958

June 15, 1914.

[stamp: ACK'D
JUN 16 1914
T.M.H]

152

[stamp: THE WHITE HOUSE
JUN 16 1914
RECEIVED]

President Woodrow Wilson,
White House.

My dear Mr. President:.-

I want to thank you for your courageous and patriotic
determination, under stress of great partisan pressure, not
to exclude colored men from participation in the Government.
Your renomination of Judge Robert H. Terrell and your re-
cent announcement that you would appoint a colored man to
the position of Recorder of Deeds of the District of Colum-
bia keep open to us the door of hope.

In this connection I beg to call your attention to
the case of Mr. James A. Cobb, a young colored man who has
served under three administrations as "Special Assistantt"
in the Department of Justice. Mr. Cobb has been assigned
work requiring exact legal and technical knowledge, and has
performed his duties with signal faithfulness and efficiency.
The colored race along with all other elements of our cos-
mopolitan population is desirous to see its members holding
positions under the government as a mere matter of poilti-
cal and numerical recognition. But from my point of view
it is infinitely more important that members of this race
should be given the opportunity to prove their ability in
places whicn require specific training and definite know-
ledge.

Mr. Cobb is a graduate of Howard University and is
a man in whose character, worth and work his Alma Mater

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