What effect the dining of Wash?
ington by President Roosevelt is g->
ing to have upon his Southern policy
remains to be seen. A few days aeo,
when a delegation of Southern poli?
ticians called upou the President in
connection with a Federal appoint?
ment, he took occasion to remark
that "the color of a man's skin should
not operate to his advantage or dis?
advantage in au appointment or a
removal from office " President
Roosevelt apparently intends to ap?
ply the same rule at his dinner table
and exercise his independence in the
selection of his dinner guests.
Many ot the men who have talked
with the President ou the situatkn
in the Southern States have gone
away from the White House coi -
vinced that he does not appreciate
bow impossible it is for the white
man of the South to place himself on
a personal equality with the negro
It is for thia reason that it has been
more that once suggested to the
President that in the event of a
change in the personnel of the Cabi?
net it might be to his advantage to
select a representatiue from the
8outh to help solve the race problem.
Southern meu in commenting on the
Washington incident, declare that
tbe President does uot and cannot
understand tbe bad effect the invit?
ing a negro to dinner wilt bave on
the attitude of the negroes of the
South toward white meu, their wives
and families.
Inquiry shows that Washington
was treated like auy other guest at
the President's table. Some callers
remarked within tbe President's
hearing that they feared that the
episode might cause the Administra?
tion and the Republican party iu the
South embarrassment, but, so far as
can be learned, the President made
no comment.
