The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-18
LANE IS QUITTING
CABINET BECAUSE
Of BIG SACRIFICE
Real Reason for SeCretaTy'S
Decision to Resign Is Given
in Detail by ExpeTt-DiS.
poses of Vague RumOrS.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent Of The News
SelmitarO

Especial Correspondent Of The News
Selmitar,l
WASHINGTON, Dec. ls.-Franklin
h. Lane probably the best-liked man In
the Wilson administration In both Re-
publican and Democratic enYiTons, is
TO leave the cabinet because he can no
longer continue in public life at per-
sonal sacrifice.
Mr.. Lane intended saying nothing
publicly about the matter until he had
an opportunity TO consult the conVen-
fence of President Wilson, for he did
not wish to make the transition In the
interior department difficult for sue
cessor, nor did he wish to hurry the
president into naming new secretary
Of the interior. But an unauthorized
publication of story to the effect that
Mr. Lane had already resigned led him
TO issue statement, saying that, while
he had not even written his resignation,
ne did contemplate going out OF the
cabinet.
All sorts Of stories have arisen as to
the reasons which prompted Mr., Lane
to withdraw. reasons extending from
an alleged difference with President
Wilson on the league of nations to
supposed dissatisfaction with the ham
ding of the coal situation Both sto-
ries are incorrect. The secretary only
last Saturday night made an earnest
speech at a private gathering In Wash
ington advocating the league of ma
tons. Furthermore, his plans to with
draw from the~cabinet. 1t now develops,
We're known to several friends, includ-
ing newspaper correspondents, before
the recent coal crisis occurred.
On the other hand, II is fact that
Franklin Lane and Woodrow Wilson
have not always been In accord, The
secretary OF the interior always has
had the confidence of his chief, but 1t
can not be said that In the last two
years the judgment and advice of the
secretary OF the interior have been as
potential a factor with Mr.. Wilson as
earlier in the administration.
In Close Harmony.
This. however, never led to any III
feeling. On the contrary, the president
and Secretary Lane worked In the clos
est harmony when the industrial con-
ference recently was in session. and in
the recent message of the president to
congress he gave public approval to the
principal measures which the Interior
department has been championing.
At bottom, the controlling reason for
Mr.. Lanes intended resignation Is a
personal one. The end of his service
in the Wilson cabinet would come
within year, even if he decided to re-
main till the end Of the present admin
were to be continued in power, 1t would
not be likely that Mr. Lane would want
to stay in public office any longer.
So he is in the same frame of mind
as members of other cabinets have
been as the end of an administration
was approached. Messrs, Gregory and
Redfield decided to get into private bus
mess. Secretary McAdoo felt that the
needs of his family were such that he
had to get out and make some money,
1t will be remembered that many a
cabinet officer has complained that he
could not stand the pace in Washington
| on $4,000 year.
| future in public life. He ran for gov
ernor of California about n decade ago
| and was appointed to the Interstate
| Commerce commission by President
Roosevelt. He resigned from the com
| mission to become secretary Of the in
| terror in Mr. Wilson's cabinet He is
the only Democrat Of prominence who
can truthfully say that men as opposite
as Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow
Wilson were his close friends,
This was because, while Democrat
| Mr.. Lane has always been progress
sive, and it was his boast after the
| 1912 campaign that he carried to the
cabinet meetings Of the Wilson admin
| istration a copy OF the Bull Moose plat
I liz
| point with pride to the fact that under
| the first Wilson administration many
planks in that Roosevelt platform had
| been embodied into law or recommend
ed by the Wilson administration.
Rather Be Editor.
When one says there Is nothing fur.
Their in public life for FRANKLIN Lane
the natural thought is of elevation t.
the presidency. But Mr.. Lane was borr
in Canada, and is ineligible under thu
constitution for the. presidential job
He could run for United States senate
/ in California, but there is little doab
that Mr. Lane believes he has reaches
the highest point of public service II
the opportunities given him while
member of the cabinet. He has beef
mentioned for appointment as associat
Justice of the supreme court of tn
United States. but there are no longe
any vacancies.
But Franklin Lane has often told hi
friends that he would rather be tn
editor of chain of newspapers or g
prominent newspaper that carried in
flueflce in public affairs than to b
president of the United States, eve
IL he were eligible for the post. Orig
inally newspaper editor In Tacom;
Mr.. Lane has never lost his news in
stinct.
His annual report recently won til
admiration of Republican and Demo
cratic newspapers for the excellence
its style and the simplicity OF its e2
preston. Mr.. Lane likes TO write. An
il one were guessing rs TO what bus
4 ness he may enter when he does ieaN
4 the cabinet the guess would be u
writing business.
{Copyrisht, 1919. by David Lawrence