Washington telegraph., 1921-04-01
HARDING HANGS UP
HAT, GOES TO WORK
NEW PRESIDENT ASSIGNS WHITE
HOUSE CEREMONY MOST
DRAMATIC.
WILSON CARRIED UPTHESTEPS
Ne Makes Survey of Unfinished BusI-
ness of Democratic Administra-
tion and Adds Several AS
sistants to His staff.

Washlngton.-The reins Of presiden-
tlal authority passed from Woodrow
Wllsoh TO Warren G. Harding in an in
augural ceremony at once the simplest
and most dramatic Of a generation.
Inc drama centered about the retire.
ment Of Woodrow Wilson OF private
life. lnsistent to the last moment that
ne would carry out a retiring Presi-
dents customary part in the cere-
inonles' he finally yielded to the plead
ing of relatives and to the warning of
MS physician that he might endanger
MS lie, and only accompanied his suc-
cessor to the Capitol.
AS ne descended from the White
House portico to enter the waiting au-
tomobile, secret service men placed
ms rect on each descending step: when
ne left the car to enter the Canjtol no
was practically lifted up a short flight
OF steps by an attendant, and although
ne walked alone with the aid of a cane
to the Presidents room where he
signed bills, he told Senator Knox
chairman of the Congressional Inaucr.
raj Committee, that he was not eouol
TO participating in the ceremony of in
augurating Vice President Coolidge in
the Senate chamber nor in the cere-
mony of inaugurating President War.
pn Harding on the portico facing the
plaza outside.
Never Glanced at White House.
After a few moments at the Capftol
the retiring President went to his pri-
Vate home to become "plain Woodrow
Wilson now," as he expressed il. and
he never even glanced at the White
House as he passed by on his way.
Before President Harding had been
in office an hour he had revived a
precedent set by George Washington
by comforting with the Senate in ex-
ecutive session, submitting in person
the nominations of his ten Cabinet of
ficers, all of which Immediately were
confirmed.
Within another hour ne had gone 10
the White House to ''hang up. f,fs-fsrrz--s-
and go to work." as he himself often
had said, and unlocked the White
House gates, which for four years had
been closed to the public. The public
celebrated the event by actually over
running the grounds and peeping
through the windows to see the new
President in conference with Cabinet
officers.
President Harding took the oath of
office at l rs p. m, exactly eight years
to the minute from the time the same
words of obligation were spoken by
the retiring President at his first in
auguration. The inaugural ceremonies.
conforming to President Harding's
Wishes were kept free from almost
every show Of the pomp and circum-
stance that usually surround the in
coming Of a chief executive. Thou
sands witnessed the oath and cbeered
the old and new Presidents along
Pennsylvania avenue, but the crowd
was only a fraction of the customary
Inauguration throngs.
On the Bible used by George Wash
ingtOn at his first induction into office,
and on verse of Scripture extolling
the virtues of an humble faith in God,
President Harding plighted his best
ability to the presidency. In his in
augural address he reaffirmed his rev.
erence for the traditions Of the fathers
and reiterated his belief that the su-
preme task ahead was to bring the
country once more to normalcy.