the paper containing the
above story was sent by stagecoach to Balti-
more. where it was reprinted, and copy OF
the Baltimore paper sent to another city,
where it was again reprinted. etc. Thus many
papers. located distant from Washington,
printed lengthy accounts of Inauguration news
when it was two-months cold
m 1888, Hale and Hallock, publishers of the
New York Journal Of Commerce, envisioned the
value of news offered "hot" to the public, and
founded pony express BY this news Of jack
sons second Inauguration reached New York
from washington in 20 hours. Then came the
railroad. Newspaper accounts Of the Tyler In
auguration in 1841 left washington at 1857
am and reached New York at 9:15 pm.
time and distance smashing scoop.
DUT yesterday, within five minutes after Mr..
u Roosevelt took the oath Of Office, news
paper presses throughout the world were whirl-
ing with the news. Telephones telegraph ana
radio have linked every part Of the world In
instant communication.
Today every official effort Is made to facili-
tate the reporters work.
In fact Jim Preston, Senate librarian ana
observer Of a number of inaugurations. said re-
Gently: 1.-THE press comes just about second to
the President in consideration as Inauguration
arrangements are made. First they decide
where the President will stand to speak, and