Truman becomes president in simple ceremonies
Oath is administered in Cabinet Room by Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone
WASHINGTON (UP) – The gray-haired man with the gold-rimmed spectacles walked into the awesome confusion that was the White House and into the most momentous hour of his life.
He came in as Vice President Harry S. Truman and he walked out again as the 32nd president of the United States.
He stepped around reporters eager for more news of the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He walked past red-eyed secretaries and stenographers who couldn’t believe the news. He moved quickly through the glare of photographers’ flashlight bulbs.
He made his way into the apple-green Cabinet Room of the White House. Cabinet members were seated there, solemn-faced. Leaders of Congress were there, too. They stood in groups, talking quietly.
Harry S. Truman sat down in an overstuffed leather chair. It was understandable that he was not completely at ease. Then up stepped Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone of the United States.
The vice president got to his feet. Someone gave him a Bible from President Roosevelt’s office.
He held it reverentially on his left palm. His right hand was on the cover. The clock on the mantlepiece pointed to 7:05 p.m. Three minutes later, the chief justice began administering the oath of office.
“I, Harry Shippe Truman, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The chief justice recited the oath from memory. The new president repeated the words after him, phrase by phrase.
But when he came to his name, he said “Harry S. Truman.” He did not use the name “Shippe,” and persons who know him well said that was because he really has no middle name; that he was christened plain Harry Truman and adopted the letter “S” when he was grown up because it looked and sounded better.
It was 7:08 p.m. when Harry S. Truman became the 32nd president of the United States.
No Roosevelts present
Not a member of the Roosevelt family was present at the ceremony. When it was over, the official witnesses shook his hand, whispered words of courage and congratulations. There was no backslapping. There were no smiles.
Three reporters were present, representing the three press associations.
Mrs. Truman was there too, a proud wife and mother who a few moments before had dabbed at tear-stained eyes with a crumpled handkerchief. Her hand held that of their 20-year-old daughter, Mary Margaret. Both stood in the background as the oath was administered. They were just spectators.
Wallace is there
One of the witnesses was the man who might have been in Mr. Truman’s place had the political fates been different – former Vice President Henry A. Wallace. Mr. Wallace, who will remain in President Truman’s Cabinet as secretary of commerce, was so shaken that Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius had to help him from the room.
Mrs. Roosevelt was 11 blocks away at a “Thrift Club” meeting when Secretary Stephen T. Early telephoned and asked her to return to the White House as soon as possible.
Mr. Early and Vice Adm. Ross T. McIntire, the president’s physician, brought the tragic news to her sitting room.
The president “has slipped away,” they told her.
Mr. Early then telephoned Mr. Truman and asked him to come to the White House. Ten minutes later, he heard the news from Mrs. Roosevelt. She told him Mr. Roosevelt had “passed away.”
“What can I do?” he exclaimed.
“Tell us what we can do,” replied Mrs. Roosevelt. “Is there anything we can do to help you?”
Someone suggested that Mr. Truman summon the Cabinet.
He did.
Later, following the oath-taking, President Truman went home to his five-room apartment on Connecticut Avenue for a night’s rest.