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Then the Bible was turned back to Proverbs 29:18 and President Hoover stooped and kissed the proverb: "Where there is no vision, the people will perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
Chief Justice Taft's hand was the first to give President Hoover's a congratulatory squeeze. Mr. Coolidge, without rising from his seat, reached up and did likewise. The President turned back to the public, seen and unseen, and began his speech (see col. 2). Wind-blown rain dampened his hair, clotted his eyebrows. He shook his head impatiently to get the wet off his face. The fringes of the crowd melted away. Indians in full war paint (friends and race relatives of the Vice President) retreated to shelter under the Capitol's main portico. The President began to hurry his words, faster, louder, doggedly, as the tattoo of water from above grew louder and louder. It was, Boris must have thought, dismal weather for a Big Day.
When the speech was over the Marine Band, never more appropriately, struck up "Hail to the Chief." The President said "Goodbye" to Mr. Coolidge, who edged off to catch his train home. A great many people followed Mr. Coolidge, but many more remained to offer moist hands to the President and first lady before they could enter their open automobile for the drive back to the White House.
A downpour engulfed them on the way down Pennsylvania Avenue. Sodden and drippy were bunting and flags. But spectators in the stands, huddling under newspapers and umbrellas, cheered plentifully nevertheless. From an upstairs window along the way, Dr. Arthur James Barton, southern Baptist, Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Anti-Saloon League of America, and a band of prohibitors representing 29 other national organizations—the U. S. Drys, Consolidated (see p. 16)—looked down upon their Wet-Dry President with great satisfaction.
At the White House, the President and first lady hurried upstairs to change their rain-soaked clothes and forestall head colds. They ate some luncheon alone.
Later the President, the Vice President and 800 others mounted the White House stand on Pennsylvania Avenue and there, comfortably glassed in, reviewed the Inaugural parade.