The Washington times., 1917-03-05
SENATE SCENE Of
SOLEMN CEREMONY
Inauguration of Vice President
Occurs Amid Impressive
Surroundings.
SENATE SESSION OPENS
Witnesses to His oath-Taking
Appear to Realize Grave
Crisis.
SENATE SESSION OPENS

Formal and solemn ceremonies, be-
ginning at noon today, marked the in
auguration of Vice President Thomas
X. Marshall, the opening of the extra
session of the Senate of the United
States, and the induction into office of
the new Senators.
These ceremonies, held in the Sen
ate chamber, attended by the Presi-
dent of the United States, the Diplo-
h, matte Corps, the members Of the Su-
preme Court of the United States, and
other high dignitaries, were made
more than ordinarily impressive by
the realization on the part of all that
the country is standing on the verge
of perhaps the gravest crisis in the
history of the republic.
Appreciation of this fact gave to the
inaugural of the Vice President and
to the opening of the new Senate ses-
sion, including the administering of
the oath to the new Senators, an un-
usual character. Gravity was written
all over the proceedings, and sat upon
the countenances of the leading par
Elephants.
Galleries Are Thronged.
The galleries were packed and
tammed with a crowd which included
many handsomely gowned women,
among them leaders of the most fash
ionable of the official and social sets
of Washington. In the diplomatic
gallery sat the members of the fami-
lies of members of the Diplomatic
Carps. And the Diplomatic Corps it.
self. in brilliant uniforms and rega-
liza, was seated in the Senate cham
Der.
One could not fail to notice the
fact that former Ambassador Won
Bernstorff, who until lately would
have represented Germany in such a
formality, was among those absent.
Senators gathered with the recol-
lections of the bitter struggle which
ended at noon yesterday, wherein the
armed neutrality bill was beaten, still
fresh in memory and with memories
still ranking from what had oe-
CURED Also they assembled looking
forward to the other bitter struggle
which is sure to come over cloture.
Ceremonies Impressive.
Impressive as they were, the cere-
monies in the Senate were simple.
They consisted ~ the following:
Prayer by the chaplain, the Rev. ].
Forrest Prettyman.
Calling of the Senate to order by
the president pro tempore. Senator
Salisbury.
Administering of the oath to the
Vice President
Address of the Vice President
Administering of the oath by the
Vice President to the new Senator'S .
The doors of the Senate chamber
were opened at IL o'clock to those
entitled to admission to the floor of
the Senate. Long before that hour
great numbers of sightseers thronged
to the Capitol grounds and vainly
sought admission to the Senate wing
of the Capitol No person was ad-
mitted to the Senate wing except
members of Congress and the specific
list of high officials permitted by
the Congressional committee on ar
rangements and persons provided
with cards signed by the chairman
Of that committee, Senator Overman.
Entered Mt I1i45 O'Clock.
The Supreme Court, preceded by its
officers, entered the Senate Cham
ber at 11:45.
Retiring members and members
elect, preceded by the officers of the
House of Representatives, entered the
Senate Chamber in-a body at 11:50.
President Wilson, escorted to the
Capitol by the committee on arrange
ments, entered the Senate wing at
the bronze door and proceeded to the
Presidents room shortly before IL.
He remained there a short time, and
then the committee on arrangements
escorted him to the Senate Chamber
The President occupied a seat in
front of the desk of the Vice Presi-
dent. The committee on arrange
ments, Senators Overman, Hoke
Smith, and Warren and Congress-
men Ruckerman, Garrett and McKin-
ley, occupied seats on the left and
right.
The Vice President, also escorted to
the Capitol by the committee on ar
rangements, entered the Senate wing
at the bronze door and proceeded to
his room. From there he was escorted
to the Senate chamber. The Senators
occupied seats on the left of the Vice
President in the Senate chamber and
the members of the House on the
right.
Seated In Gallery.
Mrs. Wilson. wife of the President,
and Mrs. Marshall, wife of the Vice
President, were seated in the Execu-
tive gallery. Many of the wives and
daughters of the members of the'Cab-
met and high officials were conspicu-
Gus there.
In the Senate chamber, among the
other dignitaries, were the members
of the Cabinet
Amid a profound hush, the chaplain
of the Senate, after the call to order
by the President PRO tempOre, Senator
Salisbury, offered a solemn prayer for