Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-22
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Conference on Judge Hum
phrey's Decision.
DESIRE FOR AN APPEAL
Attorney General to See if One Can Be
Successful.
LABOR CONFERENCE YESTERDAY
President May Give Out a Statement
in Regard to It-New
York Politics.
LABOR CONFERENCE YESTERDAY

A long conference at the White House
this morning as to the adverse decision
rendered in Chicago yesterday sustaining
the contention of the beef packers for
immunity from prosecution did not result
In any decision whether there will be an
appeal the part of the government.
Attorney General Moody, Secretary Taft
and James r. Garfield, commissioner of
corporations, were present the conference
lasting for some time, with promise of re-
newal at later date Attorney General
Moody went to the Department of Justice
and entered at once into consultation with
Solicitor General Hoyt, Assistant Attor-
neys General Purdy and Russell and 9TH
ers 1t is understood to be the intention
of the Attorney General to make care
full study of the law with the view of TAX
ing appeal from the decision of Judge Otis
Humphrey, who asserted that the individ-
ual packers were free from prosecution by
reason of having given their testimony un-
der immunity reservations. but that the
corporations themselves were not exempt
from prosecution. AS the main point or
the government was that the officers or
the beef corporations should be criminally
prosecuted, the decision was severe bloW.
Desire for an Appeal.
1t is known to be the desire of the Attor-
that it can be made successfully. All the
great forces of the government. all the
brains of the Department of Justice. will
be used in considering the wisdom of such
an appeal and the possibility of its success
The government has no idea of yielding TO
the decision unless compelled to- Conse-
quently nothing will be left undone to
change the decision.
Both the Attorney General and Mr.. Car
field whose alleged blunders are said to
have gotten the government into the pres
ent position, are disappointed at tie turn
of affairs.
The Department of Justice will push the
prosecutions gainst the packing companies
as corporations. The date for the trials
have not yet been agreed upon. but the
government wants to bring the companies
into the courts at the earliest possible mo-
ment
Senator Knox of Pennsylvania, former
Attorney General also spent long time
with the President 1t is presumed that
the President took occasion to get the view
of Senator Knox on the subject of the de-
cision as well to confer with him on
pending legislation.
The Labor Conference.
There has been so much talk of the con-
ference the President had yesterday with
the representatives of the great labor or
ganizations. in which he took serious issue
with them on some questions, that 1t is
probable a statement of some kind will be
given out from the White House during
the day.
The President today sent for the Com
missioner of Labor Charles p Nell, and had
a talk with him on subjects connected with
the bureau of labor likewise about the
conference held at the White House yes
terday afternoon.
There were two belated labor leaders at
the White House today. They did not ar
rive in Washington in time to take part
In the conference yesterday, and called to-
day to pay their respects One of them
was Robert A. Mckee of Peoria, general
secretary-treasurer of the International
Union of Steam Engineers.
The attitude that will now be assumed
by the labor leaders Is not known at the
White House. The straight pointed talk
of the President yesterday is sal dnot to
have been relished by some, while others
regarded the position of the President as
a fair one. despite his failure to agree with
his callers.
Political Affairs in New York.
The President today received an invitation
to attend dinner to be given by the citi-
zens of the twenty ninth senatorial district
of New York April to State Senator Els
berg of that city. The invitation was pre-
sented by Representative Herbery Parsons,
accompanied by Bainbridge Colby and Lu-
Glen L. Bonheur. The President it was
stated knows and likes Senator Elsberg
Whlle II is not sure that he will accept the
invitation there is a feeling he may do so
The occasion might furnish the President
with an opportunity to say some things he
thinks the American people ought to know
about this time. and for that reason IL is
hoped he will go over to New York upon
the date mentioned
Representative Parsons has been the leader
of the New York official element in Wash
ington that felt that 1t would be wise to
have meeting of the state republican com
mittee called and eliminate ex-Goy OdelI
from the Craftsmanship without further de-
lay. Two or three times It has appeared
that Mr. Parsons had secured enough back
ing to carry out his cherished program, but
each time conditions and men at Albany
where the legislature Is in session, inter
fered 1t now seems that no further ef-
forts to remove Odell are to be made
Percy sS Foster of this city introduced to
the President Alfred Hertz conductor of
the Metropolitan Grand Opera Company of
New York. and Frank Taft of that city
Thanked by the President
The President has sent the following tele-
gram to Dr. Louis Klopsch, editor of the
Christian Herald. New York city:
Let me heartilysthank you, and through
you the Christian Herald. for the admira BILE
work done in connection with the famine
sufferers In Japan. You have now raised
100000, and you have rendered a very real
service to humanity and to the cause of in
ternational good will.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"