The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-24
SON STATESFACTS IMPROVEMENT
 0F JUDGE JONES
The So-Called White House Luncheon Fully Two Years 70 After Roosevelt Made
 Alabama Appointment
To the Editor of The Age-Herald.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald
 Your issue of the Fist inst. under the heading. That White House Luncheon" contains clipping credited to the Wash ington Evening Star, which purports to give a true version of the so-called luncheon which Booker Washington took with President Roosevelt. Inasmuch as the alleged true version" given by an unnamed person described as a lifelong friend of Washington" who lives at the national capital, mentions the name of my father, the late Judge Thomas G. Johes and pretends to state facts concerning his appointment by President Roosevelt I feel it my duty. as his son. to correct the many misstatements of fact contained in the article and to state myself what per sonally know to be the facts and I feel sure that you will take pleasure in giving my statement space in your columns. The substance of the Evening Star clip ping. reproduced in your columns is that "early in the summer of 1902 there was a vacancy on the federal bench in Alabama, and that Booker Washington was sum moned from Alabama to the White House by President Roosevelt. who asked him to recommend a man for the place" The article then states that Washington suggested former Gov Thomas G. Jones, father of the writer, and that the Pres ident then said to Washington: "I want you to go to him Governor Jones) and say to him that you are authorized to offer the place to him and say to him that if he is appointed 1t will be solely on your recommendation" According to the anonymous author of the article, Washington hastened to Alabama. saw my father at Montgomery and returned to the White House in three days with message from Governor Jones; that Washington found the President at lunch con and that the latter insisted that Washington have a bite with him." while he delivered the message from my father.
 The article states that the vacancy on the federal bench in Alabama, to which my father was appointed. occurred In the summer of 1902. As matter of fact, the vacancy occurred on October l, 1901, when Judge Bruce died. The article further states that the so-called luncheon took place also in the early summer of 1902. This statement is likewise incorrect It took place in the summer ot 1904, nearly three years after Governor Jones was appointed United States judge. A cur sorry reading of the article will suffice to show that its author drew largely on his imagination when framing the story or true version of the luncheon.
 The facts concerning the appointment of Governor Jones are we'll known. The President was unable to find a republican of ability and experience enough to fill the office He determined to appoint a democrat and democrat with such a rec ord that he could not be attacked.
 A few years ago when certain derra- gogues were attempting to prejudice the people of Alabama against Judge Jones by charging that he was appointed to the bench at the instance of the rail- roads, MT. Roosevelt wired my father as follows: "No railroad ard no railroad official had anything 10 do. directly or indirectly. with suggesting your appoint ment to me. You were suggested to me first by ex-President Grover Cleveland in personal letter to rne." While Cover nor Jones' name was under consideration though unknown to hfrn, Gen. Stewart L. Woodford. former minister to Spain, warm friend of both Mir Roosevelt and
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