854

152

Angust 18, 1913.

PRIVATE

President Woodrow Wilson,
The White House,
Washington, D.C.

[stamp]
THE WHITE HOUSE
AUG 19 1913
RECEIVED

[stamp]
ACK'D
AUG 21 1913
C.L.S.

Dear Mr. President:

On May 14th you were good enough to accord me an interview
at the White House in which I laid before you the project of a Race Com-
mission. You stated your approval of the project in general , but ex-
pressed the wish not to pass upon the matter at that time because of
your inexperience with Congress and obvious inability in so short
a time to ascertain just what your relations with Congress were going
to be. This was wholly satisfactory to us, as we did not look for an
answer before the middle of summer. Mr. Tumulty has recently urged that
I see you at an early opportunity, but now writes me that on account of
pressure of other affairs you are not able to make another appointment,
but that you would be willing to consider any written proposition from
me.

I therefore earnestly renew my suggestion that you approve
the printed plan, of which I enclose another copy, in principle; that
is, you give me authority to attempt to raise the money necessary for
such an undertaking, say $50,000 or $60,000, I to say to possible don-
ors that you will name and appoint the Commission, and if the report
is satisfactory to you transmit it in due course to Congress. Such an
approval in principle would not commit you, of course, to the names
suggested for menbership on the Comission, or to any programme beyond
an impartial, non-partisan investigation of the race situation in this

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