Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-03
WILL NOT INTERFERE
The Presidents Position in
Beef Strike.
HE HAS NO AUTHORITY
COMPARISONS WITH OTHER
STRIKES DRAWN.
Investigation of Alleged Trust Still
Under Way for Report
Ordered by Congress.

! President Roosevelt has not the slightest
Idea Of interfering in the least in any form
| with the strike conditions IN Chicago be-
| tween the beef packers and their former
! employees.
This statement Is made the authority
| Of member of President Roosevelts OFF,
! cial family, who is not only in close touch
! with the President in this matter and has
bad frequent conferences with him on the
! subject. but who is In thorough accord
| with the views Of the President in regard
! to his position.
| There is absolutely no authority in law
| or In reason for the President to interfere
| In the trouble between the packers and
their former employees" said this official to
Star reporter this morning This state
ment reiterates the exclusive announcement
made by The Star several weeks ago of the
conditions then existing and that still ex-
/ lst. II would be interfering with the
rasnts OF the states for him to take any
part IN the settlement of the affair, ex-
cept In personal way"
II mas been suggested that In view of the
iict mat the President used his good Of
nues IN the settlement of the great anthra-
t.., Soai strike. that his action in that con-
.iofetsy might be used as a precedent for
exercising his good offices In the present
struggle between the packers and their
former employees.
1t was pointed out nv tho official NTH
| whom Ihe Star reporter talked that the
CONDITIONS are not at all alike In the
strike OF the anthracite coal miners 1t was
| the representatives of the miners who re
| quested the President to use his good offices
| fected. oo VI
| In the case of the striking coal miners
| great suffering existed throughout the cOun
| Try on account OF the coal SUNNY being
| snort and It was admitted that under the
then existing conditions the miners and
EMPLOYERS could not get together In any
| hino OK an agreement and 1t was only IN
| ger great pressure that the President was
| at last persuaded to use mis- personal
| eTorts' to bring about conference between
the employees and the employers
| President Not Asked.
It Is pointed out in the first place in the
| present struggle between the packers and
their former employees there has been no
| request made to the President to mediate
| between the packers and the strikers 1t is
added that the conditions do not appear to
| be such at this time that the President
would care to take hand in the matter
/ even should he be asked to do So The
! strike Is said by those In a position to know
not to be causing any great amount of suf-
| fering on account of shortage in the meat
| supply and the ability of the people gen.
! orally to substitute other foods when they
are unable to procure the price asked for
| meats. At any rate those who have sug-
| .gested that the President offer his good Off
ces in the matter might we'll make up
| their minds now as at any other time that
| he does not intend to put In his where
| it Is not wanted
Another suggestion for the settlement
| of the controversy between the packers
I and their former employees is by the Presi-
dent taking hold of the situation as did
| President Cleveland at the time of the
big Chicago strike during his administra-
| ton. According to the same official quoted
| at the outset the cases are not at all paral
| lei. During the strike in President Cleve-
lands administration there was a great
| deal Of rfoting in Chicago and the United
| States mails and federal property We're in
j terfered with. On this account it was law
| full to send federal troops to the windy city
| to quell the riots and protect the property Of
| the United States and it is recalled that
during those exciting times the federal
| troops did no more than protect the prop
| erty Of the United States and did not in
| terfere with the prerogatives of the state
| and city governments
In Chicago during the beef strike there
has been little or no riottng, and there has
| been no interference with federal property
Or with the United States mails. Conse-
| quently there is no warrant of law to au-
| thorfze the President to interfere in the
| strike under this plea, even though he
| should desire to do so.
| That he does not desire to interfere in
any way. either personally or in his office
| as the chief executive. is said to be the
! case by those in close touch with MI
Roosevelt.
1t was stated by the same authority with
whom The Star reporter talked this morn
| ing that the conferences reported to have
| been held at the White House between the
President. one or two members of the cab
met and Commissioner of Labor Wright
| had no special significance In so far as the
settlement of the strike or the fastening of
| the inquiry in regard to the alleged viola
ton of the injunction issued by Judge
Grosscup against the packers is concerned
The Star reporter was assured that these
questions We're not discussed, and the only
conference the President has had with his
| cabinet on the subject was a brief discus
sion of the matter at the cabinet meeting
yesterday.
The Investigation Still On.
The presence of Inspector Carroll of the
Department of Commerce and Labor in
Chicago is not denied by the Department
of Commerce and Labor. In fact it was
printed in The Star exclusively several
weeks ago that a thorough investigation of
the alleged beef trust Is being made by the
Department of Commerce and Labor under
the personal direction of Commissioner of
Corporations Garfield. This report was or
dered by Congress and is being made for
that purpose.
1t Is not denied at the Department of
Justice that in the pursuit of the investi-
CATION being carried on by the various
agents of the government should evidence
be found tending to show that the beef
packers are violating the Injunction issued
by Judge GrOsscup they would be
hailed before the court and made to take
the consequences 1t is asserted that ac-
ton Of this kind would not be governed in
the least by the strike of the packers en-
ployes nor would 1t be fastened by that
condition.
The bureau of corporations has not COM
pleted it's investigation to determine wheth-
er the beef packers are violating the terms
Of the Injunction issued last year by Judge
Grosscup of the United States circuit court,
prohibiting them from acting as a combina-
tion in restraint of trade.
Mr.. Moody's Instructions.
The investigation is being helped along
by the United States district attorneys Of
Ace in Chicago, under instructions from the