President's Tribute and Proclamation Washington, March 8 - (AP) - President Hoover tonight officially announced the death of William Howard Taft in a proclamation calling upon the nation to observe a 30 day period of mourning with flags at half staff. The proclamation: "To the people of the United States:- "It becomes my sad duty to announce officially the death of William Howard Taft, which occurred at his home in the City of Washington; on the eighth day of March, nineteen hundred and thirty, at 5:15 o'clock in the afternoon. "Mr. Taft's service to our country has been a rare distinction and was marked by a purity of patriotism, alofty disinterestedness, and devotion to the best interests of the nation that deserve and will ever command the grateful memory of his countrymen. His career was almost unique in the wide range of official duty as judge, as Solicitor General, Governor General of the philippines, Secretary of War, President of the United States, and finally Chief Justice. "His private life was characterized by a simplicity of virtue that won for him a place in the affection of his fellow countrymen rarely equalled by any man. In public and in private life he set a shining example, and his death will be mourned throughout the land. "As an expression of the public's sorrow, it is ordered that the flags of the White House and of the several departmental buildings be displayed at half-staff for a period of 30 days, and that suitable military and naval honors under orders of the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy may be rendered on the day of the funeral. "Done at the City of Washington on this eighth day of March in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and thirty, and of the independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and fifty-fourth. "Signed:- Herbert Hoover". --- Taft Milestones Show Rapid rise 1857 - Born at Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept 15. 1878 - Graduated from Yale, second in his class. 1880 - Graduated at law school, Cincinnati College. Admitted to Ohio bar same year. 1881 - Appointed assistant prosecuting attorney of Hamilton county, Ohio. 1882 - Appointed U.S. internal revenue collector. 1885 - Assistant solicitor of Hamilton county, O. 1886 - Married Helen Herron of Cincinnati, on June 19. 1887 - Appointed judge, Ohio superior court, to fill vacancy; subsequently elected. 1890 - Appointed solicitor-general of United States of President Harrison. Met Roosevelt for first time. 1892 - Appointed U.S. circuit judge. 1896 - Dean of law school, University of Cincinnati. 1900 - Appointed by President McKinley to presidency of Philippine commission, and later became governor of islands. 1902 - In personal interview with Pope Leo XIII at Vatican, arranged the delicate matter of confiscated church lands in Philippines. 1904 - Became secretary of war under Roosevelt. 1907 - Opened first legislative assembly in Philippines. 1908 - Elected president over Bryan by popular majority of 1,269,900 votes, through Roosevelt's support. 1910 - Broke with Roosevelt over national conservation policies. 1912 - Defeated for president by Woodrow Wilson after Roosevelt had split Republicans. 1913 - Became Kent professor of law at Yale. President of American Bar Association. 1914 - First president of American Institute of Jurisprudence. 1918 - Appointed by President Wilson as member of National War Labor Board for arbitrating labor disputes. 1919 - Endorsed peace treaty of Versailles and League of Nations. 1921 - Appointed chief justice by President Harding on June 6. --- [Return to 3/9/1930](1930_03_09.md) <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/13TSv-1sy0qaye_7OaVtL8YtpH5p56i7u"> <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/10E9hNtPMzwn5E2jyfDUlXjfOJhfv8two">