The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1913-11-15

Off1ce Department
Washington, d. c., Novemb Ell
s "A delegation of colored citizens
representing the National indie.
pendent Political Leagne, bearing
a protest and petition directed
against race segregation in the
government service, visited the
President on Thursday, and had an
audience with him. The petition
bore about twenty thousand sigma
lures, from 50 States, mostly col.
ored people, about equally divided
betw cen the South and the North.
The delegation was introduced by
Congressman Thatcher of Massa.
chusetts.
The delegation was composed oil
w. Monroe Trotter of Boston.
Rev. DIR. Byron Gunner of Hill
burn, n. Y, President of the
League, DR.. William A. Sinclair
of Philadelphia, w. Maurice Spen-
Ger Of Delaware. Thomas Walker
of District of Columbia. F. FL. NJ
Murray of Virginia, and Mrs. Ida
Wells Barnett of Chicago,
w. Monroe Trotter, editor OF
the Boston Guardian, was spokes-
man. He made an extended state
ment and gave instances of dis
elimination which had been dis
covered and insisted that these
were calculated to "humiliate and
degrade our race and bring it into
scorn and contempt" and that il
was all the worse since it is being
done under the authority of the
National government.
The President was impressed by
the protestant commented on It's
strength and stated that it was de-
serving of, and should receIge
careful consideration.
The delegation said that the
President seemed at first inclined
to doubt if the matters complained
of had any official sanction. But
he was handed a copy of an
order issued by the auditor for the
Interior Department which explic-
lily ordered separation on account
of color in layatories. Other or
ders of similar import which hac
been issued in other bureaus were
embodied in the matter left with
the President. He then stated
that perhaps he was not we'll posted
on the matter. He said that he
would go into the matter thor
oughly ard would endeavor to fine
solution satisfactory to all con
cerned, and gave. assurance thai
segregation had not been decided
upon as an administration policy.
In their protest the spokesman
of the delegation insisted that il
was the principal of segregation
that was objected to and not the
manner In which it was admins
tered. He quoted a letter writer
by Mr.. Wilson before election a:
follows:
1t is my earnest wish to SEE
Justice done colored people in ey.
cry matter, and not mere grudg
ing justice, but justice executed
with liberality and cordial gooe
feeling. Every principle of oul
Constitution commends this, ant
our sympathies should also make
it easy" Commenting on this the
petitioners said to the President
''Fairer words were never writ
ten and their readers could no
possibly have expected their autho
to countenance the institution Of
any new policy in his own branch
of the Government, now admitted
~ based on racial prejudice, agains
them; a policy of caste which NJ
president would dare even hint fol
citizens of any of the many othel
racial extractions which make VI
our heterogeneous population.
The petitioners laid particulai
stress upon the order Of Secretar,
McAdoo requiring separate eatinl
tables. and on the segregation il
auditors rooms of the Postoffic'
Department. the Navy, the Bureau
of En0ravin0 and PRINTING! am
elsewhere. Necessity" says th
petition. can not be pleaded as al
excuse for this affront and injury
Afro Americans and other Ameri
can employees have been working
together, eating at the same ia
bles, and using the same lavitorie
and toilets for two generations
They have worked 10 peace an,
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