Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08
MIR. 7 aftinT lis Shirt Sleeves
Informal SaeEghts From Reporters Notebook.
Two Versions of Taft-Roosevelt Rift
NY WILLIAM HOSTER.

never spoke 10 me hDOuL QInerenCeS De-
tween u.s.
Thereupon Mr.. Taft took UP. one by
one, the statements in Col. Roosevelt
statement speaking calmly, though oc-
casionally with derisive smile or geS-
ture.
Take the post of Secretary of the
Treasury" he said. There is no oues-
ton that Mr.. Roosevelt didn't want
Cortelyou reappointed. Cortelyou was
IN bad with Mr.. Roosevelt. AS to Sec
rotary Of State, Root had resigned and
accepted seat IN the Senate. Roose-
welt helped me to get Phil Knox's con-
sent to resign from the Senate and
accept the State portfolio. with re-
gard to the War Office, I wanted q
man with force and energy to drive
the Panama Canal to completion. It
Is true that I helped the President to
get Luke Wright to accept the post of
Secretary as my successor, but Wright
was indolent and lacked force, and
Theodore knew it.
Other Cabinet Posts.
$50 far as the Navy was concerned
there was never any mention of Bill
Loeb. Col. Roosevelt himself asked me
to transfer George Meyer from the Post
once Department to the Navy and I
consented. Lodge also wanted Meyer
named. Senator Hale pressed for
Weeks, but was glad to comply with
Mr.. RooSevelt'S request. I retained the
incumbent, Mr.. Wilson, in the Agricul-
ture Department, and as for the Post
ONCE Department, Frank Hitchcock
was the logical man. Attorney General
Bonaparte didn't want to stay, and I
named WickerShann
Finally, as to the Interior Depart
ment, I told Mr.. Roosevelt, who had
appointed Garfield because Of his great
work as Commissioner of Corporations,
that didn't agree with Garf1eld'S con-
stitutional views. He was not a strong
man. didn't retain Mr.. StrauS in the
Commerce Department because be-
heved I had better man In Mr.. Nagel.
"An of these facts" Mr.. Taft con-
tinued, "are beyond dispute I have
letters showing that Theodore under
stood the situation in advance of the
announcement of my cabinet, and that
he never offered any objection or even
expressed disapproval."
Mr.. Taft informed me that he had
interfered to prevent the publication
Of some Of these letters short time
before the date Of my interview.
'T do not propose" he said, ito en-
gage in any controversy with q dead
man. I shall leave the whole story
with o note Of explanation to my chill
dren and they may do as they please
with them. am simply telling you
these bare facts because of what you
already have from Mr.. Roosevelt"
Taft's Harshest Criticism.
The harshest criticism I ever heard
Mr.. Taft utter of Col. Roosevelt was ex-
pressed at this interview.
Theodore" he said, was prone to
hasty conclusions. and in the heat Of
controversy forgot things"
Mr.. Taft added an expression Of his
belief that T. R. had been Influenced
uation when he met Mr.. Roosevelt in
Europe" And he had been informed,
Mr.. Taft added, that shortly before
Col RooSevelt'S death the colonel ex-
pressed regret that he had been misin-
formed.
It is a fact that Mr.. Taft and Col.
Roosevelt met at the Union League Club
in New York during the Hughes cam
paign OF 1915, but 1t is generally I'M
that this WIS merely a political
gesture in the interests Of Mr.. Hughes.
But q few months before the colonel
died they again met and lunched to-
gether, and there Is reason to believe
that some approach was made on this
occasion toward renewal Of their old
It was the melancholy privilege Of
this writer to stand beside Mr.. Taft at
the burial Of the colonel. It was Bit
terly cold day and the ground in the lit
tie hillside cemetery at Oyster Bay was
covered with freshly fallen snow. Mr.
Taft's hand trembled under emotion as
he revently removed his hat. There
were tears in the great-hearted mans
eyes.
(copyright, 1880, By North American News
paper Alliance)
(The next article, the final INSTALL
ment "A HornAd paAf opA Fahha0A