Show PRESIDENT DOES NOT BEliEVE IN BOYCOTT Government Will Not Take Part of Strikers Against Bethlehem Steel Works Washington April 6 President Taft today told a delegation of fifty business businessmen businessmen men from Bethlehem and South Beth Bethlehem Bethlehem Bethlehem lehem Pa that he did not believe In boycotts and that so far as ho was concerned ha he hI did not believe disputes with third parties warranted tho the abro abrogation abrogation b gation gatlon of ot government contracts with i any company compan I IThe The Delegation which was headed by byH I H It IL J ir Meyers called at the White house houseas I 1 as disinterested persons the chairman declared to protest against the th reports spread by labor agitators that the Bethlehem steel works because of the strike of some of its was vas turning out an Inferior quality of work Mr said efforts had been made to have this government as well as foreign customers of the steel con concern concern concern cern boycott the works the claim be being beIng beIng ing made that Incompetent workmen had been employed to take strikers places I I followed closely what has happened at Bethlehem at all said President Taft TaCt I dont know what the statements are to which you OU refer I 1 Ican Ican i can only say this that I am utterly op opposed opposed posed to the principle of at a boycott bocott I Every Issue ought to be settled on Its own merits If It the Bethlehem work up to contract then the govern government government government ment ought r not ot to give the contracts to It If it is then the contracts ought to go to it without regard to contro controversies controversies I that Bethlehem may have with third persons Therefore without knowing any anything an anything thing about the facts I say to you OU that If Ir Bethlehem dees not do good work it itIs itis itIs Is for the government to find out and to act on it and to refuse Its contracts on that ground and not because it is con concerned concerned corned in a fight or a controversy with its In so far as the public or the gov government gO or a part of the public is in interested interested In the th controversy between the s and an the companies that is determined on tire the merits of that con controversy controversy controversy and not with respect to the government That is the po position position I I occupy It is the position my rny administration so far as I can control It will occupy |