The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-24
Enthusiastic Applause
'Greets President When
He Makes Short Address

tie Makes Snort Address
Continued From Page One)
it to be friendly and serviceable, exactly
What we intended it to be and what we
shall intend all our legislation to be
The men who have fought for this meas
ure have fought nobody. They have sim
ply fought for those Accommodations
which are going to secure us in prosperity
and in peace. Nobody can be the friend
of any class in America in the sense Of
being the enemy of any other class. You
can only be the friend of one class by
showing it the lines by which it can ac-
commodate itself to the other class. The
lines of help are always the lines of ac-
commodation.
1T is in this spirit, therefore, that we
rejoice together tonight and l cannot say
with what deep emotions of gratitude ]
feel that | have had a part in completins
work which l think will be of lasting
benefit to the business of the country"
Bill Reaches President at O'Clock
The scene at the signing of the meas
ure' was not unlike that which attended
the completion of the tariff law The con-
ference report on the bill which had
passed the House last night by an over
whelming vote. was likewise adopted by
the Senate during this afternoon by a
vote of 43 to %, republicans voting again
with the democrats. The engrossed bull
with the signatures of the vice president
and the speaker of the House were finally
taken to the White House shortly before
8 o'clock.
BY 6 o'clock, the hour set for the eere
mony, Speaker Clark, Representative I'm
derwood Senator owen and Representa-
tive Glass, Secretaries McAdoo, Garrison,
Daniels, Lane and Wilson and Postmaster
General Burleson were grouped around
the Presidents desk and in front of him
We're crowded members of Congress and
many government officials. The group
also included Mrs. Wilson and her daugh-
ters, Miss McAdoo and Mrs. owen.
There was an atmosphere of joyousness
rather than of solemnity apparent. The
President inquired IL Senator James had
come. The husky form of the Kentucky
senator appeared from behind the crowd
and some one remarked:
"A majority of the Senate has now ar
rived"
Uses Four Gold Pens
-Four gold pens were used by The Presi-
dent in writing the bill INTO law. He
wrote the words '23, December 1913, ap-
Proved" with one and used three pens
in writing Woodrow Wilson," splitting
the first name into two sylaples. The last
three pens he presented to Senator Owen,
Representative Glass and Secretary Nc
Adoo. co-authors of the measure The
President answered the curiosity of the
crowd as to the disposition of the four
pens, with the laughing remark:
This is the 40 per cent gold reserve.
Later it developed that Senator Chiffon
of West Virginia had sent up a gold pen
of his own to be used in writing the date
of the law. The President was in happy
humor as he slowly wrote his name.
I'm not accustomed, he said, ito
write my name in a series"
We'll, the bill was made il INSTALL
ments," suggested Senator Lewis of IL
lirois.
Isn't that a reflection on the Senator"
Inquired Representative Glass with a
laugh.
Senator Lewis retort was lost in the
appla use that followed the completion of
the Presidents signature as he arose from
his desk. The President paid tributes to
the heads of the two congressional COM
mittees by writing each a letter.
To Representative Glass he wrote:
May l not express my admiration for
the way in which you have carried the
fight for the currency bill to an extraor-
dlnarly successful issue? l hope and be-
lieve that the whole country appreciates
the work you have done at something like
It's real value, anu L IeJOlce Lildt you lid We
established yourself in its confidence.
The President wrote Senator Owen:
Now that the fig..--has come to sue
cessful issue, may / not extend to you
my most sincere and heartfelt congratu-
lations and also tell you how sincerely
admire the way in which you have con
Quoted a very difficult and trying piece
of business? The whole country owes
you a debt of gratitude and admiration
haG hppf1 q p1pa IN he aSSOpia a.
with you in SO great piece of construc-
tive legislation"
General Reception Follows
When the President concluded his