New-York tribune., 1918-05-28
Chicago Meeting Complet-
ed Reconciliation; Old
Scores Forgotten
Will Work Together
In Next Campaign
Colonel, 1t Is Now Known,
Consulted Judge ON
Maine Speech

CHICAGO, May 27.-With Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt in Des Moines and
inaccessible, and Judge William II.
Taft accessible but unwilling to talk
of their meeting last evening, there is
the best of authority for saying:
I. Their reconciliation is absolute
and complete.
2. They are in perfect agreement on
all questions affecting the war.
3. They are also in absolute agree
ment in all matters affecting the Re-
publican party and in all human prob
ability will be found working shoulder
TO shoulder in 1920.
4. That this getting together" is
the result of events and not due to
the efforts Of any one man or group
of men.
The recent illness of Colonel Roose-
velt more than anything else served to
bring the two men together. Previous
ly efforts at reconciliation by mutual
friends were only partly successful.
This is particularly true of the "get to-
gether" meeting at the Union League
Club two years ago, after Justice
Hughes had been nominated.
Taft Sent Sympathy
This meeting has been variously dc
scribed, as aptly, perhaps. as any by d
Western Senator who was present. "Is
reminded me-" he said, "of the making
up Of the marshal of a mining town
and the town bad man. They shook
hands, each expressed pleasure at
meeting the other, but neither had left
his hardware at home"
At the time of the Colonel's recent
illness, Judge Taft sent a warm tele-
gram of sympathyand good will. This
Colonel Roosevelt: acknowledged in a
characteristic letter, the first he wrote
on leaving his sick bed. This was as
warmly acknowledged, and when after
the Colonel's address to the Republican
convention in Maine last March, it be-
came known in limited circle that he
had consulted Judge Taft in preparing
his address, it was recognized that the
two were really working together
again.
This address, in which Colonel
Roosevelt outlined his views as to the
position the Republican party should
take, had, it is understood the un-
qualified o. K. of Judge Taft. 1t re-
manned, however, for last evening s
meeting to make the reconciliation com
plete.
Meeting Not Arranged
That they met was entirely due t.
circumstances and to Judge Taft's de-
sire to see his old friend. Neither had
any thought of the meeting when Judge
Taft entered the Blackstone, ard the
first intimation Colonel Roosevelt had
that Judge Taft was within a thousand
miles was when he heard some one ex
claim "Theodore!" and saw the big
bulk of the ex-President appearing. It
was dramatic because of the political
Importance of the men, yet simple as
any meeting of long separated com
rades IN arms at @ Grand Army re
union.
1t was really the first opportunity
they had had since the break of 1912
Tor real heartto-heart talk, and they
made the most of their opportunity in
the half hour before the Colonel's train
time
Under the circumstances it is nat
ural to assume that politics and af
falrs in Washington generally figured
IN the discussion with fairly frank
expression from both sides. Judge
TAFT does not deny that politics were
discussed
Talked Patriotism
You really do not expect me TO an.
swer that question" was his reply to
the query Did you talk politics 2"
adding that patriotism and the gen.
eral welfare of the country were the
matters talked about
Those who saw Colonel Roosevelt in
the lew minutes eapsing between this
meeting and his departure for Des
,Moines could extract no more from
nim than that the meeting was acct
dental, that he. very much appreciated
Judge Taft's courtesy in looking him
up and that they had mad delightful
1t is probable that an effort will
De made in some quarters to make it
appear that the meeting was pre-
arranged and to minimize it's impor-
tanee from political standpoint. Pol
i,cians here believe that this effort
must fail, for to them it appears that
tne meeting is more significant as in
ocating once more united Republi-
can party than the unanimous election
,ast winter of Will H. Hays, an ex-
progressive to be chairman of the ma
tional committee.