Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-11-26

|T~A\ succeeded by Gen. John w. Eos
ter. few months ago William
J. Bryan resigned his position
secretary of state in the cabinet of President
Wilson. He succeeded by Robert Lansing
These two statements of fact are put together
because it may be justified by the human inter
est which to exist in the fact that John
w. Foster is the fatherinlaw of Robert Lansing
1t is probable that two men more entirely
different in temperament and in manifestations
thereof ever existed than William j. Bryan and
his successor in Office, Robert Lansing. Mr.
Bryan was or less inclined to be hail fell
low well met with men. Mr.. Lansing has little
OF the hail fellow well met in him, but never
theless he is approachable, genial and almost
without question the best listener that the state
department has had for great many years.
Now it is said frequently that the man who is
a good listener is apt to get results than
The man who is, shall not say a good,
but great talker. Those who know the pres
ent secretary of state say that there is chan
mel connecting of his with the other.
This simply is their way of expressing the fact
that nothing that goes into one of Mr. Lansing's
ears finds exit from the other He holds fast
what he hears and later he acts on his knowl-
edge or refuses to act on it seems better to
his understanding of the case.
Ordinarily speaking, persons like to hear
stories about in high positions. It is prob
ably exaggeration to say that there are a
thousand stories about Mr.. Bryan, about Mr.
Knox, about Mr.. Root and about one or an
other of the predecessors in office of the present
incumbent to one about the present incumbent
himself. When one says stories, of course, he
means human interest and humorous stories. Mr..
Lansing does not lend himself readily to the ex-
ploitation of fun making. He is grave man, a
receptive and therefore not at all an ex-
uberant man. His sense of humor however, is
keen and he enjoys good story well told and
enjoys it with an evident if quiet, showing of
appreciation
The kind of story they tell about Mr. Lansing
when a story is demanded is in character some
thing like that of the man himself, grave and
dignifed, and not possessing the qualities which
make up the less substantial story with
a substratum of humor
For instance, not long ago two ambassadors
representing foreign countries and one high
official of the United States government, ex-
pressed desire for audience with Mr.. Lam
sing on certain Thursday evening. Mr. Lam
sing said that he would be happy to see the
gentlemen at almost any other time, but on
Thursday evening / must go to caurch."
Now Robert Lansing is a Presbyterian, and
good one 1t took real sincerity of purpose for
a secretary of state, who is supposed to be ready
at any hours of the day night to listen to
the penipotentaries of foreign powers to say
in effect, NO state matters must wait until
after prayer meeting"
When Mr.. Bryan was secretary of state he
saw the newspaper men frequently, ana MS inter-
course with them was rather OF the free and
easy sort because the Nebraska gentleman was
and is a newspaper man himself. The CORE
spondents however, did not get any extraor-
binary amount of news out of Mr.. Bryan despite
his affability. Mr.. Lansing has regular business
meetings with the correspondents There
few stories to fly back and forth, few Quips of
humor and there is the usual retcence many
subjects which marks diplomacy but Mr.. Lam
sing nevertheless, always gives up story,
news item of minor or greater Importance when
ever it is proper for him to do, and moreover,
he is pretty keen judge of news values despite
the fact that he is lawyer and probably does
not know 4-em dash from linotype machine
Some people say that Mr. Lansing had several
months training as secretary of state before he
think that he did most of Mr.. Bryan's work
This probably is unjust to Mr.. Lansing's prede
cessor but it is known definitely that the pres
ent secretary was consulted constantly and con-
sistently upon most of the matters relating to
foreign intercourse, which recently. everybody
knows has been in state not only delicate, but
perilous.
1t is pretty definitely known that when
Mr. Lansing counselor for the state depart
ment he aided the president materially in writing
the note to Germany which was penned June 8.
1t was the tone of this note which Mr.. Bryan
thought was too militant, and it this note in
q way which caused the Nebraskan to resign his
position as chief of the presidents cabinet.
When it is said that is grave, a good
listener and not overgiven to talking. the i'm
preston received is perhaps that he is lacking