El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-12
,ECRETARY OF STATE ROBERT LANSING'S testimony

CECRETARY OF STATE ROBERT LANSINGS testimony
- before the senate foreign relations committee last week
must have been about as embarrassing ordeal dis
nguished and dgned statesman Of the United States
has ever had undergo For by the dictates OF truth
telling he obliged to admit that he was not only d
very minor figure in the American peace delegation N
Trance but also that he was practically deprived OF MS
functions as secretary Of state, for the time being
As secretary Of o. the United States Nj Lansing
sould have een on parity with the pTemiers Of Great
Britain France and italy He should have sat with them
IN the formulation Of peace and deliberations on
Tie league Of nations. He not allowed to do So The
senate committee got the impression from Nj Lansngs
testimony that president Wilson the whole American
peace mission He with the premieTs Of the allies
and estimated devised argued and bargalned M Lansing
and the others who nomnay members Of the Amen
u mission were assigned minor tasks Of vital nature
If memory serves, MI. Lansngs job was to SIT with the
committee appointed to FIX responsibility for the war
matter concerning which there doubt nor any dis
prte M Lansing not allowed to be secretary OF
state as regards deliberations European affairs and
s was completely Of touch with affairs IN this oou
nv Washington It assistant secretary POLK VINO
was secretary Of state.
really enlightened and conscientious diplomat and neither
an international idealist ideal nternauonas was
III at ease Paris he watched the mental gyrauons IN
the esce conference the slaughter of the "A points, the
kicking aside Of all obstacles good OF otherwise TO tne
formation Of league OF nations and the way ID WHICH
some Of allies allowed to I'll their pockets with
ali the pums and get away with them But he couldn
help it. Nj Lansing held position about equal to that
Of a chief clerk.
nations that declared Germany, not permitted
to sign the peace treaty. He reminded that the
United States to sign peace treaties with Turkey and
Bulgaria though having beeea war with either OF
them He did not know why that was SO. He was con-
scous that difference or other between the
American plan for League Of Nations and the plan de-
vised BY Gen Jan Christian SHUTS, but he could not say
list what the difference was.
Now, Nj. Lansing is no Henry Ford World politics
international law and diplomacy his meat and drink
In his chosen field he without superior in this country
with possibly the exception Of Ehhu Root Yet he con-
essed ignorance of outstanding and rather simple matters
pertaining the peace conference simply because ne nao
had nothing do with the conference He was used IN
the mob scenes but he had speaking part although he
had been cast for { stellar role He didn't like It
Mr. Lansing had a miserable hall hour as he tired 10
minimize his action signing the Bliss memorandum OF
protest against the Shanung matter He was trying to
Be ioval to Wilson and also justify his own action
and # was a tough job. He must have been very glad
when he was excused from making any further state
ments. -
Why should M Lansing have been shouldered aside at
Paris7 Was he unqualified for deliberations Of high i'm
portancs? He had written many Of the most important
state papers during the Wilson administration, including
some for which M Wilson got the credit He had as has
been said given years OF study to international law and
diplomacy He was reinforced BY the profound skill OF