Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-08
THE OPPORTUNITY FOUND ITS MAN
Robert Lansng Long Years of Training Stood Him in Good
Stead When the President Was in Need of an Expert
How an Emergency Disclosed Ability.
BY GEORGE W. DOUGLAS

began to gravltate to his own level. 1t was
a time when trained expert was needed
rather than an emotional amateur. 1t did
not take Washington long to discover the
condition of affairs in the State Department.
There are many stories ahoat, but the one
about the man who called at Mr.. Lansing's
house when he was not at home is typical.
1t was important that he should see the
Counselor. and he asked the butler If he
could telephone later in the evening, and
said. Il suppose Mr.. Bryan telephones him
at all hours"
"Well," the servant replied, IT don't know
as Mr.. Bryan bothers him very much, sir;
but the President, he Jest pesters him to
death"
Mr. Lansing had occupied the Secretary Of
States seat at the Cabinet table when Mr..
Bryan was absent with the yodlers AS the
negotiations with Germany became more
delicate he was finally asked to join the
Presidents advisers in the Cabinet meeting.
The men who devote themselves to a study
of the Washington precedents say that no
other subordinate Of a Cabinet officer was
ever asked to the Cabinet meetings under
such circumstances. But whether this is
true or not, Mr. Lansing was slowly becom-
ing the Secretary Of State in everything save
the name. Within q fortnight of Mr. Bryans
resignation he was made the successor OF
Elihu Root, John Hay and Daniel Webster
and a long line, of other great men, at more
critical time in the destinies of the world
than any of these men lived through.
married Into Diplomacy"
Mr.. Lansing will be 81 years old on October
II. He was born in WATERFOWL New York,
and was graduated from Amherst College in
1886 at the age of 20 years. He studied law
for three years in his fathers office in Water
town, and in 1890 he married the daughter
of John w. Foster. of Washington, the most
distinguished international lawyer in the
country. In 1892. when he was only 2S years
old, he was made associate counsel for the
United States in the Bering Sea arbitration,
and since then he has been connected with
nearly every international dispute in which
the United States has been engaged.
The new Secretary OF State is a human
being. as we'll as an accurately working
thinking machine. He is possessed of some
OF those delightfully."- redeeming vices which
Disraeli said Gladstone did not practice. He
pours over knotty problems with an old
briar pipe in his mouth, demonstrating that
a man can do two things we'll at the same
time And he plays golfl He is member
of the Chevy Chase Club, where diplomacy
and society gather to take the air, and the
Black River Valley Club in Watertown has
his name on its membership roll Best Of all,
he pursues the contemplative mans recre-
ation whipping trout streams in defiance OF
mosquitoes and gnats. He is like John Hay
in that he writes exquisite verse which he
permits his friends to read, but, unlike Hay.
he refuses to publish it. And he is a true
American withal, because he reads the base
ball scores and curses the home team.
He also comes within the classification
which Blaine once made when he looked at
the portraits on the walls of the State De-
partment and remarked. I'VE have had
long line OF Secretaries Of State. and every
one has been a gentleman"