Evening star., 1915-06-24
LANSING IS NAMED
TO SUCCEED BRYAN
Appointment as Secretary OF
State Announced by Presi-
dent Before Leaving City.
CHOICE IS PLEASING
TO OFFICIAL FAMILY
New Premier Has Represented This
Country in More International
Arbitrations Than Any One.

Arbitrations Than Any One.
The expected appointment of Robert
Lansing as Secretary of State to sue
ceed William J. Bryan was announced
officially at the White House at 6
o'clock last night in the following
statement:
Before leaving this evening for a
brief rest in New Hampshire. the Presi-
post of Secretary of State to Mr.. Robert
Lansing. the present counselor of the
Department of State, and that Mr. Lam
sing had accepted the appointment"
Mr.. Lansing took the oath of Office
late yesterday. His recess commission
has been signed. His nomination will
and its confirmation is regarded as
certain.
No appointment Of the President has
been SO popular. Nearly all members
of the cabinet and the Presidents close
personal friends had cordially urged
the selection. Friends OF the admin
istration today expressed much graft
1cation, and messages OF congratula-
tion to the new cabinet premier have
been pouring in on him since last
night.
Appointment Without Politics
The appointment was without politi-
cal backing of any sort, and was
wholly one of merit and recognition of
extraordinary abilities: Although a
democrat, Mr.. Lansing has taken little
part in politics. He is a son-in-law of
John w. Foster. who was Secretary of
State under President Harrison.
The United States government has noti-
fed all foreign governments of the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Lansing. Notice also
was sent to all diplomatic and consular
representatives Of the United States in
foreign countries.
The new premier Of the cabinet is gen.
orally regarded as peculiarly fitted for
his important post, because Of his long
training in the intricacies of diplomacy,
his grasp Of international affairs and skill
in handling them. Mr.. Lansing is a rec
ognized authority on International law
and is intimately acquainted with the de-
tails OF his department. He has drafted
many Of the most important state docu-
ments in connection with the pending ne
gotiations with Germany and Great Brit
ain.
Yesterday was diplomatic day at the
state Department, and representatives
OF foreign governments in Washington
called to felicitate Mr.. Lansing upon
among the diplomatic corps.
Mr.. Lansing became counselor of the
state Department upon the retirement of
John Bassett Moore, and has been openly
regarded as President Wilson's mainstay
on questions Of international law in all
the difficult diplomatic negotiations which
nave been thrust upon the United States
by the European war. 1t is matter of
common remark in Washington that he
has commanded the respect and admira-
ton Of the foreign chancelleries here
to a marked degree.
Native Of Watertown, N. Y.
Mr.. Lansing Is ffty-one years old.
native of Watertown, N. Y, and a
descendant of the family of John Lam
sing. who represented New York in the
constitutional convention of 1887 at
Philadelphia and later was chancellor
of the state Of New York After grad
uatfon from Amherst College in 1886,
Mr.. Lansing chose the profession of
and continued in private practice ex-
cept when retained by the American
government or foreign nations in i'm
portant cases. He enjoys the dis
United States in more international ar
bitrations than any living American,
and a French authority recently wrote
that Mr.. Lansing probably had had a
longer and broader experience in in
ternational arbitration and had ap-
peared more frequently before inter-
national tribunals than any other liy-
ing lawyer
In 1892 Mr.. Lansing was appointed
associate counsel for the United States
ed the sessions of the international
tribunal at Paris in 1893. In 1s94-95
he was counsel for the Mexican and
Chinese legations in Washington In
1896 he was appointed by Secretary of
State Richard olney counsel for the
claims commission. In 1s9s-s9 he was
counsel for private parties before the
Canadian joint high commission and
counsel for the Mexican and Chinese
licitor and counsel for the United
States government before the Alaskan
boundary tribunal, in London: was
counsel in the Venezuelan asphalt dis
putes in 1905; counsel for the United
States in the Atlantic fisheries arbitra-
delegate in the fur seal conference at
Washington in 1911, and special coun-
sci for the Department of State in
various pending diplomatic questions
In 1911 he became counsel for the
United States in the American and Brit
ish claims arbitration, and from 1913
until April 1, 1914. when he became
counselor of the State Department to
succeed John Bassett Moore. he repre-
sented the United States before this
commission.
Author Of Book on Law.
Mr.. Lansing was one of the founders
Of the American Society of International
Law and has written book on constitu-
tional law. He has associated for years
with diplomats at homo and abroad and
is well liked by members of the diplo-
matte corps here.