Evening star., 1953-01-20

difference. We're here till it's
over"
Every one in the area seemed
acutely conscious of the fact that
they were in on a historic occa-
sion. That's swell" said young
policeman. assigned to a forward
position near the Capitol Build
ing. Nov my wife is going to
see me on television."
Throughout the area, cordons
of police were backed up by SOL
diers, sailors and Marines, spruce
in their fresh-pressed uniforms,
as they stood guard against the
possibility of trouble with the
crowd. But the mood of the day
was not one of trouble and none
developed.
Two small refreshment stands
on the Plaza did booming busi-
ness. People packed around
them. happily munching hot
dogs and drinking steaming cof-
fee from paper cups. Many spec
tators, on the other hand, had
brought their lunches with them
to avoid moving after gaining a
choice position in the crowd.
Capitol Dome Dwarfs Stage.
The central stage of this in
auguration. as in years past,
was a white-painted platform
nearly 200 feet wide, which had
been built weeks before over
the east steps of the Capitol.
The wings of the platform were
open to the sky. But in the
center, looking somewhat small
and incongruous beneath the
great dome of the Capitol itself,
was a temple-like structure, per-
haps 80 feet wide. the roof sup
ported by eight delicate corinthi-
an columns. It was here, on
what is known as the Presidents
Platform, that the main drama
of the inaugural ceremony was
played
On a lower level, in front Of
the Presidents platform, were
seats for the Marine Band. Still
lower, and stretching back across
the Plaza to the edge of the
grass, were row on row of un-
painted wooden benches for the
press corps and for some $4,000
specially invited ticket holders.
Beyond this reserved area, in
a great semicircle extending back
to First street NE, stood the
masses of people who cared
enough about the Inauguration
to. take their chances on what
they could see and hear.
Above the press section, in the
reserved seat area. a banked
platform, more than 20 feet high,
was crowded with television,
newsreel and still cameramen,
who hoisted their equipment to
this vantage point by pulleys op-
Grating through a trap door.
WOrkmen Act as Stand -Ins.
For the benefit of these cam
eramen, at about 10 o'clock, two
workmen stood on the Presi-
dents platform in the precise
positions which later would be
occupied during the oath-taking
ceremonies by Gen. Eisenhower
and Chief Justice Vinson. They
beamed delightedly, as more
than a hundred lenses focused
upon them. But no shutters
snapped.
Later, the workmen's place
was taken by an electrician, who
tested the sound equipment by
counting from one to 10. The
crowd good-naturedly counted
with him in unison and laughter
rolled across the plaza as the
speaker system reached it's max
imum capacity and started to
squawk at the count of 10.
The first engineer later was
replaced by a co-worker, who
began reciting the Gettysburg
Address. apparently unaware
that his voice was being doomed
out over the area. The public
address system was cut off in
a hurry, while he continued Lin
coln't immortal words for the
benefit of radio technicians.
Anxious to call attention to
their city's voteless plight, the
Washington Home Rule Com
mittee repeated a gesture they