Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-05-11
Views and Revaews
Dean Leauis Writes a Biography
of Theodore Roosevelt

William Draper Lewis, dean of the University
OF Pennsylvania Law school, who, as>all will re
member, was one Of the colonel's most earnes
and most ardent champions in the great politica
drama of 1912 and one of the few lawyers O.
commanding authority who followed him ever
through his recall of judicial decisions program
yet was at the same time probably among his
most leyel-headed and stable supporters. There
IS significance, too, in the introduction to the
volume by William Howard Taft, who vouche.
tor the authors ability to write IAN impartial
nonpartlsan history of this great man whom hi
knew personally, and with whose views he
deeply sympathized," though sit is not to be ex,
pected that he shall entirely escape the infu
ence OF his great personal affection for Theo.
doree Roosevelt in the history he writes" The
book is indeed sympathetic and appreciative
record OF the life of Roosevelt, as would natur.
ally be expected from Roosevelt enthusiast
but it also shows an effort to be fair on the con-
troversial points. 1t is for this reason I call
attention to Dean Lewis's two references to my
edge OF one who had leading role in the
direction Of the Roosevelt forces in the Chicago
convention. Dean Lewis explains their pro-
cedurc as follows:
AT a meeting Of the Roosevelt delegates IL
was determined that when the convention was
called to order by Victor Rosewater, the
chairman Of the national committee, Governor
Hadley OF Missouri, the Roosevelt floor
leader, should make 4 motion that only the
delegates whose seats were uncontested
should participate in the proceedings of the
convention until the contests were decided
II this motion were ruled out Of order he
was to appeal from the decision of the chair
If the chair allowed the delegates whose seats
were contested to vote on this appeal, he was
to appeal again from the decision demand
another roll call on that appeal, and SO on, ad
infnitum. Had this program been carried
out, Rosewater, to prevent an indefinite series
OF appeals and roll calls, would have been
obliged to deny Governor Hadley's right to
raise the point Of order, and in the confusion
which would have inevitably followed, two
conventions would have been organized at
the same time and place. The split in the
republican party would have taken place, but
the pr,ogressives would not have left the party,
and this difference, we may be sure would
have had decided effect on the subsequent
history of the country
But the program was changed at the last
moment. When Mr. Rosewater called the
convention to order, Governor Hadey moved
that the delegates whose seats had been con-
tested be excluded from participating in the
proceedings until their right to participate had
been determined by the majority of the dele
gates whose seats were not contested. After
debate, this motion ruled out of order
on the ground that there was nothing before
the house except the nominations for tenn
porary chairman. But from this decision no
appeal was taken by the Roosevelt forces, and
on the subsequent election for temporary
chairman which was of course participated in
by the " delegates whose seats were con-
tested, Ellhu Root, the candidate of the Taft
forces, was elected"
This doubtless was the strategy which the
Roosevelt leaders had planned, but which they
did not attempt to carry out. No explanation is
offered by Dean Lewis as to why the program
was changed, but the reason u.s. I am sure the
one l referred to before, namely that at nv
conference with Governor Hadley he agreed.
and the agreement was put in writing, that if
the chairman ruled on the proposed point of
order and an appeal were taken from that ruling,
the appeal would have to be voted on by all the
delegates whose names appeared on the temper
airy roll. The, Roosevelt people concluded that
they would show up as strong if not stronger on
roll call by putting up McGovern La Fol
lette man, for temporary chairman against Root
the chair
Remembering this, it is reassuring to find
Dean Lewis, in his comments upon later de-
c1slon by Mr.. Root, giving specific endorsement
to my action in the following language:
The decision given by Victor Rosewater
that ne had no power to go back of the tenn
porary roll call of delegates and exclude from ,
the temporary organization of the convention
delegates whose seats were contested was, |
believe, correct. The subsequent decision
that the contested delegates, after the tenn
porary organization of the convention, could
vote on their own cases and the cases of other
contested delegates, was, also, | believe, le-
gally correct. Any other rule might permit a
minority to be turned into majority by the
simple process of filing sufficient number of
contests with the national committee The
real issue raised by the action of the con-
servatives at Chicago in 1912 was not whether
the decisions of the presiding officer were
legally correct The issue was much more
fundamental"
While in New York I unched with Col.
William Hayward, who found fame. Croix de
Guerre, Legion of Honor decoration, citation
for bravery, and other badges of glory, fighting
with his colored regiment over in France Col
onel Bill is looking in the pink of condition
with no outward reminder of his strenuous ex-
perence except a noticeable limp when he
walks, due to an injury to the tendon of one
foot This does not prevent him, however from
marching with his men at all public appear
ances, turning down offers of automobiles or
riding horses. Colonel "Bill' is back at the
law IN an office of his own, but has not vet
gotten away from the home coming receptions
and entertainments or the seemingly endless de-
mand tor his inspiring presence at meetings or
.AS AS4oioltioh Vi lliS SClVlCCS DIS speaker. lie
is another one of the boys who is mighty glad
he went and still more glad to return
I am trying tomake up for what lost out
on while was away. I start every meal with
oysters and end up with ice cream-the two
things we did not have over there
10 an urgent invitation to make US visit
Yes, would like to go back with you to Ne
braska but | can't just yet I have promised
to be out for the home coming week at Ne
braska City in July and you will see me then"
And when he comes be sure there will be
some outpoufing down in Nebraska City