Evening star., 1937-01-10
Inauguration Day
Weather
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.


pie in the United States always are
keenly interested in the weather at
Washington on Inauguration day. The
old date, March 4, has a somewhat bad
reputation. The Federal city does not
have what could properly be called an
equable climate. The most astonishing
variations take place from day to day
and even from hour to hour. A change
of 40 degrees sometimes Is noted in a
few hours. There have been March 4
Inauguration days which have been
balmy and blessed with radiant sunshine
and there have been other ones which
have shown the picture of wintry bliz-
yards.
In the minds of many Americans Is
the March 4 on which President Taft
was inaugurated. A couple of days be-
fore the weather was mild and fair.
Then came rain which turned to snow,
and when the day came SO heavy a
fall had been laid down that much of
the train service had stopped and WASH
ington was cut of. Telephone and tele-
graph services were seriously crippled.
Whole trainloads Of visitors could not
leave their cars, but were showed in in
the yards or, in some cases, many miles
out on the line. The parade proceeded
through drifts.
The Weather Bureau refrains from
predicting officially what the weather
of January 20, the new Inauguration
day, will be. The chances are as good
for mild, fair day on that date as they
are for such day on March T. Uncle
Sans Almanac contains a prognostica-
ton, not officially sponsored by the
Weather Bureau, which says that from
January 16 to January 10 there will be
rain. This means, doubtless, the normal
cold drizzle of the season. But for
January 20, the day of the inaugural,
and the following day, the prediction is
for generally pleasant weather. Then
snow will follow. 1t has been said that
President Roosevelt has enjoyed the most
uncanny luck throughout his political
career. If this representation holds, the
luck will hold. Rain up to the day,
pleasant weather then, and next, snow.
A two-day interval In which the sun is
predicted to shine on the new President!
The most inclement Inauguration day
In the history of the Nation was Andrew
Jackson's second. His first had been
all that could be desired. The weather
was so balmy that he walked to the
Capitol hatless, his white hair like a
plume. But the second time was diff
ferent For five days before March 4,
1888, the snow had fallen. 1t lay on the
ground and piled in drifts, for the
weather was cold. When March 4 came
the temperature dropped still lower-to
II degrees below zero-a rare low for
Washington.
In such circumstances, it was neces-
Sary to abandon the elaborate plans
which had been made for a procession
and other ceremonies. In those days
the White House was not served by the
heating system 1t now enjoys. 1mme-
diately after the taking Of the oath.
President jackson returned to the White
House and went to bed to keep warm.
The usual reception was Cancelled.
In sharp contrast was the earlier Sec
ond Inauguration of James Madison. The
contemporary memoirs record that the
day was one OF radiant sunshine and
warmth. To dwellerS in climates more
equable than that of Washington it may
come as a surprise that the National
Capital is capable of registering a tenn
perature Of near 80 degrees in the month
OF March. For that matter. there can
be days OF late Spring warmth in
January.
For James Monroes second inaugural
elaborate plans had been made for a
street procession. But he, like jackson,
had bad-weather luck. During the night
before snow and sleet fell in abundance
and the temperature dropped. The
streets which. compared with those Of
today were little more than country
roads, were covered with deep slush.
The parade was abandoned. The Presi-
dent drove to the Capitol in coach and
four, but so bad was the weather that
the sidewalks were deserted. In modern
times, even on such a day as that of
the Taft inaugural, the sidewalks are
jammed from curb to building line.
Martin Van Buren'S inaugural in 1887
showed another typical swing in Wash
ington weather. So fair and fine was
the day that the new President drove in
an open phaeton to the Capitol with
Pennsylvania avenue lined by cheering
crowds.
Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural
was another spoiled by bad weather. The
previous day it had rained-one of those
dismal, drizzling, exceedingly wet and
cold rains which are typical Of the
National Capital in Winter. While the
rain stopped on Inauguration day, the
skies were so overcast and threatening
that there was no notable procession.
President Grants first inaugural was
marked by similar adverse weather.
*
There have been various proposals to
change the date of the Inauguration, but
the earlier proposals were to delay rather
than to advance it. March had always
been known as a tricky day from the
weather point of view Weather, of
course, is one thing which never can be
plete certainty. However, April and
especially May in Washington are famous
for days of mild and tender beauty. and
there have been any number of efforts
to postpone the inaugural ceremonies
to such q season. 1t had been pointed
out that the President could be sworn
in by means of a simple ceremony on
March 4, but without public ceremony.
Only official witnesses, such as the men,
bers of Senate and House. the Supreme
Court and a few high officials and spe-
cially selected guests would attend. The
President would assume occupancy of the
White House and his official duties.
Then, at a later date, more likely to be
pleasant, the procession would be held.
X
This would be somewhat along the line
of the British system The British theory