53

ONE WEEK . . . . . .15
ONE MONTH . . . . 65

NEGRO CHAIRMAN
GETS CALL DOWN
FROM PRESIDENT

Blacks Threaten Mass Meet-
ing to Protest Against
Segregation

EXECUTIVE RESENTS
TONE OF REMARKS

Not Addressed Before in Such
a Manner Since Entering
the White House

Washington, NOV. 12.—Offended by the
tone and manner of their chairman, W.
M. Trotter of Boston, President Wilson
to-day ended an interview with a dele-
gation of negroes who called at the White
House to protest against race segregation
in government departments, with a warn-
ing that if the negroes wanted to see him
again they would have to get another
spokesman. The President said he had
not been addressed in such fashion since
he entered the White House.

Trotter came to the White House with
a prepared speech, to which the Presi-
dent listened. It was after delivering this
address, however, that Trotter made re-
marks in a tone which displeased Presi-
dent Wilson.

In the address Trotter reminded the
President that the delegation called on
Mr. Wilson a year ago, at which time he
had promised to investigate the ques-
tion.

"We stated," said Trotter, "that there
could be no freedom, no respect from
others, and no equality of citizenship
under segregation of races. For such
placement of employees means a charge,
by the governnment, of physical indecency
or infection, or of being a lower order
of beings, or a subjection to the prejudice
of other citizens, which constitutes in-
feriority of status.

"We stated that such segregation was
a public humiliation and degradation en-
tirely unmerited and far-reaching in its
injurious effects. Now, after the lapse
of a year, we have come back, having
found that all the forms of segregation
of government employees of African ex-
traction are still being practiced in the
Treasury and Post Office Department
buildings, and to a certain extent have
spread into other government build-
ings."

The delegation charged that Secretary
McAdoo and Comptroller Williams in
the Treasury and Postmaster-general
Burleson had enforced segregation rules
in their offices. President Wilson replied
that he had investigated the question
and had been assured that there had
been no discrimination in the comforts
and surroundings given to the negroes.
He added he had been informed by of-
ficials that the segregation had been
started to avoid friction between the
races, and not with the object of injur-
ing the negroes.

The President said that he was deeply
interested in the negro race, and great-
ly admired its progress. He declared the
thing to be sought by the negro people
was complete independence of white peo-
le, and that he felt the white race was
willing to do everything possible to as-
sist them.

Trotter and other members at once
took issue with the President, declaring
the negro people did not seek charity
or assistance, but that they took the
position that the negroes had equal
rights with the whites and that those
rights should be respected. They denied
there had been any friction between the
two races before segregation was be-
gun.

President Wilson listened to what they
had to say, and then told the delegation
that Trotter was losing control of his
temper, and that he (the President) would
not discuss the matter further with him.

After leaving the President's private
office Trotter, Maurice V. Spencer and
others of the delegation declared their
talk had been "thoroughly disappoint-
ing."

They declared they would hold a mass
meeting in Washington Sunday to dis-
cuss the question.

Mr. Wilson is understood to have told
ittee the question w
e, and as he would
olitical grounds.