The Washington times., 1917-03-04
PRESIDENT TAKES
The OATH OF OFFICE
Solemn Ceremony Formally In.
Quoting Wilson in Office
Held At the Capitol.
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(Continusd from First Page.)
uncomfortable moments for James d
Maher, chief clerk OF the United
States Supreme Court.
After waiting four minutes. MaheI
interrupted the conversation between
the President and the Chief Justice
/ by saying:
'Mr. chief Justice, It is u O'CLOCK
and the time Il at hand"
The President and the Chief Jus.
tice Immediately arose and stood on
either side Of the chief clerk, wht
held the Bible n his hand.
President Wilson stood up at TIM
left of the chief clerk, with his
right hand on the Bible.
The Presidents thumb rested on
the following paragraph Of the forty,
sixth psalm:
'The heather ragged. the Kingdom
were moved; He uttered His voice
the earth melted"
As the President stood facing CHIEF
Justice White he held his left arm
akifnbo, with his left hand near the
lapel Of his frock coat
After Chief Justice White, with
right hand raised, spoke the oath
which President Wilson repeated.
phrase at q time, the President said:
II, Woodrow Wilson. do solemnly
swear that I will faithfully executs
the office Of President Of the Unitst
States, and will. to the best of my
ability, preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution Of the United States
After the brief ceremony, the Presi
dent was congratulated by the Chief
The President smiles.
The faces of the President, Chief
Justice, and chief clerk, and all the
others In the room, including Mrs
Wilson. were wreathed with q smile.
Following administering Of the
oath, the Bible, the property OF Prsst
dent Wilson, was taken to one side Of
the room by Chief Clerk Maher and
opened at the fly leaf for the sigma
ture OF the President and the Chief
Justice.
On the fly leaf was written, with
colored ink, In old English script
the, oath administered today. At the
bottom Of the oath President Wilson
affixed his signature. and Chief Jus
tiee White wrote his name beneath
that Of the Chief Executive.
BibIe Presented to Mrs. Wilson.
The Bible was then presented to
Mrs. Wilson, who hugged 1T closely
under her left arm.
Mrs. Wilson was attired IN Q long
black coat. black gown and black
toque- She stood directly behind the
President during the ceremony.
Following the affixing of his sigma
ture to the oath In the Bible, Presi-
dent Wilson held an informal recsp
ton with Senators and members OF
his Cabinet, who stepped forward &c
shake him by the hand and con
Eratulate him on the beginning OF
his second term
The President then drew on his
overcoat and picked up his silk hai
and left the Presidents room. with
Mrs. Wilson, smiling and buoyant, Al
his side.
Half q dozen Secret Service agents
fought their way through the crowde
of men and women In the corridors
and blazed q trail through which the
President and Mrs. Wilson passed to.
an elevator at the West End OF the
Capitol
As the President and Mrs. Wilson
walked along the corridor applause
broke out among the spectators and
continued until the elevator. which
they entered descended to the ground
floor. where they stepped into o.
White House automobile.
Tumulty Net Present
Joseph Tumulty, secretary to the
President, did not witness the admin.
istering OF the oath. being In the Sen:
ate chamber looking for lawmakers.
with whom the President washed to
speak, when Chief Clerk Maher called
Time on the participants In the