The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-05
WILSON TAKES SOLEMN
INAUGURAL OATH WITH
FEW PEOPLE PRESENT
Members of Both Parties Congratu.
late President and Pledge Support
In Present Crisis.
REPUBLICAN SENATOR Is
FIRST TO OFFER HIS HAND
The Lord Is My Refuge. Very
Present Help In Time of Trouble"
Arc Words In Bible Upon Which
Presidents Hiss was Imprinted.

Washington. March 4.--The second
term of Woodrow Wilson began today
al noon, when in the presence only Of
Mrs. Wilson, the members of his cabi-
net and before Edward Douglas
White. chief justice of the United
states, he repeated the solemn in
augural oath and bending over the
little black Bible held out to him by
the aged jurist pressed his lips to it's
open pages.
The Lord is my refuge, a very
present help in time of trouble" were
the sacred words upon which the kiss
was imprinted. The passage had been
selected 10y the president himself.
From time 10 time senators of both
parties visited him. a word a nod,
an offer of congratulations, an eX-
preston OF hope against hope that
fair weather might follow the down
pour which almost flooded the ma
tional capital for nearly a week and
then fresh batch Of bills and some
more signing.
Mrs. Wilson, a 1ad smile on her ex-
Gu.stely chiseied face and wearing
deep mourning, sat in the window re-
cess, rom time TO time engaging for
moment in the conversation. Her
sister. Mrs. NJ. II. Maury, of Roanoke.
Va. had 6ied less than week ago
and bereavement has deeply de-
pressed the first lady Of the land,
casting a shadow over the inaugural
ceremonies and enhitterine what 70
an American woman IS the triumph
or trumphs.
The president expressed the wish
that the party 10 witness the taking
Of the oath should be the sn,illest
possible. For this reason even SO
close a friend and counsellor As See
Rotary tn the President Tumul.v ef-
faced himself MIR. Tumuitv nes I'd
the murmur C .ue oath in the corrl-
dor Ct the senate.
Republican Pledges support.
fie fist 80 congratulate the presi-
GENT attet the cabinet mem bers had
had illei" s:.y was Senator knute Mel
son. ~ Minnesota.
"Hoas atulauons. Mr.. President
~a.u the sttrdy old war horse of Re
rth}tcan1ssn as he zraSped the harf.l
Of the chief executive. II want to tell
you thai am with YOU and that I
stand with you in this emergency in
anything end every thing that You do. -
The president beamed on the ven
erablc Norseman and told him that
there was never any question on that
score. and that he knew whom 10
the nation.
Senator Stone, OF Missouri chai--
man OF the foreign relations commit
tee. was not among the 0ote'le of
statesmen who extended t. ION
calculations TO the president ..fter has
induction into Office The acrimony
OF thespast two days Of legislative
strife had marked the Nssouriao co.
elimination from that list Of Che
presidents friends who can be we}-
coined to intimate social Intercourse.
Only one of the new crop OF sem
ators was on hand for the .ittle sea
son OF handsha king. Frank E. kel-
logg. of Minnesota. Republican. and
trust buster extraordinary in the
administrations o. Roosevelt and Taft.
was on hand and was presented by
Secretary of the Interior Lane.
There was a slamming OF doors. the
secret service men and the Capitol
policemen hurriedly cleared a pas
sageway Tor the president. who offer
ing his arm to MRS, Wilson with
CHEEKY good morning" to the crowd.
walked to the west elevator and dis
appeared.