The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-11-27
Mr.. TR0TTER's Statement.
Spokesman For League Says He Treat.
cd President Respectfully.

Spokesman For League Says He Treat.
cd President Respectfully.
Boston.-In justice to william Mon,
roe Trotter, editor Of the Boston Guar
dian, and for the benefit Of the general
public we print the following PERSONAL
statement Of Mr.. Trotter, whose rel
marks on segregation in the governI
ment departments at Washington
stirred President Wilson at a hearing
In the White House on Nov. II. Mr..
Trotter emphatically denies that he
said anything offensive to the presi-
dent In his speech nor included any
thing offensive in his manner while
addressing President Wilson.
Editor Trotter says:
"As we left the president" said Mr..
Trotter, II told him l was very sorryI
If he still considered that I had of
Tended him. The president smiled and
said, oh, Wen call 1t all right
when we came out our delegationl
caucused In Secretary Tumulty's room
as to what we should say for the news-
papers. told the newspaper menl
briefly about the conference. merely
describing 1t as warm affair.
II had gone outside the White House.
when Mr. Tumulty called me back and
said. Mr.. Trotter, you have violated
every courtesy Of the White House in|
quoting the president to the press
~ told Mr.. Tumulty that had done
In, 80 khn L. l
gized. He accepted my apology. Them
l asked the newspaper men not to pub
lish what I told them, and they conf
sented Mr.. Tumulty said he was sat
isfied and left.
THE report of the conference was
then given out from the White House.
1t seems very peculiar to me, after the
president had told me everything was
all right. that White House state
ment should say that | had offended
the president Of the United States"
Mr.. Trotter and other members of
the Negro delegation were representa-
tives Of the National Independent
Equal Rights league. He declared let
ters were awaiting him In his office
from Negroes. in all parts Of the coun-
| try approving everything he said at
the White House. He also said that
other members of the delegation,
whose attitude was satisfactory to the
president, have fully indOrsed his part
In the proceedings.
81 want to say" he continued, that
neither In manner, language, tone nor
In any other way was ] discOurteOus.
impertinent or insolent to President
Wilson.
my whole attitude was that of en-
deavOring, on the spur Of the moment,
to answer piece of masterful sophis-
try and to refute 1t successfully, and.
feeling a great responsibility to do so.
| spoke with positiveness, deliberate
ness and directness. looking the presi-
dent full In the eye.
IL did not quiz or catechize the pres
ident, and l did not attempt to debate
with him. The difficulty did not come
until the president had been permitted
to declare for segregation Of my race
and to say that should regard 1t as a
benevOlence and so represent It to my
race.
"Although 1t was trying ordeal to
listen to such statement ut length by
the chief executive Of the nation. had
ut no time any temper. much less lost
my temper. The league considers that
the president has indicated. # not
brought about. Il crisis in this republic.
1t wishes all Americans to note the
fact that for the first time in the coun-
trys history president. speaking
within the White House. has announc-
ed class distinction among citizens.
based on ancestry, as an administra-
ton policy"
Mr.. Trotter says that segregation
was drastically introduced In the treas
ury and postoffice departments soon
was therefore not due to race friction.
but must be due to the racial preju-
dices of John Shelton Williams, Sec-
retary McAdoo and Postmaster Gener-
al Burleson; that the president declar-,
ed II the league were ever to have an
other audience with him there must
be another spokesman.
'T asked the president how l had Of
Tended him." said Mr.. Trotter. He
answered, BY your tone
81 asked in what way, and he said.
BY its background Of passion
Mr.. Trotter declared he was thun-,
derstruck and appealed to the presi-
dent, saying 1t was doing him an in
justice. The president frequently in
terrupted him later, Mr.. Trotter said.
saying once. Leave personalities out
Of It," and again, II am the one to do
the interrupting."