Evening star., 1952-12-07

at least SOC, ,00C
visitors will flock to the Capital
for the occasion. Its members are
swamped with demands for tickets
tc every event on the program
which will last three days.
The touchy problem confront
ing the committee is how to han
die the applications pouring in
by mail and telephone from every
State in the country. Since the
supply is limited, lot of people
will have to be disappointed.
Ball Invitations Are Scarce.
Members of the citizens COM
mittee are not the only one under
pressure Every member of the
Senate and House. for example,
is besieged with requests from
constituents for inaugural favors.
The requests are for hotel accom-
modations. choice seats in the pa
rade stands and invitations to the
Inaugural Ball.
It's next to impossible now to
get any of these. The hotels have
stopped taking routine reserva-
tions. Choice seats for the parade
stands are already committed.
Ball invitations have not been
issued but they will be limited to
about 5000 and distributed par
simoniously.
Nevertheless, the citizens COM
mittee is v'0rking to insure a good
time for all who come here. Those
who cannot be accommodated in
hotels will be housed elsewhere.
Spectators unable to buy the seats
they want in the parade stands
will be able to see the procession
from other points of vantage. And
those who do not receive invita-
tiQns to the ball will have numer-
Gus other entertainment programs
which they may attend.
Nixon Gets $50 Parade Tickets.
The Office of Senator Nixon, the
Vice President-elect, was allotted
$50. tickets for the inaugural
parade. 1t could dispose of many
thousands. The Senator's aides
are wondering what they will do
with just one train load of Nixon
enthusiasts coming here from his
home town, Whittier, to see him
take Office. And they comprise
only small part of the California
contingent determined to witness
the first Republican Inauguration
in "a years.
One thing the Inaugural Com
mitee expects to do to meet the
demand is to build additional
seats for the parade route The
original idea was to accommod odate
$4,000. This figure, however, is
regarded as much too low and
officials are studying a proposal
for expansion.
In spite of the Nation wide in
terest, Chairman Joseph C.. Nc
Gafraghy said last night the in
augural ceremonies will be as
simple and as dignified as pos
sible. Yet he admitted there is
no way to keep the program from
being the biggest of its kind to
date.
Military Laying Plans.
The military, eager to honor
five-star general who won his first
political battle in November. will
make the inaugural parade some
thing to remember. To assure
this, Mai. Gen. E. K. Wright. COM
marlding general of the Military
District of Washington, already
has begun laying plans ..
Chairman McGarraghy an
nounced yesterday that Gen.
Wright had been designated by
Defense Secretary Lovett to direct
all armed forces participation in
the inaugural.
The parade will feature march
ing units and bands from the
United States Military and Naval
Academies, a unit of Air Force
cadets, members of the Coast
Guard, the Merchant Marine. the
Army, Navy. Marines, Air Force
and such civilian components as
the National Guard and organized
reserves.
Col. Surles Gets Vital Post.
Serving with Gen. Wright on
the military subcommittee for ar
rangements will be Rear Admiral
George H. Fort, commandant of
the Potomac River Naval Com
maiad; Brig. Gen. Stoyte o. Ross,
commanding general, Air Force
headquarters command: Rear Ad-
miral James A. Hirschfield. Coast
Guard commandant. and Brig.
Gen. Verne H. McCaul, represent
ing the commandant Of the Ma
rine Corps.
Gen. Wright chose Col. Alex
ander G. Surles of the Military
OlStI1CG VI w dSA1AlS IOII W UC
chairman Of his executive COM
mittee. Other members are Capt.
Leonard B. Jaudon. Navy; 1t. Col.
Louis B. Hudgins. Marine Corps;
Col. Charles w. Sawyer. Air
Force: Capt. Leon H. Morine,
Coast Guard; Capt. John T. Ever
EFT, Merchant Marine; Col. Rob-
ert F. Cocklin. District National
Guard, and Maj. Paul L. Tepe.
Army.
The Public. Relations Commit
tee for this group is headed by
Col. Norman E. Sprowl, Army.
Other members are 1t. David D.
Lewis, Navy; Maj. Thomas S. Bur-
rowes. Marines; Maj. Philip D.
Wachtel, Air Force; 1t. Sam Pisic-
chic, Coast Guard; Col. Dan E.
Coonley. National Guard, and
Capt. John T. Everett, Merchant
Marine.