Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-07-08
SECRETARY LANSING
IS BRIGHT MIND

Is A BRIGHT MIND
President Wilson's first choice for
Secretary OF State was frankly a politi-
cal one. William j. Bryan was appoint
ed to that important and dignifed posi-
ton because he was a leader in a demo
cratic party, because he had a larger
personal following than any other man
in American political life, because as a
row Wilson vas nominated for presl-
dent, because it was felt that he could
be of great benefit and assistance to the
administration in matters of domestic
policies and III politics, rather than be-
cause of any special experience and
training which qualified him for the of
flee. No n dreamed at the time that
the greatest war in history was brew
ing, and that IN consequence the head
of the Department of State would be
called or to face such grave RESPONSE
b~ilities, and undertake such arduous
and delicate duties as has fallen to the
lot of few, if any. of the long line of
distinguished statesmen who had occu-
pied that eNaled position.
Obliged to change horses while under
taking to safely to cross the stream-a
stream turbulent and wild and dark
with biood-President Wilson realizes
that before in its history has the
United States known a greater need of
trained and able craftsmanship in the
State Department than at the present
time. He turns, therefore, to Rob-
ert Lansing of New York, who has
acted as counsel for the department
since the resignation last year of
john Bassett Moore, who was I'M
able to get along with Mr.. Bryan.
Mr.. Lansing proved to be superla-
lively able a diplomatist that he
got along with Mr.. Bryan, and the
president now names him as Bry-
successor.
A brief recital of the salient facts
in Mr.. Lansing's career serves to
make it very lain that he worked
his way to this nigh position not by
Write of political skill and inhu-
ence but through diligent study and
careful training. He is the son-in-
law of John W. Foster of Ohio,
himself a notable diplomatist, who
was secretary of state under Har-
rison. He is associate editor of
the American Journal of Interna-
tional Law. He is author of a work
OH the origin, growth and form of
government iii the United States.
He is a member of the American
society Of international law and of
the American political science asso-
citation. For more than twenty
years prior to entering the state de-
partnent he had almost continuous
experience in dealing with ques-
tons involving international law
He served as associate consul for
the United States in the Behring
sea arbitration; as consul for the
United States before the Behrine
sea claims commission; as solicitor
for the United States before the
Alaskan boundary tribunal; as con-
sui for the North Atlantic coast fish
cries i'll arbitration at the Hague in
1900 10; as agent for the United
States in the American and British
claims arbitration III 1ol2-l4. Aside
from being a lawyer and student of
government; he is vice-president of
a bank in his home town, Water
town, N. Y. Incidentally it is said
that he is a democrat.
A greater contrast than that be-
tween Mr. Wilson's first premier
and his second it would be diffiult
to find. In a political way,.as an
agent for influencing either the
congress or the people in matters
OF domestic policy, as a repairer or
builder Of party fences, Secretary