Evening star., 1937-04-07

than 10 gears 0eJOre MS Tecent
death at the age of 90. tuas the
man behind American Htstory-ts
told here in series OF articles, OF
Which this is the second. The
,Driter, eminent as editor and au-
thor and professor OF international
law at Columbia University, had
mann clost contacts Wtth Mr.. Root.
BY PHILIP C. JESSUP.
On September IA. 1901, Theodore
Roosevelt finished mad dash out OF
the Adirondack wilderness to Buffalo,
only to arrive several hours after Will
liam Mckinley died. A small group
gathered in the parior of the Wilcox
home. Elihu Root, Secretary Of War
and senior cabinet officer present,
brought in District Judge Hazel.
Root drew Roosevelt aside and
whispered to him earnestly for few
moments. He told him that the
country was disturbed and upset and
that to create confidence his first
statement should be an assurance that
he would carry on the Mckinley
policies. They separated and Root
spoke aloud. His voice broke; tears
ran down his cheeks. In the name
of the cabinet, he asked Roosevelt to
take the oath, which Judge Hazel
administered.
Roosevelt briefly stated that ne
would carry on the Mckinley policies
unbroken. He and Mr.. Root then
left the house together, deep in con-
versation. Root intended that this
should be solemn pledge. and Roose-
velt so regarded it. Thus Root nodded
the general framework OF his nrst
presidential years.
Close Friend Of Arthur.
Twenty years before, Root nao
brought back to 1913 Lexington avenue.
New York City, another judge. and
had stood by while his friend, Chester
A. Arthur took the oath upon learning
of the death of President Garneld.
Arthur and Root were close frienos
and there was some popular suppose
ton that Root would have place III
his cabinet, but neither OF them
seriously considered 1t.
There is no evidence that Root
shaped any of Arthur's policies, but
instance. Woodrow Wilson. His span
in widely varying degrees he Influenced
the presidential activities Of Mckinley,
Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, Harding
Coolidge, Hoover and, in at least one
of wears was such that only six OF the
81 Presidents of the United States
were not. for some part OF their lives,
of Elihu Root.
Theodore Roosevelt, like the sec
ond President Roosevelt, had MS
worries with strikes OF national I'M
portance. T. RS most anxious ex-
perience came with the great an
thracite coal strike of 1902, which was
called lust eight months after he took
the oath of Office. The mine workers
had received no raise in wages since
1880 until, in 1899, under the leader
ship of John Mitchell, they demanded
a 10 per cent increase and obtameo
it because Mark Hanna persuaded
the operators and bankers that 1t
was cheaper to increase wage costs
than to have Bryan defeat Mckinley
for the presidency. After fruitless
negotiations over further demands,
called out 100000 miners
from the anthracite fields on May
IL, 1902.
Industrial Leaders Progress.
The progress which industrial
eaders have made In gauging public
sentiment on labor disputes is in
iicated if one compares the recent
negotiations Of Myron Tay-
or and John L. Lewis with the at
itude of George F. Baer, who acted
Is spokesman for the coal operators
n 1902. Baer received letter from
man in Wilkes-Barre named Clark,
Who urged him that it was his re-
igious duty to end the strike. Baer
eplied that he should not be dis
outraged since the rights and In
erests of the laboring man will be
protected and cared for-not by the
abor agitators, but by the Christian
men to whom God in his infinite wis
Iom has given the control Of the
interests Of this country"
There was a howl from the pulpit and
press, turning the tide Of public
to the strikers.
The strike continued, the price Of
oal scared, and, as Autumn drew on,
chools had to be closed for lack Of
uel With the elections coming on
n November, the politicians trembled
est the people visit on the party in
'ower responsibility for the situation.
Roosevelt was worried. He summoned
,aer, Mitchell and others to con-
erence in Washington on October 3,
ut the operators defied every pro-
osal for settlement. They would not
ecognize the union under any cir
nor accede to Mitchell's
to submit the whole matter
o commission appointed by the
President.
Root Uninterested in Record.
Roosevelt had about decided to send
federal troops into the coal fields,
elling Attorney General Knox and
soot that they could make . record
# formal protests against the IL
egality of his action If they wanted
o. But Root was never interested
n making record for himself; he
vas very much concerned about what
lind OF record his friend and chief
would make.
He wasn't sure how far the Presi-
lent would go, because Theodore was
bit OF a buffer occasionally and 1T
ne same time he had nerve enough to