The Washington times., 1915-06-24
Began Training For
State Portfolio During
The Bering Sea Case

Robert Lansing began training, un-
consciously. for the State portfolio as
far back as 1892. In that Year he
gained his first taste of diplomatic ne
gotiations when he represented the
United States in the complicated and
delicate controversy surrounding the
Bering Sea arbitration.
His friends know him as Bob" Lam
sing. That indicates that ne has less
excess dignity than might be expected
of one who s about to assume the
most important position in the United
states during the present international
situation, save that alone OF the Pres
ident.
Robert Lansing was born at Water
town, n Y, October H. 1854 He grad
uated from Amherst in 1885 and studied
law for three years at Watertown. He
forming the firm Of Lansing & Lansing.
He continued as a member of that firm
until 1907
While Mr.. Lansing's interest in inter-
national questions probably was arous-
ed through his association with former
Secretary of State John Foster, whose
daughter. Miss Eleanor Foster, he mar
rted in 1890 his handling of the Bering
sea arbitration and of subsequent dip
lomatic missions stamped him as
Appointed By Foster.
1t was General Foster who, as Secre-
tary of State In 1892 appointed him to
handle the Bering Sea matter. In 1885,
he became counsel for the United States
Bering Sea claims commission. In 1893
he became solicitor for the United
Boundary tribunal. In 1909 he was ap-
pointed counsel for the North Atlantic
coast fisheries during the arbitration of
issues with Great Britain at The
Hague.
Mr.. Lansing Is member of the
American Society Of International Law
and for many years was editor of the
American journal of International Law.
With the retirement of John Bassett
Moore. Mr.. Lansing became the logical
choice to succeed to a post that had
gradually become one of Importance
second only to that of the secretary in
sas s5ate sdcrptrn Departmehmt bHoTmGrly the
in the absence of the Secretary, but in
recent years that custom has been aban-
doned and the post of counselor has
become one of Importance.
During the time he has occuDied that
post II is no secret that Fir. Lansing
has been one of the principal advisers
of President Wilson. With Secretary
Bryan out of town much of the time
Mr. Lansing has been called upon for
information of Far Eastern, Mexican,
and European affairs, and in all these
fields he has tremendous fund of in
formation.
Abott the State Department ne is
known as a n.an who never loses his
head" No one has seen him get eX-
CiteG or fiTr!ed during his two years
serN ice there.
His pipe is his insapnrabla ccmpan-
ion. though Occa SiOnallI he Vcers to
CiEGrettes. He is an arduous and in
dGiatlgabis worker. lie arrives at his
cnicc as early as most of the clerks.
and remains there until q and often
o'clock. Mrs. Lansing frequently per-
S"nally calls him 10 urge him to come
home for dinner or to so for a drive.
Like his father-in-law Mr.. Lansing
takes keen inter est i'm church matters,
and he attends church twice on Sunday.
Though lac IS known as an easy boss"
lie Is rather stiCklcr for proper oh
serNaGce of official processes and
methods, and one OF the first st us he
made whom he became Acting Secretary
WAS TO request the neWspapermen not
10 approach foreign diplomatic repre-
sCntatiycs when they visited the State
Department lie also gayo orders re-