Evening star., 1944-11-15
White House portico
Will Be Scene Of .
4th-Ierm Inaugural

4th-Ierm Inaugural
President Roosevelt will add q
new chapter to the history of inaug-
ural ceremonies by his decision to
take the oath of Office for his fourth
term on the south portico of the
White House.
In announcing Mr.. Roosevelt's
choice yesterday afternoon, the
Joint Congressional Inaugural Com
mittee, headed by Senator Byrd
Democrat. of Virginia. said 1t was
prompted by wartime conditions
which necessitate the abandonment
OF the normal activities that usually
accompany the induction Of Presi-
dents into office.
Since Washington's first inaugural
nearly all of the Presidents have
taken the oath of Office either in
the House or Senate chamber, or on
the steps of the Capitol.
Hayes Sworn In Red Room.
President Rutherford B. Hayes
took the oath privately, in the Red
Room at the White House.
For many years 1t has been the
custom to erect temporary portico
on the east front of the Capitol and
other stands along the route of the
inaugural parade to the White
House.
For several weeks it has been ex-
pected the inaugural celebration
would be curtailed this time in keep
ing with wartime conditions, but
Capitol officials had prepared esti-
mates for three types of temporary
pavilion for the exercises of ad-
ministering the oath, as usual, at
the Capitol.
While the Congressional Commit
tee was in session yesterday after
noon, announcing the Presidents
decision, Mr. Roosevelt was dis
cussing the plans with reporters at
his press conference.
Concerned About Dollars"
The President said he was con-
cerned about the dollars and cents
phase of the inaugural ceremony,
and when he reminded the news
gatherers that Senator Byrd is
chairman of the Congressional In
augural Committee they caught the
point and laughed. Senator Byrd
also heads the Joint Congressional
Economy Committee.
Recalling that Col. Edwin A. Hal
sey, Secretary of the Senate, and
David Lynn, architect of the Cap
itol, had called to get his views
on the inaugural plans, the Presi-
dent said that while $4,000 has
been appropriated he thought nearly
all of that could be saved. He esti-
mated that less than $4,000 would
be required for the proposed simple
ceremony. Describing the attrac-
tiveness of the south portico of the
White House, the President pointed
out that it was intended originally
to be the front entrance to the
White House.
The three different plans officials
had worked out tentatively for vary
ing types of inaugural stands at the
Capitol would have ranged in cost
from $43,750 for the largest to $14,-
800 for the smallest layout. The
third plan called for S26,750.
Privilege of President.
The statement issued by the Joint
Congressional Inaugural Committee
pointed out that the President has
the privilege of choosing the place
where the ceremony will be held.
The statement added:
This choice has been made by
the President in view of war con-
ditions which necessitates the
abandonment of normal ceremo-
NAL activities, the restriction of
travel, scarcity of hotel accommo-
dations, shortage of critical ma
terials, the economies involved, the
comfort of the guests and the con-
.venience of the main participants.
"It is understood that the Presi-
dent desires that the Congress, the
cabinet, the court (Supreme), the
D1pIOlIlaOlt SOi PS dIiu OOllCt oIS-
tinguished guests, and the wives of
those included, be invited to wit
ness the ceremony"
George Washington was sworn
In the first time in 1889 in the gall
lery of the Senate chamber in
New York, and four years later in
the Senate chamber in Philadel-
phia. Other early Chief Execu-
tives were sworn in as follows:
Adams, in . the House chamber in
Philadelphia; Jefferson, in the Sen
ate chamber in Washingtons both
in 1901 and 1905; Madison, House
chamber twice; Monroe, on the por-
tico of the Capitol in 1877 and in
the House chamber four years later:
John Quincy Adams, in the House
chamber.
Since the Inauguration of An
drew Jackson in 1929, most of the
Presidents have taken the oath of
office on the Capitol portico. Ex-
ceptions were Millard Fillmore,
sworn in In the House chamber;
Hayes, who took the oath privately
in the White House, and Taft, who
was given the oath In the Senate