The Washington herald., 1914-10-25
"Open Up" Calls White
KEPT FROM HIS OWN RECEPTION
+*++*
Raps Glass With Cane
While Guests at Supreme Court Function Crowd Around
Chief Justice Attacks Locked Doors of Pan-Amercan
Building with His Stick-Quick Results.

1t was the voice of the Chief Justice
of the United States. here was no re-
sponse. The Chief Justice stood before
the huge, bronze, barred doors of the
Pan-American Building.
The Chief Justice waited in dignIhed
silence for the doors to be swung open,
but the doors did not move. They were
locked and double bolted- 1t was 3 O'Clock
Tuesday night A chill breeze blew up
across the Mall from the river, tanning
the swaIlow-tails of the Chief Justices
evening coat
All the associate justices of the Supreme
Court stood silently behind the Chief
Justice, watching their chief hopefully.
1t was absolutely imperative that they
gain entrance, for they were to give
reception in that very building to the
members OF the American BarAssocia-
ton. and the reception was scheduled to
begin in few minutes,
Left ID. A. r. Hall.
The Chief Justice and associate justices
had been guests of honor at a meeting
of the Bar Association in Continental
Memorial Hall William Howard Taft.
president of the association. had pre-
sided, and Senator ElihU Root, Of New
York. had delivered an address. After
the address Of Senator Root the Chief
Justice and associate justices were to
leave Continental Memorial Hall and
hurry to the Pan-American building,
short distance away, form a receiving
line and receive members OF the Bar
Association.
Go Slow, Says Taft.
Everybody was anxious to preserve the
dignity of the occasion and the dignity
could not be preserved unless the Su-
preme Court Justices could get in the
Pan-American Building ahead OF every
body else and form themselves in re-
ception line.
The procession pressed forward as the
Chief Justice came to halt before the
door He looked about at the ever in
creasing throng. He neither smiled nor
grew angry. He merely shouted:
open up"
Somebody snickered but nobody answer
ed the summons. The Associate Justices
grew uneasy and shifted from foot to
foot. Inside, through the bars OF the
big bronze doors, was scene OF light,
and cheer. Men in evening garb stood
chatting gaily, awaiting the arrival OF
the Supreme Court
As soon as Senator. Root concluded
his address, the Chief Justice and As
sociate Justices arose from their seats
on the speakers platform and filed into
an anteroom just on from the plat
form. The audience started to rise
and exit, all anxious to be among the
first in the line TO pass before the
Chief Justice in the reception soon to
follow. But Mr.. Taft raised his hand
and asked all to be seated.
Ladies and gentlemen" said Mr..
Taft, I'VE are to leave this hall in a
few minutes and walk over to the Pan
American building to be received there
by the Supreme Court of the United
States. You all know this, Of course,
but I'm telling you about 1t in order
to give the Supreme Court ample time
in which to get to the Pan-American
building ahead Of you"
OF course, There was laughter. Mr.
Taft strung out his remarks for
few hundred words and then asked
that all walk as slowly and deliberate !
ly as possible in leaving Continental
Hall and journeyed the hundred yards
or so to the Pan American building. |
Everybody in the audience took lots |
Of time in donning wraps and In leaV-
ing the hall In a long line more than
!, 900 strong they slowly nled from
Hall. Those heading the
line were astounded to discover, just |
as they left the hall. that the Supreme |
Court justices were just few PAGES
ahead ...
Just inside Of the bronze bars were |
two great glass doors, wide and tall |
The chief Justice peered through the
bronze bars, and through the plate glass
but no one inside gave any evidence that |
his order to open up" had been heard. |
The chief justice looked about for |
knocker. There was none He peeped |
here and there for a door bell. There was |
none. Suddenly he discovered he held a
cane in his hand. He raised the cane /
menacingly. Once again his order rang
out in the night air:
''Open up"
Valuable Glass JeopardiEcd.
Bangl BangI! Bang!!
1t was the ferule of the chief Justices
cane against that valuable nlata rlass