The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-27

He loves conversation-when the
other man does the talking. He likes
to hear what other people have to say.
to learn their ideas, to obtain their
point Of view. Always he is patient,
tolerant, simple-and always seemingly
passive. He waits.
But when he moves or when he
talks or when he acts it Is with GER
talnty, surencss. effectiveness.
How does Lansing get along with
Bryan when Moore could not?" asked
a gentleman of another official of the
Department.
why, Lansing can get along with
anybody" vas the reply.
Almost Oriental is this mental habit
Of passivity and patience. And yet II
would be laughable to use the word
Internationally applied to the
Oriental mind-in connection with Mr..
Lansing. He makes no mystery OF
himself and none of his mental proc
esses. Rather is he simple, frank.
straightforward.
1t has fallen to him in recent months
to hold frequent conferences with Sir
Cecil Springfield, the British Ambas-
dN' ouh Nth ~ ATN'A fN 49,
man Ambassador, and many other no.
tables of the diplomatic corps. There
IL no more punctilio about these con-
! ferences thar about his talk with
newspaper men or other unofficial
visitors to the Department. His every
effort is to put them on the plane of
informality and to get quickly to the
common sense OF the subject matter.
Few men in public life are on better
| terms with the newspaper men OF the
! capital thar Mr.. Lansing. At the
very beginning of his service a work
Ing agreement was tacitly established
whereby Mr.. Lansing was not to be
| quoted, not &c be mentioned at
all save where absolutely necessary,
but whereby matters OF Importance
could be frankly and freely discussed
. This took a great burden off the Shout
ders of Secretary Bryan and contrib
uted to the public good as minimizing
the possibility OF irresponsible and
often hurtful speculation.
With a degree of frankness that
would be amazing to a foreign diplo-
matist Mr.. Lansing has discussed mat
ters OF State with his newspaper
visitors. When he took over the Office
Of Secretary Of State ad interim ne did
not change in this regard. He trusted
the newspaper men and they trusted
him.
Truly democratic simplicity charac-
terizes the man and his work. He is
one Of those possessing executive
ability who never seem to be busy. and
this despite a prodigious amount OF
work ne accomplishes. Calmly and
cooIly. while possibly n storm Of great
! events IL going on outside. he will sit
at his desk and discuss distractions
| with you, meanwhile smoking a pipe
' and Idly drawing pictures on a pad.
II may seem like a waste OF time &c
you. II It does maybe you will ge'
out. which. possibly. was what was
intended. For Mr.. Lansing Intends tC
secure what he is after always. NJ
matter what he may seem TO be in
tending.
These quarters IL which he work.
are dingy rather than dignifed. T.
reach them one goes west down tn.
great corridor from the office of tn,
Secretary OF State to the western sid,
OF the State. War and Navy Building
The end Of the corridor las been par
titioned Off by a cheap, wooden parti
ton to form a room for his privat,
secretary and clerks. From this QUITE
room you are admitted to a spaciou.
room on the right, its windows lookini
out on Seventeenth street.
Ancient furniture of the knobby, or
nate design of an earlier period o
furnishing, and quite worn. and al
abundance of books seem TO crowd tn,
apartment. The only up to date not,
in the room is struck by the cool
white haired, white mustached, fault