Last week throughout the land was heard a great swearing of high oaths by Governors taking office. Last November 33 States either re-elected their old executives or chose new ones. January is the prime month for State inaugurals when bands play, soldiers march, flags fly and new Governors raise new political hopes with their addresses. Among the States which last week inducted important or colorful executives were:
"Uncle Toby." The sight of a scholarly old gentleman becoming the State's first Democratic Governor in 18 years was enough in itself to attract a crowd to the parks and lawns about the Capitol at Hartford. What made the crowd a multitude and set it to tumultuous noise-making was the appearance of an ex-heavyweight world's champion garbed in the full regimentals of a Marine Corps Major serving conspicuously on that Governor's military staff. In retrospect most observers agreed that Major James Joseph ("Gene") Tunney with his dress saber and gold braid stole the inauguration from Governor Wilbur Lucius ("Uncle Toby") Cross with his fawn spats and his red ribbon of the Legion of Honor.
"It's going to be a great Administration," perkily announced the white-haired dean emeritus of the Yale Graduate School as he took his place in the military parade to the Capitol. There he led the other new State officers, all Republican, inside where Chief Justice William M. Maltbie administered the oath of office. Immediately Governor Cross began his inaugural address in which he aggressively pleaded for a repeal of the 18th Amendment, larger veto powers, increased authority for the Public Utilities Commission. Arguing that "mankind cannot be made good under compulsion," he quoted against Prohibition Chaucer's reference to the village parson:
To drawen folk to heven by fairnesse
By good ensample, this way his bisy-nesse.
Also quoted by Dean Gov. Cross were: Sir Isaac Newton, Dickens, Einstein.
That evening the Governor attended the famed inaugural ball of the Foot Guards. Present also was Major John Coolidge of the staff of outgoing Governor John H. Trumbull. During the day Mrs. Trumbull was knocked down and injured by an automobile in the thick of the celebration.
Gold Miner. At St. Paul farmers ar.cl laborers gathered to watch Floyd B. Olson become the State's first Farmer-Labor Governor.— As the ruddy-faced young Governor with slicked-back hair was delivering his inaugural address inside the Capitol, a delegation of jobless assembled on the frozen lawn outside. Said Governor Olson: "An acute unemployment situation . . . duty of State to alleviate it . . . carrying on public works." The jobless silently retorted by unfurling a banner labeled: "The warehouses are full; we are empty." Afterwards Governor Olson received the delegation's leaders in his office, told them to "cut out the crap," received their memorial.
Pleased was the Press to hear Governor Olson recommend repeal of Minnesota's famed law for the summary suppression of newspapers (TIME, Dec. 30, 1929). He argued its "possibilities for abuse make it an unwise law."