Mr. Re Te Anderson : wie January 31, 1946

During the argument thet Conductor Straight and I had, there were women waiting
outside and I said “admit the women first", which was done. To my recollection, there
were thirty-two passengers who boarded that train before we attempted to get on. When
I stepped on the passenger car steps to see if there was more room for more of us to get
on'the passenger coach, Conductor Straight used his forearm and pushed me back of f the
platform of the coach to the ground. Oyt of our eighteen passengers, there were nine of
them who were Army and Navy men in uniform. |

I immediately called Mr. Cote from Oklahoma City to report the loss of Mr.
Pierce's bag and to have him try to trace it for Mr. Pierce. Mre Pierce also reported

it upon arrival in Kansas City to the train master. i

I waited quite sometime towite this letter because this is the first time ee
my thirty-four years of patronizing the Santa Fe with athletic teams that I have had any
difficulty whatsoever. When I was at The Teachers College at Warrensburg from 1912 to
1919, Tom Woleott got all of our business when we were going in any direction that the

‘Santa Fe could haul us. I came to the University of Kansas in 1919 and was Director of
Athleties for eighteen years. Buring that time I always had the most pleasant relations

with all Santa Fe personnel. I have never had the slightest word with any conductor or
employe of the Santa Fe System prior to this imbroglio.

Wr. Howard MeConnell, who was ticket agent here four years and is now the proe
prietor of the MeConnell Lumber Company of Lawrence, Kansas, was most courteous and co- |
operative all those years, as has been Mr. Louis Cote, the present incumbent at Lawrence.
I could not ask for a more helpful or more courteous man to deal with than Mr. Cote. He

‘has been wonderful, Therefore, I feel that he did everything he could to help use

Certainly, I think, your conductor was very out of line. Under these conditions, 3
I would appreciate your investigating the situation and informing us why we were denied
passage on your train. |

Very cordially yours,

Director of Physical Edueation, ’

—FCAsHF . | Varsity Basketball Coach.