Mr. Richard Nixon was sworn in as the 37th President of the United States to-day [Jan. 20] and the inaugural ceremony held on the cold, damp steps of the Capitol marked the return of the Republicans to Washington after waiting in the wings for the last eight years. Unlike the Democrats who have held office for all but eight of the last 36 years and whose administrations were ushered in under the banner of such slogans as the New Deal, the Fair Deal, the New Frontier and the Great Society, Mr. Nixon’s ascendancy to office was not advertised with any catchy phrases. Instead in his inaugural speech Mr. Nixon promised to work for reconciliation of the races and peoples at home, reconstruction of the cities and a re-dedication of the country’s resources to abolishing economic inequities rather than the destruction of war. Abroad he promised to build bridges to other nations looking hopefully forward towards an era of negotiation rather confrontation. Mr. Nixon’s speech did not contain any hard outlines of any specified policies and actions but rather the general assumptions which will be the guidelines of his Administration. Similarly to the nations of the world, Mr. Nixon said that “during this Administration, our lines of communication will be open. We seek an open world.”
