The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
NEGRO DELEGATION DEFENDS PRESIDENT AND IS DISMISSED Spokesman Lost Temper in Discussing Segregation of
 Negroes With Wilson EQUAL RIGHTS ARE STRESSED BY NEGROES Complaint Against Policy of Placing Employees in Government Depart
 ments Ends With Delega-
 tion's Dismissal

Washington. November 12.--offend- ed by the tone and manner of their chairman, W. Nj. rrotter of Boston, President Wilson today ended an inter- view with n deIegatiou of negroes who called at the White House to protest against race segregation in govern ment departments, with n warnIng thst If the negroes wanted to see him again they would have to get another smokes man. The President said he had not been addressed in such fashion since he entered the White House. i5-minute interview had been ar- ranged for the callers and the presi- dent received them in his office with only his stenographer present The delegation complained formally thai Postmaster General Burleson. Secre- tary MeAdoo and Comptroller Williams of the treasury were enforcing segre- gation of white and negro employees in their officers. Mir. Wilson listened te the statement and then replied at length, explaining that he had inves- tigated this matter himself and had been assured that no discrimination had been practiced against negroes and that segregation had been inaugurated to avoid friction between the races, nos to injure the negro. He added that he was deeply interested in the negro race and admired it for the progress 1t had made.
 At this point Trotter and others of the delegation took issue with the President. They declared the negro peo- pie did not seek charity or assistance. but held that they had equal rights with the whites and Chat these rights should be respected There had been no friction, they insisted, before the seg- regation was started.
 Mn. Wilson waited for tho protest to end. Then he told the delegation thai -he could 3,ot discuss tse matter fur ther, He closed With the quiet bul emphatic statement that Trotter had lost control of his temper and that he (the President) could not be talked to In such manner.
 When the negroes left they said their talk had been thoroughly dis appointing and that they would hold mass meeting in Washington next Sunday to protest further against seg- regatlon.
  mittee did not come 'as wards looking for charity. but as fliilhedged American citizens, youchsafed equality of citizen ship by the federal constitution.
 Two years ago." said Trotter. "you were thought to be a second Abraham Lneoln--' the President tried to inter- rupt, asking that personalities be left out of the discussion. Trotter continued to speak and the President finally told him that if tic organization he represented wished to approach him again 1t must choose another spokesman, adding that lie had enjoyed listening to the other members of the committee, but that Trot- ter's tone was offensVe. The President told Trotter that he was an American he frrotter) was the only American cit izen who eyer had come into the White House and addressed the President in such a tone and with such background of passion. but the President told him he had spoiled the cause for which hes had come and said he expected those who professed to be Christians to come to him in Christian spirit
 Continued to Argue
 The negro spokesman continued to ar- que that he was merely trying to show how the negro people felt. and asserted that he and others were now being brand ed as traitors to their race because they advised the negro people "to support the ticket"
 This mention of votes caused MT. Wit. son to say politics must be left out, be- cause it was q form of blackmai He said he would resent it as quickly from one set of men as from another. and that his auditors could vote as they pleased, 1t nattered little to him. so long as he was sure he was doing the right thing at the right time
 The President spoke frankly. saying that If the negro people had made D mistake in voting for him they ought to 1t, but that he would insist that politics should not be brought into the question because 1t was not a political problem. With some emotion he declared he was not seeking office and that a man who sought the office of the presidency was a fool for his pains.
 He spoke of the intolerable burden of the office and of things which he had spirit could carry.
 A Human Problem
 Emphasizing that he did not care In the least for the political considerations involved. Mir. Wilson urged that he want ed his auditors to understand that 1t was a human problem and not a political problem. While the Nmerican people wanted to support the advancement of the negro. the President was sure, that
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