Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-18
WANTS LARGER CORPS HAD A BULLY DINNER
Gen. Marshall Appeals for One Labor Mans View of the
More Army Engineers. White House Affair."
mot ENOUGH FOR WORK NO SET SPEECHES MADE
Report President Asked
Increasing Duties Got Answers
SIX BATTALIONS ARE NEEDED LEADERS GIVE OPINIONS
Estimates Submitted for fortinca
at Monica in In Frankly scusse by
sular Roosevelt
One Labor Mans View of the
White House Affair.
NO SET SPEECHES MADE
President Just Asked Questions and
Got Answers.
GIVE OPINIONS
Best Way to Settle Labor's Problems
Is Frankly Discussed by
Roosevelt Guests.

| Subjecting his guests, who were repre-
sentatives of many of the leading labor
| organizations of this country, to a rapid
| cross-fire of questions, President Roose-
Welt last night, at a dinner given by him
| at the White House, endeavored to find
out what labor wants from Congress and
| in what way he could be of assistance to
the toilers of the country.
Although the dinner began at o clock,
| 1t was almost midnight before the gath
| ering broke up. No newspaper men were
| present and the first intimation of what
took place was eagerly sought from the
| guests as they left the White House.
| While the President did not commit
himself to any of the propositions sub
| mitted by the various labor leaders pres
| ent, it was learned that he sought a full
| expression of sentiment from all of them.
was reiterated, it is said, and the Presi-
dent listened interestedly to each argu-
ment presented.
| The dinner was complete success, as
far as could be learned, a spirit of har-
mony and cooperation seeming to prevail
throughout the evening. No set speeches
were made, the President merely rising
and explaining to his guests. after the
| last course had been served, that he had
brought them together for an interchange
Seated at the center of the long table
in the state dining room, which was beau
tfully decorated with roses the President
| talked informally with cabinet officers,
members of the United States Supreme
Court and labor leaders.
Good fellowship prevailed and occasion
al flashes of humor or an apropos story
enlivened the occasion. Nor was the
President alone in his questioning. He
was ably seconded. by his lieutenants,
Justice Moody. Secretary Straus and Sec
rotary Garfield. frequently asking ques-
lions of some of the captains of labor.
Points for the Message.
The general impression prevailed among
the labor leaders seen after the dinner
that the Presidents message to Congress
will show some Of the flavor of the con-
ference.
The first guest to leave the White House
after the dinner and conference was AS
ISOLATE Justice Moody, who came out of
the front door few minutes after Mrs.
Roosevelt and Mrs. I.ongworth had en-
tered on their return from the theater
Questioned about the dinner after they
came out several of the labor leaders de-
clared that they had enjoyed themselves
immensely at the Presidents table and
that they had partaken of "a bully din
ner." One went so far as to confess that
he had enjoyed the candy which was
passed around so much that he had stuck
four pieces in his pocket to take home to
his little girl. He said that 1t was fine
to eat from plates having on them the
White House seal"
While none Of those who had partaken
Of the Presidents hospitality would tell
exactly what had been said at the table
they declared that the President had not
committed himself on any of the SUBJ
jects discussed. -.,..s'
Occasionally the labor leaders would be-
come involved in a debate which would
terminate in some tangible suggestion be-
Ing offered. President Roosevelt. in his
macline-gun questioning, covered, it is
| said, every possible phase of the labor
question.
Chill Of Rights" Proposed.
The labor leaders talked without reser-
walton and were free to reiterate the.
pronounced attitude on some issues to
which Congress has in the past turned an
unwilling ear. But what seemed most
| significant of all, both to the President
| and other government officials present,
was the suggestion that Congress should
| pass a bill of rights into which all labor
| legislation should be Incorporated, and
should create publicity board whose pur-
| pose would be to investigate and make
public the details of controversies between
capital and labor.
A plea for a bill of rights was made by
| +. II. Morrissey, grand master of the rail-
| way trainn.en, while the publicity board
| idea was advanced by j. r. Dolan gem
eral secretary-treasurer of the Interna-
| tional Brotherhood of Steamshovel and
Dredgemen.
The Presidents interest in these two
| propositions was keenly and obviously
awakened, but as to his attitude upon
| them he was non-committal Although
! many of the speakers voiced their oppo-
! sition to the boycott and sympathetic
! strike propaganda. they urged the Con-
gress should better define the injunctive
| power OF the courts, and they asked for
modification of both this law and the
| Sherman antitrust law. They also
wanted Congress to define the exact
status of labor organizations in strikes
and whether they should be permitted to
solicit peacefully
| Every angle of labors demands was
| covered, but there was no concrete plan
thrashed out upon which the President
may proceed with the conviction that his
| recommendation on some things will be
acceptable to all of the labor interests
! represented at the dinner
There was divergence of opinion on
some of the propositions advanced but
one of the leaders stated that the Presi-
| dent told his guests that their differences
| would ultimately result in more compre-
| hensive ideas, and that he urged them to
| get together on everything possible and
| present united front.
Those Who Were There.
| The occasion was one of the most in
| teresting events that has occurred at
| the White House in months.
From the Supreme Court there were
Justice Holmes and Justice Moody,
| both from Massachusetts. The cabinet
was represented by Secretary James r.
Garfield of the Interior Department,
and formerly commissioner of corpora
| tons. and Secretary Oscar S. Straus of
! the Department of Commerce and La
Dor. Comm ssiOner Charles p. Neil, of
the federal bureau of labor, Commits
sloner E. E. Clark of the Interstate
| commerce commission, and formerly
| grand chief conductor of the Order of
Railway Conductors of America, and
still later the representative of labor