Omaha daily bee., 1910-06-11
TURNS OUT UNBIDDEN GUEST
President Refuses Audience to Rep
resentative Harrison.
CAME WITH JEWISH RABBIs
Delegation Had Appointment and
Received Cordial welcome
Secretary Norton EN-
plains.

WASHINGTON, June l0..--President Taft
yesterday declined to receive Representative
Francis Burton Harrison, democrat. Of
New York who called al the White House
in company with two other representatives
to introduce a number of Jewish rabbis
who took up with the president the ques-
ton Of the expulsion of Jews from Russia
The president received the delegation and
chatted with ats various members for fiji
teen minutes or more. Representative Gold
fogle of New York acted as spokesman
for the party and 50 adroitly had the sit
uation been handled by Secretary Norton
that none of the callers knew OF the Incl
dent until Representative Harrison re-
turned to the capitol and there stated that
he had been rebuffed by the president.
Mr.. Taft based his refusal TO see Mr.
Harrison on statements attributed by news
papers to the representative in connection
with his resolution I'm the house calling
upon Attorney General Wickersham for
full information as to the connection Of
his office with tho Ballinger- Pinchot ep-
isode.
Mr. Harrison, according to the White
House version of the matter, charged the
president and the attorney general with
having wilfully attempted to misead con-
gress in the back-dating Of the attorney
generals summary of the CLAWS charges.
white House Version.
Secretary Norton was at first unwilling
TO discuss the incident. Later, when he
was informed of the statements made by
Mr.. Harrison. he told the story. He said
the president had no purpose of publicly
humiliating the congressman, and that
nothing would have been said regarding
the affair if Mr.. Harrison had not made
the matter public,
Mr.. Norton said that during the congress
sional receiving hour ne noticed the party
of rabbs awaiting admission to the pres.-
dents office He informed the president Of
their presence. Mr.. Taft announced that he
would be glad to receive every member of
the delegation but Mr.. Harrison.
Secretary Norton thereupon invited Mr..
Harrison into his office Meantime he had
the party shown into the presidents office.
When the two were alone the secretary
told Mr.. Harrison the president would not
see him.
| Mr.. Harrison asked IL others in the party
knew that the president had barred him
and Mr.. Norton replied that no one knew
but they two.
Mr.. Norton asserted the president him
self had no previous knowledge that MIR
Harrison was to be one OF his callers to-
day. The engagement had been made ir
the routine way some ten days ago through
the secretarys office.
Harrison Makes Statement.
Representative Harrison tonight made the
following statement
ut is unfortunate for the president thai
he cannot stand criticism 1t is unfortunate
for the country that she cannot stand the
truth. My newspaper statement at which
he takes offense was merely an exposi-
ton of the scandalous fact that the presi
dent had sent to the senate OF the United
States an official document in the Ball
niger Pinchot controversy of which the
date had been wilfully falsisified by bene
pre-dated. My resolution of inquiry drew
out this Information in written con
fession by the attorney general.
1T is of no concern to me that I an
not welcome at the White House, but 4
is of concern to every American either
that a statement of the truth about thu
president may make 1t impossible for {
representative to discharge his duties
II went to the White House today no