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Show 1 ONLY UNITED STATES HAS AL FRESCO INAUGURATION INAUG-URATION i If 1'resldent Harding had been Inducted In-ducted Into tho chief olllce In some other republics ou March !, the ceremonies cere-monies would have varied from n simplicity sim-plicity oven greater tliun that he Insisted In-sisted upon, to an Investiture of almost al-most regal splendor. If he had followed tho customs long observed In France, tho ceremony would have taken placo In thu White House. Instead of taking a fonnnl oath he would have uttered u plcdgo to consecrate himself to the service of the republic and he would linvo ended by kissing tho retiring President on both checks. If ho had been made President according ac-cording to tho practice of tho Mexicans, Mexi-cans, bo would havo taken the oath in tho hall of the house of representatives represen-tatives at midnight. After tho administration admin-istration of tho oath ho would havo received tho embrace of his predecessor. predeces-sor. In nrazll after being sworn In, ho would havo hung ncrnss Ids chest a broad band of the colors of tho country, coun-try, supporting a medal tho Insignia of tho presidency. In Cblle, following the tnklng of tho oath before a Joint session of congress,' con-gress,' ho would havo gone through street lined with soldiers nt "preseut arms," to a special To Douin service In tho principal church of thu city. Immediately afterward ho would hnvo held a reception, and would then hnvo ! paid a viBlt to the ejc-prosldont. , If he had been Inducted Into tho presidency of tho war-torn ami war-threatened war-threatened republic of Poland, ho would bine gouo to a "White House" , ,.i fti i nt whoso doors wcro stationed car-utrymon car-utrymon with drawn sobers. When ho went abroad ho would be preceded, not by a trim policeman or nn Argus-eyed Argus-eyed secret servlco man, but by a herald her-ald who would demand that the point-luce point-luce "uncover before tho most noblo President." And If Mr. Harding, Instead of being be-ing Installed as chief executive of thu world's biggest republic, had been seated as one of the hoods of tho smallest republic, Sun Marino, he would havo experienced tho most elaborate procedure of nil. He would have donned quaint medieval state garments; would lime marched through the streets of tho capital pro-ceded pro-ceded by heralds and escorted by gorgeously-uniformed soldiers; would havo attended n preliminary church rvlce during which his predecessor wotdd sit ou a canopied throne soon to bo occupied by him; and llnnlly, would have had placed on his bead n headdress Indicative of his olllce. In addition to differences In thu otllclnl otll-clnl curemonlos by which the presidents presi-dents of tho world nro Inducted Into olllce, there nro many variations In tho festivities und celebrations that accompany these events. In some cases tho accompanying ohservnnces have become practically a part of tho official procedure. The newly Installed French president almost Invariably drives to tho Hotel de Vllle, the Paris city hall, after taking olllce, to attend a luncheon and reception as tho guest of the president and members of tho municipal council. In Mexico, during the evening preceding tho midnight Induction In-duction Into olllce, the president-elect usually attends n banquet given In bis honor by the mayor of tlio City of Mexico. Thero is a public reception at the presidential palace tho morning after the Inauguration. In Chile tho Inauguration day Is often closed by n special concert nt tho municipal theater, and on tho following fol-lowing evening tho new president Blve" n statu banquet for diplomatic representatives, repre-sentatives, special cnoys and high olllclals of the republic unll tho provinces, prov-inces, Tho United Stales, although Its capital cap-ital Is In a more rigorous climate than those of many republics, Is nlono In hnvlng nn "al fresco" Inauguration. |
