The weekly soliphone., 1915-06-25
LANSING IS NAMED
SECRETARY STATE
New Cabinet Member is Trained
Diplomat and Authority on
International Law.


Lansing, who was counsellor of the
state department, and who has ad
vised President Wilson in law and
precedent in the policy pursued by
the United States toward bellig
erent governments since the out
break of the European war, was
named yesterday secretary of state
to succeed William jennings Bry-
an.
Few appointments in recent
years have given such widespread
satisfaction in the national capital
Mr.. Lansing is a lifelong demo-
crat, but he has devoted his time
to international law and diploma
cy and is as popular with former
republican officials as with his
colleagues. Members of the cabi-
net and close personal friends of
the president advised the selection,
and Mr.. Bryan himself, although.
not consulted, is understood to
have hoped for the promotion of
Mr.. Lansing.
Official announcement of the Sc
| lection of Mr.. Lansing, who has
/ been serving as secretary ad in
terim since the resignation of Mr..
Bryan on June 8, was made in the
following statement:
Before leaving this evening for
brief rest in New Hampshire the
president announced that he had
offered the post of secretary of
state to Robert Lansing, the pres
ent counsellor of the department of
state, and that Mr.. Lansing had ac
cepted the appointment.
| A commission was prepared
which President Wilson signed last
night, giving Mr.. Lansing a recess
appointment. When congress re-
convenes the nomination will go to
the senate. No opposition is an
ticipated.
IS NOT A POLITICIAN.
One of the peculiar circum-
stances in connection with Mr..
Lansing's appointment is the fact
that he personally has no political
backing or influence. Succeeding
William Jennings Bryan, foremost
among leaders of the democratic
party, a comparatively unknown
been ushered into the premiership
of the cabinet
This very fact, indeed, COM
mended itself to the presidents ad-
visers as reason for the appoint
ment of man of Mr.. Lansing's ex-
perience and ability, the argument
being advanced that at so critical
time in the nations history the
people of the United States wished
all political considerations subordi-
mated Mr.. Lansing takes office
thoroughly familiar with the per-
sonnel and organization of the de-
partment of state, conversant with
confidential details of all the i'm
portant negotiations conducted by
the United States since the Will
son administration began. More
over, he has a knowledge of poll
cies under previous administrations,
and an especially intimate ac-
quaintance with Mexican affairs
and far eastern problems.
Mr.. Lansing is 81 years old, a
native of Watertown, N. Y, and a
descendant of the family of John
Lansing, who represented New
York in the constitutional conven-
tion of 1887 at Philadelphia, and
later was chancellor of the state
OF New York. After graduation
from Amherst college in 1885, Mr..
Lansing chose the profession of his
father and ancestors-the law
and continued in private practice
except when retained by the Amer
lean government or foreign nations
in important cases. He has rep
resented the United States in more
international arbitrations than any
living American, and a French au-
thority recently wrote that Mr..
Lansing probably had had a longer
and broader experience in interna-
! tional arbitration and had annaar-
ed more frequently before interna-
tlonal tribunals than any living
lawyer.