THE'
Michigan Daily
Vol. LXXXIV, No. 60-5 Ann Arbor, Michigan-Saturday, August 10, 1974 Ten Cents Twelve Pages
President Ford takes
office, vows openness
Cites end of 'national nightmare'
WASHINGTON (A, - Gerald Ford
took office as 38th President of the
United States yesterday, pro-
nounced an end to "our long na-
tional nightmare," and set about
the business of shaping his admin-
istration.
In swift succession he met with
congressional leaders, with senior
aides to the resigned Richard Nix-
on, with economic advisers, diplo-
mats, and a group of personal asso-
ciates who will counsel him on
selecting a White House staff.
A SPOKESMAN said Ford has asked
Nixon's key aides to remain on the job
during the time of transition.
Ford concluded his oath of office-
"so help me God"-at 12:03 p.m. EDT.
It was administered by Chief Justice
Warren Burger in the East Room of the
White House, before an audience of the
leaders of American government.
Actually, Ford assumed the powers of
the presidency 28 minutes earlier, when
Nixon's formal resignation was handed
to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
AFTER REPEATING the oath, Ford
stepped to the rostrum and, with simple
but moving eloquence, addressed the
American people with "just a little
straight talk among friends."
He promised a government of open-
ness and of candor, and a continuing
quest for peace. He noted that he was
not elected President and the American -
people "to confirm me as your Presi-
dent with your prayers."
Ford's voice was firm, but broke for
an instant as he spoke of Nixon, forced
to resignation by the Watergate scandals:
"MAY OUR former president, who
brought peace to millions, find it for
himself."
The new President spoke of the scan-
dals 'that have wracked the govern-
ment:
"As we bind up the internal wounds
of Watergate, more painful and more
poisonous than those of foreign wars,
let us restore the golden rule to our
political process, and let brotherly love
purge our hearts of suspicion and hate."
"..MY FELLOW Americans, our
long national nightmare is over," said
Ford.
Ford promised to "follow my in-
stincts of openness and candor will full
confidence that honesty is always the
best policy in the end .. .
"God helping me, I will not let you
down," he concluded.
IN THE SAME room, barely two hours
earlier, Nixon took tearful leave of his
See FORD, Page 10
AP Photo
GERALD FORD TAKES the oath of office yesterday, becoming the 38th President of the United States. Chief Justice
Warren Burger administers the oath, as Ford's wife, Betty, looks on.
Nixon leaves Whte House
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (P)-Richard
Nixon was given a rousing welcome by
about 4,00 persons when he returned
home from Washington yesterday as a
private citizen. He vowed to continue
working for world peace.
"Having completed one task does not
mean that I am going to sit in this mar-
velousCalifornia sunshine and do noth-
ing," the former president told the en-
thusiastic crowd at El Toro Marine
Corps Air Station, where he and his
family landed in the presidential jet.
NIXON WAS smiling broadly as he
talked to the placard-waving, cheering
crowd before getting in a Marine heli-
copter and flying to his San Clemente
estate.
"Over the next two years," Nixon said,
"I can assure you that in all the time
that I have that can be useful I am go-
ing to continue to work for peace on all
bases" and for "the opportunity for un-
derstanding among all people in Ameri-
ca."
Some in the crowd sang "God Bless
America," while others shouted "hip, hip
hooray" anod "we want Nixon." The ra-
diant homecoming was in contrast to a
tearful farewell to his staff earlier in the
morning as Nixon left the White House.
Then, Nixon said greatness comes not
in hours of triumph but in times of
knocks, disappointment, sadness.
"ONLY IF you've been in the deepest
valley can you ever know how magnifi-
cent it is to be on the highest moun-
tain," Nixon said as the clock ran out on
his 51/2 years in the White House.
Nixon was over mid-America - cen-
tral Missouri - at 12:03 p.m. EDT when
President Ford raised his hand for the
oath.
The formal side of relinquishing the
position was a one-sentence letter to Sec-
retary of State Henry Kissinger. "Dear
Mr. Secretary," it said. "I hereby re-
sign the office of President of the United
States. Sincerely, Richard M. Nixon."
THE LETTER was officially received'
at 11:25 p.m. EDT and at that moment
Richard Nixon was, in Harry Truman's
words, just "Mr. Citizen."
At El Toro, Nixon stressed his hope
for peace.
"The greatest privilege Pat and I have
had is to have visited nearly every coun-
try in the world and you know the peo-
ple there aren't much different than you
or I -- they all have the same dream,
the dream of peace," he said.
See NIXON, Page 10