Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Second Hague Conference
Talked About.
FOR BATTLE SHIPS ALSO
PRESIDENT BELIEVES IN THE UP
BUILDING OF THE NAVY.
Navy Yard Workmen Want an In
crease of Wages-Freight Rate
Question Discussed.

Japanese struggle Is ended, 1t Is the inten-
| ton of President Roosevelt to instruct the
representatives of this country to press for
an agreement for international arbitration
| that will be satisfactory to every country
and that will receive the thorough indorse-
ment Of the Senate. The Presidents idea,
| II 1t is agreed to by the nations of the
world, would be more far-reaching In its
power for good than all the treaties which
merely affect two nations.
! The President is said to realize that the
Senate had many reasons for Its action on
| the treaties submitted to that body, but
| he knew that under the agreement with
all the nations interested there must not
be any changes in the documents. so he
pressed for their ratification as they stood,
| feeling that they would accomplish much
! good and not produce the trouble that
| had been talked about Despite the action
Of the Senate the President expects to go
| forward in his work for international arbi-
| tration along such lines as he believes will
| receive the approval of the Senate and of
4 the countries of the world.
| The main point of the Presidents idea is
| to have The Hague conference agree upon
| the class of International subjects that are
| to be submitted to international arbitration.
| and at the same time to try to provide for
| the covering of such things as are not in
| cluded. but are liable unexpectedly to arise
| and produce strained relations between any
| two countries.
| The President has not given that serious
| thought to the details of the case he will
| have the American delegates present at The
| Hague that he will give later, because the
conference is apparently some distance
| away owing to the continuation of the
| struggle between Russia and Japan. The
| President is pleased that the recent agita-
| ton of the question of arbitration has de-
\ t.a1t
| United States for such a course. and 1t has
| confirmed him in his determination not to
| stop where the Senate left things.
| The President discussed the SUBJECT OF IN
| ternational arbitration today with Hayne
| Davis of New York, student of arbitra ton
| questions and with Representative Bar
| tiloldt, the president of the interpariiamen-
| tary union for the promotion of interna-
| tional arbitration. They found the Presi-
dent hopeful for the future of arbitration
| as in the past, and confident the represen-
| tatives of the United States in the next
| Hague conference will be able to accom-
plsh much that will last in the history of
the world promoting peace and cordial
| relations.
For Battle Ships Also.
| While the President talked of his plans
| for preserving the peace of the world, he
| continued to express his views that there
| should be no step backward in the matter
of upbuilding the navy. In conference with
! Secretary Morton of the navy and Repre-
sentatives Dayton and Brick of the House
committee on naval affairs the situation in
| Congress as to the naval appropriation bill
| was gone over. 1t is admitted that there
| will be serious opposition to the carrying
out of the naval committees program for
two battle ships, and the forces that favor
! a continuation of the policy of larger and
| better navy are getting together for the
struggle that will come in the House next
| Monday. somewhat careful poll of the
House indicates that there will be a safe
majority for the naval appropriation bill as
| it stands.
| Representative Hamilton of Michigan
| presented to the President a delegation of
representative Pottawattomie Indians.
headed by Isaac Quasiginaw, their chief
| They belong to what was known as the
| Pokagon tribe of Pottawattomies and their
| object in visiting the White House was to
present a petition relative to claims they
have pending for large amount of valu-
! able lands on the lake front at Cb;ca 90
and elsewhere along the lake. If their
claims should be allowed they would own
| the richest and best part of Chicago and
property that would into millions of
| dollars in value.
Want an Increase in Wages.
! A delegation from the Washington navy
yard waited on the President today to ask
him TO aid the employees there in securing
better wages. He informed them that he
| would be exceedingly busy in the next few
| weeks but if they would bring the ques-
| ton up again later he would have a con-
| ference with them and the officials of the
navy yard. The delegation consisted of
! James O'Connell, president of the Interna-
| tional Association of Machinists; E. l..
Adams, D. P. Thomas and T. F. Dornan.
| The delegation feels that the salaries paid
| to employees in the navy yard. both skilled
| and unskilled, are below those paid either
| in private or government work in the Dis
trct of Columbia They say that mechan-
les. especially, are paid the lowest wages
| anywhere in the District
The statistics of the bureau of labor will
| show, it is claimed, that the percentage
| of increase that has gone to mechanics over
| the country in the last few years is not
! applied to workmen in the Washing ton
| navy yard. There has been but one small
| increase in the establishment in seven or
eight years, it is declared and that has
| not kept pace with the general increase in
the cost of living.
Representatives Sibley of Pennsylvania
and Curtis of Kansas called on the Fresi-
| dent to urge promotion to brigadier gem
| eral for Col. NJ d. Hughes of the army.
| 1t is stated that Colonel Hughes has been
In the army for forty years and that many
| others below him have been promoted.
Senator Perkins called on the President
with E. A. Hayes, representative-elect
from the ST. Jose district of California
Discussing Freight Rate Question.
A committee of the ST. Louis Merchants
Exchange discussed with the Presidepti to-
! day the railroad freight rate question. The
committee, consisting Of w. P. Kenrett,
chairman; T. r. Ballard, E. 5. Eompkins,
G. s. Powell and w. H. Danf6rth, was in
troduced to the President by Representa-
tive Bartholdt of Missouri. Resolutions Of
the ST. Louis exchange indorsing the Presi-
| dents attitude on the rate question were
| presented to Mr.. Roosevelt and the COM
| mittee assured him verbally that he had
| the cordial support of Missouri people in
his demand for fair freight rates. The call
! ers discussed with him alleged discrimina-
| ton of the railroads against the grain
shippers of Missouri. President Roosevelt
manifested sincere interest in the state
ments made by the committee and indi-
Gated by his inquiries that he was well in
| formed on the situation. Later the COM
| mittee had a talk with Secretary Taft. The
members expressed themselves as thor
| oughly satisfied with their conferences.