Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-15
YOU AND UNCLE SAM
Series of Educational articles Telling Hov Federal Govern
ment Is Organized and Ho,o 1t Functons-V ritten
Expressly for School Children.


The inauguration Of a President of
the United States occurs on March 4.
every four years. and each Congress
| closes by constitutional limitation on
March every two years at IL o'clock
| meridian. The inaugural proceedings
follow Immediately after IL o'clock.
AT the outset it must be made clear
that there are two distinct phases of
the inaugural exercises-the official pro-
ceedings at which the President takes
the oath of Office, which is the only es-
sentlal act and the civic celebration,
which includes the inaugural parade
The Senate, which is a continuing
body, is always convened by the outgo-
ing President in special session, and at
the moment of final adjournment of the
old Congress the Senate Immediately
convenes under the proclamation of the
president in this special session After
the formal proceedings of swearing in
the Vice President and the new mem
bers of the Senate present the Vice
PRESIDENT directs the sergeant
70 carry out the orders of the Senate
Tor the inauguration of the President
OF the United States on the east front
of the Capitol.
Takes Constitutional Oath.
The President-elect. escorted by the
chief Justice of the United States and
me associate justices Of the Supreme
Court of the United States, and accom-
panied by the joint committee on ar
ransements, composed of three Sena-
tors and three members of the national
house of Representatives, then proceed
10 the platform erected on the central
steps at the east front of the Canitol
~here throng of many thousands Of
persons from all over the United States
are waiting in the plaza.
Following the presidential pary
come members OF the diplomatic
corps the official representatives of
other nations, the general of the
army, the chief of naval operations
the chief of staff of the Army tbs
commandant of the Marine Corps. the
members of the Senate, preceded nv
the Vice President; the sergeant-at-
arms and the secretary of the SEN
ate, the members of the House of
Representatives, preceded by the
Speaker and clerk, and the other
guests of the Senate.
THe marshal of the Supreme Court
carries a Bible, which is placed he
tore the President-e who opens
1t at any point he may indicate. The
Chief Justice administers the oath
prescribed in the Constitution-whfch
by the way, is the only oath spe-
officially prescribed in the Constitu-
ton for any one; the other officials
take the oaths prescribed in the
statutes. while the President takes
the oath distinctively prescribed in
the Constitution.
Inaugural Address Follows.
The Constitution says: Before he
enters on the execution of. his office,
he shall take the following oath or
affirmation: L do solemnly swear Cor
AFFIRM that l will faithfully execute
the Office of President of the United
States, and will to the best Of nv
ability preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United
States"
That is the one essential act of
the inauguration-all the rest is
scenery. Having taken the oath, the
President proceeds to deliver the in
augural address.
But preliminary to these proceed
ings at the Capitol careful prepara-
tions had to be made. You, of course,
know that there were three stages
or dates in the election Of the Presi-
dent-the first, on November 4, when
the individual voters cast their
ballots; the second, on the second
Monday in January, when the presi-
dentlal electors cast tne1r votes In
their respective State capitols, and,
third, on February II, when the off,
cial returns from the several States
were opened and the vote tabulated
and officially counted by Congress in
joint session.
More than month before the dat tie
of inauguration a joint resolution is
passed by Congress authorizing ap-
pointment of a joint committee of