Evening star., 1925-03-04

.
|, ''Under the mexorable laws of hu-
man nature and human, reaction, this
system Of rules, II unchanged, can
not but lessen the effectiveness, pres
tige and dignity of the United. States
Senate. Were this the first session
of the Senate and its present system
OF rules, unchanged ahouid be pre-
sented, seriously for adoption, the
impact of outraged public opinion. re-
themselves, would crush the proposal
like an egsshell. Reform in the
present rules OF the Senate Is de-
manded not only by American public
opinion. but. i venture Ito say. In
the Individual conscfences of a ma
jortty of the members of the Senate
themselves.
says Correction ID Duty.
"As it is the. duty on the part of
the presiding officer Of the Senate to
call attention to. defective Jnethods in
the conduct of business by. the body
over which he presfdes. so, under
their constitutional power, it is the
duty OF the members of this body to
correct them. To evade ~or ignore an
issue between right and wrong meth
DDS Is in Itself wrong. To the per-
formance of this duty-a duty which
Is non -partisan--a duty which lis
non SECTIONAL duty which Is alone
In the interests Of the Nation we have
sworn to faithfully serve-I ask the
consideration OF the Senate, appeal
10 the conscience and the patriotism
OF the individual members"
New Members Take Oath
As the applause. died away. the
Vice President called upon the
secretary of the Senate to read the
proclamation Of the President calling
the Senate into special session. The
Senator'S elect, one-thtrd of the BODY,
were then sworn In in groups OF four
The new Senators were escorted TO
the Vice Presidents desk by their
colleagues.
An interesting figure among the
new Senators sworn. in was senator
Gtllett of Massachusetts,. Republican.
Only a few minutes before entering
the Senate Chamber. Mr.. Gillett had
bid farewell to the House or Repre-
sentatives. over which he presided as
Speaker during the last six years and
of which he was a member for 80
years. a longer continuous service
than any other member Of that body
has ever had.
Gathered within the Senate Cham
Der for these simple ceremonies were
all the chief officials of the land.
Legislative, executive and judicial,
and the governors Of a number Of
the States. In the galleries were the
guests, who came to Washington
from every State IN the Union to be
present at the inaugural ceremonies
Of the President and the Vice
President.
Diplomats i'm Court Garb.
On the floor of the Senate the
somber coloring of the clothing of
American officialdom was in sharp
contrast with the brilliant court dress
of the diplomats and the uniforms OF
the high ranking officers of the Army,
Navy and Marine Corps. The Supreme
Court appeared in its black silk robes
The assembling OF this throng was
a Ceremony in itself. First the mem
bers of the Senate, after that body
had concluded Its, labors, gathered in
seats on the east side of the chamber
the side assigned in daily practice
to the Republicans. The members of
the House, headed by the Speaker,
were announced and seated on the
west side, and those who could not be
accommodated there spilled over on
to the east side.
Then In the order named came the
diplomatic corps. headed by Its dean,
the he~Ambassador OF Spain, the mem
bers of the Presidents cabinet, the
chief OF staff of the Army. the chief
OF naval operations and the com
mandant of the Marine Corps, ac-
companied by their aides. All were
announced and escorted to seats In
the chamber.
Taft Head justices.
The Supreme Court, with Chief
Justice Taft in the lead, entered by
the south door. and was seated on the
east side of the chamber
Vice President Dawes, who had been
occupying the room set aside for the
Vice President, just across the SEN
ate lobby. since his arrival at the
Capitol soon after II o'clock, was
escorted into the chamber by the Joint
congressional committee on arrange
ments for the inaugural. headed by
Senator Curtis of Kansas, the Re-
publican leader of the Senate. The
other members of this committee
were Senators Hale Of Maine. Over
man of North Carolina and Repre-
sentatfves Greist OF Pennsylvania.
Hadley Of Washington and Rouse of
Kentucky.
The Vice President-elect was seated
on the left Of the President pro tenn
President Coolidge from the Pres,-
dents room, where he had been sign
ing bills up to the last minute of the
Congress. and seated him In front of
the clerks desk
Dawes Takes Oath.
Vice President Dawes took the o.th
OF office. repeating the oath after the
President pro tempore in a clear voice.
Senator Cummins, who has served as
President pro tempore of the Senate
during the last six years, and vir-
tually as permanent presiding officer
or the Senate since Mr.. Coolidge
entered the White House, following
the death of President Harding, de-
livered an address. thanking the Sem
ate for Its consideration and wishing
the members well. Senator Cummins,
1t is understood, Is not to be a can
didate to succeed himself in this
Office.
Senator Cummins, after administer
Ing the oath of off1ce to Vice Presi-
dent Dawes, said:
Senators, II Is now 12 otlock of
the fourth day Of March, 1925. and
1t Is my duty at this moment under
the Constitution and laws of Con-
gress to declare that the United
States Senate Of the Sixty-eiRhth
Congress is now adjourned sine die.n
Formal Ceremony Ended.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies
in the Senate chamber President Cool.
idge and the members of his cabinet
were escorted to the Preside nt's room
The. Supreme. Court returned to Its
robing room. The diplomatic corps
entered the marble room of the SEN
ate. as did the chief of stafr of the
Army, the chief of naval operations
and the commandant Of the Marine
Corps and their aides -
The Senate, headed by the Presi-.
dent pro tempore, then proceeded to
the inaugural platform at the east