Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-06-24
Chosen
Secretary of State
ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPOINT
MENT AND ACCEPTANCE.
A POPULAR SELECTION
Has No Political Backing or Influence
Senate Will Be Asked to Confirm
This Recess Appointment.

Washington, June 23.-Robert Lans-
ing, who as counsellor of the state de-
partment, has advised President Will
son in law and precedent in the policy
pursued by the United States toward
belligerent governments since the out
break Of the European war, was nam
ed today as secretary of state to sue
ceed William Jennings Bryan.
Widespread Satisfaction.
Few appointments in recent years
have given such widespread salts
faction in the national capital Mr.
Lansing is a lifelong democrat, but he
has devoted his time to international
law and diplomacy and is as popular
with former republican officiGls as
with his colleagues. Members of the
cabinet who talked with the presi-
dent on the subject were unanimous
in their recommendation that he
should be appointed. Colonel E. NJ.
House and other close personal
friends of the president advised the
selection and Mr. Bryan himself al
though not consulted, is understood to
have hoped for the promotion of Mr..
Lansing.
Official Announcement
Official announcement of the selec-
ton of Mr.. Lansing, who has been
serving as secretary ad interim since
the resignation of Mr. Bryan on June
s, was made in the following state
ment issued from the White House at
six o'clock tonight:
Before leaving this evening for a
brief rest in New Hampshire, the
president announced that he had of
fered the post of secretary of state
to Mr., Robert Lansing, the present
| counsellor Of the department of state
and that Mr.. Lansing had accepted the
appointment
A commission was prepared which
Mr.. Wilson signed tonight, giving Mr..
Lansing a recess appointment. When
congress reconvenes the nomination
will go to the senate. No opposi-
ton to his confirmation is anticipat-
| ed
Unknown in Political World.
One of the peculiar circumstances in
connection with Mr.. Lansing's ap-
pointment is the fact that he person
ally has no political backing or in
| Guence- Succeeding William Jen-
| nings Bryan, foremost among the
| leaders of the democratic party, a
comparatively unknown quality in the
political world, he has been ushered
| into the premiership of the cabinet.
Sketch of New Secretary.
| Mr.. Lansing is 81 years old, a ma
| tive of Watertown, N. Y, and a de-
| scendent of the family of John Lans-
| ing, who represented New York in the
| constitutional convention in 1897 at
! Philadelphia and later was chancellor
| of the state Of New York. After grad
uation from Amherst college in 1886
! Mr.. Lansing chose the profession OF
| his father and ancestors-the law
and continued in private practice ex-
cept when retained by the American
| government for foreign nations or
| important cases. He enjoys the dis
tinction of having represented the
United States in more internationa
arbitrations than any living American
and a French authority recently wrote
that Mr.. Lansing probably had had {
| longer and broader experience in in
ternational arbitration and had ap-
peared more frequently before inter
national tribunals than any living
LAWYER,