The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-25
Reason for Motives.
SECRETARY OF LABOR'S
LETTER TO McREYN0LDs

The letter of Secretary OF Labor Will
son to Attorney General McReynolds, un-
der date of yesterday, follows:
My Dear Mr.. McReynolds: In view Of
the published statements that influence
has been brought to bear upon you
through the Secretary Of Labor to post
pone the trial in the Diggs-Caminetti
case, desire to state to you that neither
Commissioner General Caminetti nor any
one else either requested or suggested to
me that should ask you to postpone the
trial
THE Department of Labor has been
but recently created. II Is in formative
state of organization. Congress has pro-
vided funds for the payment of the sal
aries of the Secretary. Assistant Secre-
tsry. solicitor, private secretary. and
confidential clerk to the Secretary. and
private secretary to the Assistant Secre-
tary. Funds have not yet been provided
for the other clerical help necessary for
the proper organization and operation Of
the department. Consequently, every
person connected with the department
mas been working TO his full capacity in
an effort to Keep up with the business.
That is particularly true with regard to
the immigration service. Any leave of
absence at this time would seriously i'm
pair the service.
Had Asked for Leave.
Before Mr.. Caminetti took the oath of
Office he informed me that II would be
necessary to ask for leave of absence
in order to be present at the trial of his
son. About the middle Of June he agair,
called my attention to his desire for
leave of absence 1 pointed out to hin.
the difficulties We had to contend with;
that the Department was in formative
stage; that We had large contracts for
feeding the immigrants at Ellis Island
and other ports Of entry to consider ano
dispose of; that Hindu immigration to
the Pacific Coast via Hawaii and tn :,
Philippine Islands was becoming an acute
problem: that allegations were contipu-
ously being made that Chinese were be-
ing smuggled into the United States in
violation of the Chinese exclusion laws:
that the administration of the immigra-
ton laws generally would require his
close application for some time to en-
able him to grasp the details OF the
methods used by the department in en-
forcing the law, and that In view of
these conditions IL was imperative that
he should remain here for a considerable
period. in order that he might assist in
the work in this emergency and acauain,
himself with the problems We had to
work out.
"Ould 1--WE nesuits.
That, then, when he went to the Pa
cific Coast he would be in a position to
inspect the various immigration stations
in a manner which would give beneficial
results. I then asked him II 1t would
not be possible for him to secure post
ponement of his sons trial until the next
term Of court, so that he could attend
the trial Of his son and on the same
trip inspect the immigration service or
the Pacific Coast. He replied that he did
not know whether postponement could
be obtained or not. and I stated to him
that 1 would take the matter up with
the Attorney General and ask for a post
ponement of the case, with view to
carrying out the suggestion had made.
II was pursuant to this suggestion that
called you up on June IS, stated the cir
cumstances, and asked for the postpone
ment, which was granted.
Respectfully yours,
"(sisnetD ". B. WILSON.
"secrctag."