Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #21

Paine pats Jeff's shoulder and moves away. Senators are

separating and making for their seats. Jeff excitedly sits

down again.

After a full view of the CHAMBER, showing people subsiding

into their seats all over the gallery, we see the gray, small

PRESIDENT of the Senate. He has a mild, humorful face.

Everything is in order in front of him as he looks out over

the body of the Senate and picks up the small ivory gavel-

head. His eyes look off intently at something. He raises his

gavel a the long hand of the CLOCK that comes to view jumps

to twelve o'clock exactly. Two gavel pounds are heard.

PRESIDENT:

(pounding twice again)

The Senate will come to order!

The body is lulled, though a few members are walking to their

desks. Then the Senator occupying the desk traditionally

used by the majority leader (front and center and on the

right side of the aisle) rises.

MAJORITY LEADER:

Mr. President.

PRESIDENT:

Senator Agnew.

MAJORITY LEADER:

I ask unanimous consent that the

reading of the journal of the previous

calendar day be dispensed with and

the journal stand approved.

(He sits)

PRESIDENT:

(bored, mechanically)

Is there objection?

(A pause)

The journal stands approved.

JEFFERSON is seen in close view, his attention darting from

one point to the other.

SENATOR'S VOICE

Mr. President...

PRESIDENT'S VOICE

Senator Brownell.

SENATOR'S VOICE

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

PRESIDENT'S VOICE

The clerk will call the roll.

At the ROSTRUM, the Chief Clerk proceeds to call the roll

and Senator's voices answer to their names--"here" or

"present."

The Clerk is next seen passing up the roll sheet to the

President, who looks at it.

PRESIDENT:

Eighty Senators have answered to

their names. A quorum is present.

Paine rises.

PAINE:

Mr. President...

PRESIDENT:

Senator Paine.

PAINE:

I present the credentials of Honorable

Jefferson Smith who has just been

appointed Senator by the Governor of

my state.

A page takes the credentials from Paine's hand and takes

them to the desk.

PAINE:

The Senator-designate is present--

JEFFERSON looks startled.

PAINE'S VOICE

...and I ask that the oath of office

be administered to him at this time.

The PRESIDENT is picking up what are evidently Jefferson's

credentials.

PRESIDENT:

If the Senator-designate will present

himself at the desk, the oath will

be administered.

JEFFERSON, swallowing, frightened, is glued to his seat for

an instant. People in the Gallery and the Senate turn to

look for him; among them are Saunders and, in the Press

Section, Diz. A few of the Senators consult the newspapers

on their desks, significantly.

PAINE rises, motioning to Jefferson to get to his feet, and

JEFFERSON, on seeing him, gets up unsteadily. Paine starting

to the back, indicating that he is to follow him, Jefferson

advances to the rear of the center aisle where Paine is now

waiting for him. Then both of them start down the aisle toward

the Rostrum--while the people (including Saunders, the Press,

and groups of Senators) watch them advance, some of the

Senators appearing tight-lipped and disapproving. Aware of

the eyes on him, JEFFERSON, in the company of PAINE, arrives

at the lower level of the Rostrum, while the people of the

press rise to look over their desks at the ceremony. Then

Paine indicates to Jefferson to mount one more step to the

level just below the President's desk. But as Jefferson makes

the designated step up, and the President is about to rise,

a voice cracks out from somewhere out in the Chamber.

SENATOR'S VOICE

Mr. President! I rise to a question

of order!

All turn to the Senator who has risen. Jefferson, standing

before the President, turns to look back.

PRESIDENT:

The gentleman will state it.

SENATOR:

(who is now seen in

close view)

I seek to ascertain, Mr. President,

if the gentleman about to be sworn

in is fully aware of the

responsibilities of his high office--

and that the members of this body

strive to conduct themselves at all

times--

We see JEFFERSON, his puzzlement deepening as he hears the

Senator.

SENATOR'S VOICE

--with dignity and sincerity.

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