The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-20
OATH OF OFFICE
TAKEN BY WHITE
New Chief Justice Is Sworn
In by Justice
Harlan.
U sEs HISTORIC BIBLE
First Time Nation Has Seen
Associate Justice So
Honored
U sEs HISTORIC BIBLI

Washington, December l9--.-in the
presence of distinguished gathering
In the little court-room. Edward
Douglass White was to-day elevated
from associated justice in the supreme
Court of the United states to the cnie.
justlceshlp.
The climax of the ceremonies oc-
CURED when Associate Justice Harlan,
as senior member of the court, ad-
ministered to the new chez justice the
judicial oath. 1t was subscribed to
on the bench itself. instead of at the
clerks desk, as Is ordinarily The case.
Chief Justice White, While taking the
oath, held in his hand a Bible wliiTr
has been used by nearly every chief
justice and associate justice on similar
occasions during the last century, hut,
unlike most of them, he kissed the
book at the conclusion OF the oatn.
For the first time in history an asso-
ciate Justice had been cl waited 10 the
chief justiceship and Tor the ilrst time
a President and Senate of cre puiitico,.
party had honored member of a
rival party by placing him at the head
of the highest court III the lana.
Because of the Overwhelming
modesty of Chief Justice White, ON
to the exact details of the ceremony Of
the day until they had actually oc.
Cured. In a general way, the broad
customs attending the Induction INTO
Office of the head of the court We're
followed.
No Cheering Thou.unds.
Unlike the inauguration cf q Prosl-
dent as the head OF the co coordinate
branch of the government, the inuuc-
,tion into office of chief justice of tho
United States has always been a COM
paratively unostentattous occasion. In
stead Of an escort from .he Capitol to
the White House, imposed OF gaiiv
attired civic organizations and sea-
soned military commands. new chief
Justice has only his black
brethren on the bench in procession
from the robing-room to the court.
room; instead of his approach heing
heralded by the loud hulzas az cheer
ing thousands, the advance to power
OF new chief justice is announced Nv
nothing more than tho SOLITARY tones
OF the court crler. instead Af an m
augural address, outlining his policies.
the only utterance of 4 new chier
justice is the solemn word, OF MS oath
OF office.
I The dignity resting in tbs customs
founded on the swearing into oiice ol
John Jay, John Rutledge, Oliver ELS.
worth and John Marshuil. ana per.
fected In the days OF Roger -. fancy
Salmon r. Chase, MORRISON Il. Wuite
and Melville w. Fuller, was not ma
terially disturbed to-day by radical
The ceremonies OF elavatlng an asso-
clate justice of the court into the chiot
1usticeshtp of the nation began In the
secret confines OF the COURTS loblnS-
room. 1t is here that tse oath of al
legiance Is administered Njust before
the court takes It's place on the bench
The oath prepared to' to-day's CO.
casion followed the form prescribed by
law, tt read:
II Edward Douglass White. 40
solemnly swear that viii. support and
defend the Constitution OF the United
States against all enemies, foreign ana
domestic; that | will bear true fait,
and allegiance to tho same; thas take
this obligation freely, without any
mental reservation or prrpose ,t eva,
sion, and that ] VIII well ami faath.
fully discharge the duties of the diliea
Continued on Sixth Pagel