Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-08-10
Presidents Secretary Re-
sents Threat Made by.
Congressman
DEMANDS AUDIENCE
Head of "Labor's Peace Council
Was Discourteous When Interview
Was Not Arranged.

Washington, Aug. 1O-Resentine
the discourteous attitude of Congress
man Frank Buchanan, of Illinois, IL
demanding an audience with the
President for committee of the so.
called Labor's National Peace Coun-
Gil, Secretary Tumulty has made pub
lie the correspondence bearing upon
the incident.
Mr.. Buchanan, who styles himself
"toiler" in the ranks of trade union
ism, recently asked Mr.. Tnmulty to
fix an appointment for committee
of the council to call upon the Presi-
dent. The Secretary found it impos-
sible to do this and wrote note to
the Representative to that effect.
In reply the Congressman charged
the Administration with favoritism to
"big business" and added the threat
that if the conference with the Presi-
dent were not arranged statement
would be issued by Mr.. Buchanan ex-
posing the whole affair. To this Mr..
Tumulty rejoined with an invitation
to Mr.. Buchanan to go as far as he
liked.
Mr.. Buchanan's letter was, in part,
as follows:
"My Dear Mr.. Tumulty: Your
favor of the oath instant duly receiv-
ed, and to put the situation mildly,
was decidedly disappointing in charac-
ter. Your intimation that the Presi-
dents, time VAS So easg takeh tF-
with matters of pressing Importance
that he could not grant an audience
to representatives of labor in order
to permit them in person to demon
strate that the subsidized press, rep
resenting organized dollars in Ameri-
ca, which is seeking to serve as the
volunteer adviser of, the President
was mis-representing labors attitude
in the present crisis is tantamount
to a. declaration that the. President
is more concerned about the desires
of big business than he is to discover
the heartfelt sentiment: of the COM
mon people.
"War is GENERALLY regarded by the
common people, who are its only VIC
tins, as legalized murder on whole
sale plane, which all the sophistry of
questionable patriots and demago-
CUES can never invest, and yet the
President cannot find time to listen
TOT the people who desire peace, 3be-
cause his time is completely oc-
cupied +by those; who apparently de
sire war.
,"My duty to those I serve leaves
me no alternative but to say that SC
long as they, the people, continue sc
bss united: in $their belief <.that< pro,
gress and prosperity is dependent up
on religious observance of the Scrip
tual admonition: :'And they shall
beat their swords into plopghshares
and their. spears into pruning hooks
nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, neither shall they. learn wal
any more just so long shall | con-
tinue to rap at the door of the Presi'
dents private chambers to secure ad'
mittance for a delegation of workers
who not only desire peace at home
but peace abroad as we'll.
..""Again' I urge upon you to kindly
present to the President my desire
for conference, and inform him
that if I am to be denied the cour
tesy so literally extend ed to. congress
men speaking. for big business, l
shall be reluctantly forced to advise
the public of my petition in the pre-
misses through the medium of an opel
letter."
To this Secretary Tumu,fy replied
"My Dear Mr.. Buchanan received
your letter of the 2Sth of July, ant
beg to say that I resent the tone O
it and the unwarrantable inference
YOU have drawn by reason of tn,
Presidents inability to confer wit
you as the representative of the com
mittee of Labor's National Peac
Council at the time you requested
"As far as l am concerned, there i