The Washington herald., 1911-08-06
ROOSEVELT GLAD
FOR AIDING TRUST
TO GET COMPANY
Responsibility Is Taken for
Protection of Combine.
STATEMENT PREPARED
Special TO The Washington Herald.

Special to The Washington Herald.
New York, Aug. ST wish it dis
tinctly understood that I acted purely
on my own initiative. and that the re-
sponsibtlity for the act was solely mine.
IF the same situation should face me
again, 1 would do exactly what I did
then"
These declarations were made to-day by
Theodore Roosevelt in the most unprece-
dented event in American history. The
only living ex-President of the United
States gave utterance to them before
Congressional committee in the course
of an explanation he was making of one
OF his official acts. That act was his
official sanction of the absorption Of the
Tennessee Coal and Iron Company by
the United States Steel Corporation at
the solicitation of two of the highest
officers of that giant combine.
IF I had withheld my consent I do
not doubt that the steel corporation
would not have purchased the Tennessee
Coal and Iron Company" declared the
ex-President, when a question on that
point was put squareIy to him by Rep
resentative Bartlett. of Georgia, a men,
Der of the Congressional committee that
is investigating the steel trust, and
which for ten days has been holding
hearings in New York for the especial
purpose of developing all the facts con-
nected with the absorption by the trust
of its only great rival in the United
States, contrary. as the majority of the
committee frankly proclaim, to the spirit
and letter of the Sherman antitrust
law.
Silence Greets Colonel.
Although the room was filled with
crowd of the usual dimensions that daily
have followed the committees proceed
ings, not a one of the hundred or more
persons present rose to his feet when
the eN-President entered, smiling and
stopping every few steps to grasp an
outstretChed hand. Not a cheer rent
the air: not crackle of handicap greet
ed him when he entered or departed |
While he was talking the silence of the
tomb reigned. except at long intervals
when the tension of the moment express |
ed itself in nervous filters that ran !
around the room. Occasionally sharp |
sallies between the illustrious witness |
and his inQuisitors provoked outbursts |
of laughter, in which the ex-President |
led.
Col Roosevelts testimony divided it.
self into two parts-a formal statement |
in his own handwriting, which he had |
prepared the night before and quick |
answers to rapid-fire questions shot at
him by Representatives Stanley, Little
ton, and Bartlett Democrats, and Young
and Sterling. Republicans.
At his request he was permitted to read
his prepared statement without inter-
-uption, asserting that he would be
pleased after he had finished it to an
swer any question that might be asked.
He emphasized the reading by frequently
the table with his right fist and
drumming with the fingers of his left
hand. which trembled with apparent ner-
He was on the witness stand exactly
an hour and a half. Before rising to go
lie returned the felicitations of Chairman
Stanley for having come forward as n
witness by saying:
Mr.. Stanley, an ex-President of the
United States Is just like any other citi-
zen, with the same obligations and re-
possibilities"
Not even this declaration produced ap-
clause or other manifestation of ap-
,roval. In sharp contrast with the scenes
hat attended the eX-President's conclu-
ion of his testimony was the sponta-
he conclusion an hour later of the tes-
imony which fer two days Charles NJ. ,
schwab, first president Of the steel cor
,oration and now head of the Bethle-
lem Steel Company, had been giving. s