The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-12-19
D|GN|f|ED PRECEDENT
OBSERVED IN DETAIL
Impressive Ceremony Differing
Vastly From Whaop and
Hurrah Of Inauguration

Washington. d. c., Dec. i9-Ed-
ward Douglass White assumed the du-
ties OF chief justice Of the United
States Supreme Court at l2.0S o'clock
today.
Because OF the overwhelming mod
esty of Chief Justice Whites officials
Of the court were uncertain as to the
exact details OF the ceremony of the
day until they had actually occurred
In general way, the broad customs
attending the Induction into office OF
the head of the court were followed.
Unlike the inauguration OF presi.
dent as The head of the coordinate
branch Of the government. the indue-
tion into office of chief justice of
the United States has always been
comparatively uuostentatlous occa-
sion. Instead OF an escort from TIL!
capitol to the White House compoasdl
Of gaiiy attlred civic organizations
and seasoned military commands, a
new chief justice has only his black
robed brethren on the bench in pro-
cesslon from the robing room to the
court room; instead of his approach
being heralded by the loud huzzas of
cheering thousands, the advance TO
power of a new chief justice is an
nounced by nothing more than the
solitary tones of the court crier; in
stead of an inaugural address outln-
ing his policies the only utterance OF
q new chief Justice is the solemn
words of his oath of office.
Precedent Of Dignity Preserved.
The dignity resting in the customs
founded on the swearing into office
of John Jay, John Rutledge. Oliver
Ellsworth. and John Marshall, and
perfected In the days OF Roger b,
Taney, Salmon p. Chase, Morrison R.
Waite and Melville w. Fuller was not
materially disturbed today by radical
innovations.
The ceremonies OF eleyating an as
sociate justice OF the court into the
chief justiceship of the nation began
In the secFet confines OF the courts
robing room. 1t is here that the oath
of allegiance is administered, just be-
fore the court takes its place on the
bench. The oath prepared for today's
occasion. followed the form prescrib-
ed by law. II read:
Il, Edward Douglass White do sol
emnly swear that will support and
defend the constitution Of the. United
States against all enemies. foreign
and domestic; that / will bear true
faith and allegiance to the same; that
| take this obligation freely, without
any mental reservation or purpose o.
evasion, and that will well and faith
fully discharge the duties OF the oftife
on which ! am about TO enter. SO
help me God
II was similar oath of allegiance
that created such q tempest in the
court, back in reconstruction days.
Hence unusual interest was centered
in its administration today to the first
chief Justice. who had borne arms in.
the cause OF the Confederacy by the
senior associate justice Of the court,
Justice Harland, who had borne arms
at the same time In the cause of the
Nation.
Ceremonies in Open Court.
Doubt had existed before the cere-
monies as to whether the new chief
justice would halt at the clerks desk
in the court room 10 take the oath
there as most Of the men who have
occupied positions on the bench have
done, or whether he would assume
his usual place on the bench and take
the oath there, as Chief Justice Chase
did. There was doubt also as to
whether he would hold In his hand
the historic Bible that practically all
the chief Justices and associate JUS
tices have used in this ceremony, or
whether he would follow the CUSTOM
Of Chief Justice Chase in taking [ L
oath on Bible provided for the oc-
casiOn
The oath which the new chief JUS
tice subscribed to In the oren court
Is known as the judicial oath as dis
tinguished from the oath of allegiance
II read.
II, Edward Douglass White, do sol
EMMY swear that win administer
justice without respect 10 persons
and do equal right to the poor and te
Che rich. and that / will faithfully and
imnartially discharge and perform al
the duties incumbent on me as chic
Justice of the United States according
to the hest Of my abilities and under
standing. argeeably to the constitution
lI4.x44z4 H+~&<~~ =