Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08

House, and tDho made many long
trips NTH Mr.. Td1t This Is the NTH
of sir Deekly articles In tOhach Mr..
HoSter Is giving many Interesting
cboSe-ups OF TAFT and his admins
trdtion.
A satisfactory explanation Of the
break In the long friendship between
| William Howard Taft and Theodore
Roosevelt is still to be disclosed. What
each of these distinguished Americans
said concerning it so fatty contradicts
at every point what the other said that
| Judgment is baf1ed as to the tmpellins
causes.
In the situation 1t seems best to set
down the statements made by Col.
Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft to this writer
and leave to the future the solution OF
the puzzle.
In March, 1915, I met Col. Roose-
welt upon hts return from the West
Indies, and thereafter continued In
daily association with him until after
Mr. Hughes nomination for the presi-
dency the following June. Mr.. TaftS
name frequently came up in our CONVEX
sations, and one day the colonel said: =.
Some day, Mr.. Peacemaker, I'll tell
you the whole story"
On the afternoon of April S, 1915, as
whom Col Roosevelt termed his News
paper Cabinet" were entering the ia
nous trophy room at Sycamore Hill he
drew me aside.
IF you don't mind" he said, "I'll
make the Taft story . cabinet matter
today"
Suggests Luke Wright.
It was a rather chilly afternoon. A
big fire was burning in the open CRATE.
T. r., who had Just come in from q
tramp In the woods, was Atttred AFTER
the manner Of q country squire-knick-
erbockers, wooden stockings, brogans and
soft collar. The peltS Of several lions
he had slain in Africa were strewn
about
with q vacancy in the War once
because Of Mr.. Teft'S nomination for the
presidency" he said. IT suggested after
his election that I would like to name
to the ONCE one he might retain IN his
cabinet when he took office. mentioned
Luke Wright, and Mr.. Taft said: Hes
lust the man. He was with me In the
Philippines, and would like to have
him.
1T rejoined that Luke probably would
not accept an appointment for the short
term, but that II Mr.. Taft would indi-
cate q purpose to retain him he would
serve. Mr. Taft told me TO go ahead. At
the same time he assured me OF his pur-
pose to retain most OF the other mem
bers Of my cabinet.
Understand" the colonel continued,
st didn't make any request that he DO
that. It was voluntary assurance,
which, Of course, was highly pleasing to
me. There were several members OF my
"Reminiscences R. Garfield. for instance,
my Secretary of the Interior, who had
ut his nngertips all the details Of our
conservation policy, the one great re-
form left unfinished
"But wanted Mr. Taft to have q free
hand, 80 made no request for the re-
tention Of any one. Mr.. Taft's assurance
was an additional guarantee that our
policies would be continued in the hands
Rejection Was Shock.
81 saw Mr.. Taft ct intervals after that
talk, but no further reference was ever
made to the cabinet, except an inquiry
by Mr.. Taft one day regarding Will Loeb,
my secretary, which led me TO INFER ne
was thinking Of inviting VIII into the
cabinet.
IT had no intimation Mr.. Taft had
changed his mind about retaining most
Of my cabinet officers until the names
papers. I was disappointed, of course.
The rejection Of Luke Wright, in the
circumstances, was Q distinct shock.
But assumed that for what he re-
garded as suficient reason Mr.. Taft had
changed his mind. I dismissed the
whole matter with the thought that he
was TO be President and must accept full
responsibility. did not see him again
before sailed for Africa.
Ii
say that before Taft's inauguration !
saw trouble ahead. In fact, sent word
to Mr.. Taft to see Uncle Joe Cannon
and have an understanding with him in
advance Of the converting of the new
Congress. The Progressives were already
showing signs Of restleSsness, and he
could have clinched o liberal program
there by making use OF Cannon's pre-
carious position at the time.
what happened while was in Africa
IS well known. heard from time to
time Of the progress Of the reactionaries
back into power, and ! was disguised.
When got home found that many OF
the policies Mr.. Taft and I had worked
upon together had been abandoned al
together, while others were being pur-
sued In such q manner that 1t would
have been better had they been aban-
doned also.
Should Have Fought.
"Pinchot had been dismissed, ana
Aldrich and Cannon were running
amuck with no opposition from Mr..
Taft, but rather with his entire ap-
prevail, as witnessed by his Winona
speech. I can't. of course, explain why
Mr.. Taft suffered such O reversal OF
form. know he encountered opposition.
But even Is the situation was. It was not
hopeless to q man who would fight He
would have had the country overwhelm-
ingly with him II he had given battle.
IT had left America" said the colonel
firmly, because I wanted to avoid even
the appearance Of ev1l. wanted 10
avert any charge that was influencing
Mr.. Taft. I had no other thought than
that he was safely installed in the White
House for eight years, and my thought
about my own future didn't range be-
yond that period.
when I returned I had no idea Of
standing for the presidency again. If
Mr.. Taft had shown q disposition even
then to fight, would have got behind
him. told Maj. Butt, whom MIR. TAFT
sent to greet me. that I feared the
country would not stand for reaction
sure the President I was Mt his service
to help rally the people to his support
against the elements with which he
had to contend"
There was no rancor in the colonelS
tones, nor any display Of heat or pas
sion. Only once did he make . sharp
reference to his old friend. That was
In regard to the action Of the 1912
convention in unseating the block OF
delegates which would have assured
RooSevelt'S nomination.