Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-22
TALK WITH PRESIDENT
Advise That Each House of Congress
Be Represented.
SECRETARY's WISH EXPRESSED
Mr.. Taft Receives Invitations to Fu-
ture Functions-Affairs of Alaska
Discussed.

The most important conference TO-DAY
at the White House related to the
congressional investigation demanded
by President Taft
The President was engaged for more
than an hour with Senator Jones and
Representative Humphrey of Washing
ton, warm personal friends of the Sec
retary of the Interior. They are urg-
ing the advisability of a sweeping joint
investigation by both houses. and it Is
practically determined that this will be
the course of events unless the leaders
of both bodies are opposed to it.
The President will talk with the lead
ers between now and the reassembling of
Congress as to the wisest course, so
that the country will realize that nothing
is being kept back The friends of Sec
retary Ballinger urge that if the Senate
should undertake an investigation on its
own account the House would probably
refrain from doing anything, and that if
each body should attempt independent
Investigations there would be conflict and
room for criticism. \ joint investigation,
conducted openly, would, in their opinion,
be the most effective.
President Taft appears to be inclined to
agree with the friends of Secretary Bal
linger as to a joint proceeding, and it
looks today as if that will be the final
outcome.
Resolutions to Be introduced.
Senator Jones and Representative
Humphrey will introduce in their re-
spective bodies, upon the reassembling OF
Congress, resolutions providing for "a
joint investigation, irrespective of any
agreement that may be reached by the
republican leaders Nothing short of this
will suit Mr.. Ballinger. 1t is said
Senator Jones also talked with the
President about the proposed negro expo
sition in 1918, commemorating the fiftieth
anniversary of freedom. Mr.. Jones Is
chairman Of the Senate committee on
industrial expositions. Prominent negroes
of the country are asking government
support for such an exposition. and MT.
Jones fayors a congressional commission
to determine about the WISDOM or sucn
an exposition, and he may propose TINS
commission to Congress.
Accepts Invitations Conditionally.
President Taft has promised to attend
a noted Masonic celebration in Alexan-
dria, Va, February 22. if he is in the
city at that time. The invitation was
presented to him today by delegation
from the Alexandria Washington Lodge
of Masons, which was attended for years
by George Washington. and in which be
held membership. At the celebration. TO
which will be invited the grand masters
of the Masonic fraternity throughout the
United States. will be launched an under
taking to build a great memorial to
Washington as Mason. The delegation,
which was introduced by Representative
Carlin, himself member of the COM
mittee consisted of Charles H. Callahan.
chairman Of the committee; Robert w.
Fuller, master of the lodge; Rev. VIII
liam j. Morton, rector of Christ p. r.
Methodist Church; Samuel w. Pitts,
Robert s. Barrett and Nj. L. Dinwiddie.
Another invitation to the President was
from the knights of Columbus. New York
Chapter. They want the President to at
tend the charity ball of the organization
to be held i'm Madi son Square Garden.
New York. February 4. committee,
consist ng of w. p. Myhan, f. A. Arnold,
A. c. Koelble and W. A. COkeley, was in
troduced by the Very Rev. A: F. Doyle,
rector of the Apostolic Mission House
The committee assured the President that
the charity ball is the largest annual
function, not only of the knights OF
Columbus, which now has 100000 MEM
hers. but among the Catholics of the en-
tire country One object Of the ball is
to raise sufficient funds to build tuoer-
culosis sanitarium. The President said
he would be glad to attend II ne round
that acceptance of the invitation did not
conflict with other engagements already