The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-08-31
NOW
Washington NOW
Deserted TOWn
CORONATION
BY HELEN ESSARY

OAAulA q NASSNASSA
The town has slipped back dur
ing the August of a Presidential
year to its placid prewar state.
Except for intermittent Scurry-
ings-halts in the line of march
in the Executive offices OF 1900
Pennsylvania Avenue, the Capital
Is marking time until the first
Tuesday in November.
New Deal Prima Donnas, with
q few exceptions like Harry Hop
kins. are out on the Warpath.
Tearing across the country by
plane, motor and train, they pause
at likely crossroads. Here they
speak passionately of their own
good deeds and call attention OF
the populace to the hollow claims
Of the enemy.
In the big white palaces on Con-
stitution Avenue and in the older
offices farther uptown, Govern
ment drowseS along.
Campaign headquarters in New
York sizzles with 200 workers,
plus department heads.
Telephones, private wires, type
writer's, dictaphoneS and teletype
machines Sputter with the good
deeds of this Administration.
Underneath the Capital calm in
offices managed by third and
fourth assistants there is much
anxiety. Half the town is wonder
ing: Shall we be here another
four years? Or must we gather
up our families and prepare to go
back homer"
II Governor Landon is elected
his Kansas cohorts will sWoop
down on the city. Celebrities OF
the past four years will disappear
"Wie Maien schnee," which, in the
German song, means like snow
In May"
What happens to washington
IN a change of administration
amazes even the Oldest residents,
those snooty characters, who have
seen many come and many go.
The Capital is like beleaguered
city. It is at the mercy OF in
yaders every four or eight years.
It watches retreats and ad-
vances expectantly, often regret
fully. It is pleasant and reward
ing to those of the last Admins
tration who stay on to practice
law.
AS each new crowd advances, it
redecorates apartments, buys fresh
curtains for big and little fur
nished houses and makes the tele-
phones jingle with may we come
up and take your photograph"
and perhaps you would like to
try our new car. A ride will obi
gate you to nothing"
After the fatal November-Jan-
nary, the new inaugural month
will arrive in a gallop. Then
Washington will wake sharply
from it's stupor.
Craning its neck from stands on
Pennsylvania Avenue, peering
down from windows and balconies
on the line of march, it will watch
the Big Chief and his cortege go
grandly by.
Eager to see what Governor
Landon will do-if he is the win
Wondering if Mr.. Roosevelt
will carry on as before, settle
down, or jump faster, if he is re
elected, the Capital will briStle
with curiosity for the first few
months of 1887.
At its most thrilling moment,
however, an Inauguration of q
President cannot be great spec
tacle like the coronation Of a
king.
The inauguration is of far
greater moment, but it's the coro-
nation that entertainS.
Already, in England, the stage
is being set, magnificently, for the
coronation of King Edward VIII.
next spring. So my American
friends abroad write me.
Rooms and balconies overlook
ing the expected route of the coro-
nation procession along Piccadilly
ere selling from $1,000 to $4,000
each.
Individual seats on choice bal
comics are costing $500 Average
seats are worth from $25 to 500
each.
Thousands of people from the
English "shires" and from all over
the world will go to London to
look at the King.
It is expected that for parade
accommodations alone, $5,O00,OOO
will be spent. For King Georges
silver jubilee, $2,500,0OO was the
figure for looking on.
One party of four Americans
from Arizona has engaged $4,000
worth of seats for coronation
week.
Pavement artists may still be
squatting near their drawings
with begging hat in hand. death
duties may be swallowing up by
taxation the inheritance of the
landed gentry, but every man
woman and child in London who
can buy a seat or find place in
the gutter will be in line on coro
nation day to watch the Kine