Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-02-14

S''~ >oi 4, iAANIJil
with appreciation, and
Mr.. Lansing becomes the second sec
retary Of state to leave the administra.
ton over disagreement with his
chief
Although the correspondence ba,
tween Mr.. Lansing and the Preside
makes the calling OF the cabinet meet
ings The incident which leads directly
/ 10 the Secre.ary's resignation, persons
on the inside of the administration
vino know what has been going on
say tudt was only an incident and
mat the real reasons for the break
20 back over period OF many months
and come from fundamental differ
ences OF opinion in policy.
The disagreementS between the
President and The head Of the state
department even ant edate the entry
OF the United States into the war.
The relations between the two men al
most reached the breaking point early
in 1917, when Mr Lansing issued his
celebrated statement saying the
United States was daily being drawn
nearer and nearer the war. BY some
II was taken to forecast the entry or
/ the United States. The President
made every effort to overtake the
statement after it had been given out
at the state department, but it was inn
possible.
When Mr.. Lansing went as mem
Der OF the American peace delegation
1 to Paris more differences developed
| nt ha,
mission, he was not in accord with
the Presidents idea OF making the
treaty of beace and the covenant OF
the league of nations one and the
same inseparable document 1t was
Mr.. LanSings idea that usch a plan
would delay the ratification of peace
treaty, and in this he was supported
by Henry Whi,e and +. NJ. House.
II may be said with a great degree
of authority that while the President
ana Mr.. Lansing We're together in
Paris other differences of more than
minor nature developed and this is
confirmed by the reference which the
President makes to il in one Of his
letters
When President Wilson went back
20 Paris last March ana found that
during his brief absence in the United
States Mr. Lansing and the others OF
the American mission had agreed
tentatively at least to have the peace
Germs and the league OF nations cove.
ndnt separated, the situation came
very near a breaking point and prob
ably was avoided only because tina
President thought it more important
uot to let European statesmen see a
split in the American peace delega
ton. While Mr. Lansing probably
saw and conferred With the President
in Paris as much as any other men,
brr Oi the American mission, it was
Il matter OF romarK that he saw him
very little
However, tue incident which came
nearer causing break than any other
was the sensational testimony Of VIII
liam {. Hulli,t. one OF the experts at
tacheI to the American peace mission,
before the senate foreign relations
committee, BuIlitt, reading from "A
diary, quoted Secretary Lansing as
having told him he was out of sym
pathy with the league OF nations cove
uuut and as predicting hat the treaty
would fail II the American people ever
learned of its tul import
Mr. Lansing obviously in a very
difficult position, did not repudiate
Buliitts statements, although il was
mumonlarl} expected in Washington
.hat he either would repudiate them
or resign his office. President Wilson
was at the time ON his speaking tour
iu tine west To say that he was up
set by HulMtts story and his quota,