The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-02-20
LANSING FIRED
BY PRESIDENT.
SECRETARY OF STATE ADMITS
CALLING CABINET MEETINGS
WITHOUT AUTHORITY.
USURPED EXECUTIVE POWER
Real Reason Goes Back to Friction
During Peace Conference in 1918.-
Counsellor Frank L. Polk Will
Be Secretary Ad Interim

washington, FeD. 14.-RODeft Ian
sing ended his career as secretary OF
state yesterday, after, President vii
son had accused him of usurping the
powers of president by calling meet
sons Illness.
Mr.. Lansing denied that he had
sought or intended TO usurp the presi-
Dental authority. He added, however
that he believed then and still believed
that the cabinet conferences were for
the best interests of the republic; that
they were proper and necessary" be-
cause of the presidents condition, and
that he would have been derelict in
his duty of he had failed to act as he
did,
AS the record stands, Mr.. Lansing
offered his resignation and Mr.. Wilson
accepted it. The resignation was of
fered, however, only after the presi-
written asking if it were true that Mr..
Lansing had called cabinet meetings
and stating that if such were the case
he felt it necessary to say that under
our constitutional law and practice, as
developed hitherto, no one but the
president has the right to summon the
heads of the executive departments
into conference
Mr.. Lansing answered two days
the ninth-saying he
had called the cabinet conferences be-
cause he and others of the presidents
official family "felt that, in view of
the fact that we were denied commu-
nication with you, it was wise for US to
confer informally together on matters
as to which action could not be post
poned until your medical advisers per-
mitted you to pass upon them"
The secretary concluded by saying
that if the president believed he had
failed in his loyalty to him, and if Mr..
Wilson no longer had confidence in
him, he was ready to ''relieve you of
any embarrassment by placing my res
ignation in your hands,
The president replied last Wednes-
day that he was ."much disappointed"
by Mr.. Lansing's letter regarding the
''so-called cabinet meetings" He said
he found nothing in the secretary's
letter (which justifies your assump-
ton of presidential authority in such
a matter" and adding that he must
frankly take advantage of your kind
to resign.
81 must say the president contin-
ued, shat it would relieve me of en-
Mr.. Secretary, the en-
barrassment of feeling your reluctance
and divergence of judgment. if you
would give up your present office and
afford me an opportunity to select
else whose mind would more
go along with mine.'
Before this letter was written, the
lay for the regular cabinet meeting
asst Tuesday-had passed, and the cor
disclosed why the cabinet
lid not meet. On the same day that
ne received this letter from the presi
lent, Mr.. Lansing announced that he
lad written other cabinet officers that
he would not call any more cabinet
conferences for the present, but no
was offered. Inquiry at
he White House brought only the
statement that Mr.. Wilson himself
would call and preside at the
lext session of his official advisers.
But the differences between the pres
dent and the secretary long predated
he first cabinet call by Mr.. Lansing,
lays after Mr.. Wilson returned from
lis western speaking tour and took to !
lis bed. They began at the peace con- |
erence in Paris, as Mr.. Lansing dis |
losed in his final letter TO the presi- |
ent, and had continued since that time |
-one of the chief differences being
yer the governments attitude toward |
Iexico.
When the cabinet met on October
, Joseph Tumulty, private secretary |
0 the president, issued formal
tatement explaining the reasons for
he conference. He said:
The cabinet was called to consider
uestions in which more than one de-
artment was concerned, and also to
iscuss the Industrial conference"
He referred to the first conference
allied by the president with the hope
allaying industrial unrest.
In his statement Mr.. Tumulty said
lat Rear Admiral Grayson, Mr.. VIII
on's physician, was present and "sug-
ested that only urgent matters be