Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-26
NAMING OF COLBY
/ ASED|TORS SEE It
Appointment Viewed as Filling
, Wilson Requirement as to
7 Willing Mind"
WHOLE COUNTRY SURPRISED

The appointment nv President vii.
son yesterday. Of cambridge Colby. to be
secretary Of state. succeeding Robert
Lansing. is freely commented on by the
newspapers of tho country. Among tho
editorial opinions printed today arc the
following:
New York World There could be no
more complete defiance Of custom aud
precedent than the selection Of Baiu
bridge Colby to succeed Robert lansing
and there could be no more complete
Justification Tor. disrcgarding those
standards than the Presidents own cV.
rcriencc in adhering TO them in tho
past.
In tho letter asking for Mr.. Lansing s
resignation. she President said II would
relieve him Of embarrassment ''if you
would give up YOUR present Office and
afford me an opportunity TO select some
one whose mind would more Willingly
70 along with mine. -. Mr.. Colhr fills
those specifications. lis mind follows
naturally along the channels cf .thC
Presidents mind. hut it is not sub
scrvient mind. On the contrary. Mr..
Wilson has taken nobody into his
cabinet who has shown in a higher d" -
gree tho courage md Independence that
have marked Mr.. Colby'S political
career
New York Times---ln parting com.
pany with Secretary Lansing tho PrrSl r.
dent wrote that his resignation would
afford me an opportunity To N"lert
some one whose mind would moro will
inglv go along With mine. The Coun
irv will assume therefore. that tn"
change in secretgrjes involves n" chang"
IN policies. Tho President will hc his
,,,.. So
rotary Colby's mind will 60 along with
hls. We are At liberty 20 asSum" that wv.
Colbys Willingness to assent to such
an arrangement was pcrhanS the con
trolling consideration in the appoint
mont.
New No,k sun and Herald Tn" ma .
zion i. startled bv Mr.. Wilson'S an
rointment oi Raiuhridg" Co'hy a. sec
retary of state at this iuncturc Of oUr
crucial International affairs; the Dem" q
cratic Marty is shocked. humi ia;nd.
that.amone all tho tried and true Demo e.
crats Of the country there was none
IN fill this first Office in the gift OF the
President
Philadelphia Pubic LcdEer-WhcthCr
Mr.. CoIhy's mind will go along more
willingly" with Mr. Wilson'S than Iii
Mr.. Lansing's has to hc demonstrated
There will I've MANY who vii wonder
how long Mr. Colby. whose friends
would describe him a. u mau of great
Independence OF mind and judgment. but
who might ais" be looked upon by o,hcr :
y. "erratic' in matters Of Judgment ,
will BE- able TO function with tho Prcsi
dent. II is most uncertain whcthor q"
will find iu his place in tho cabinet ,
>nould the Senate consrut {" tho Al.
rointment those orTortrIn'i"s for ~
dependent Judgment for which hc ha
hitherto been distinguished But 'ha,
I, matttr betweep the PrPsid"n; a"G
i,'q secr6tnrv of state which must ="
left for them 10 find out.
rhilsde;pbla Press --Air ro'by j. ~
able man and II Civcn q l"c" lann
would no doubt leave tho impression ni
Iir acquired ideas and oNtnINuN on our
foreign relations. lie ha-. hOwcv"r.
hg' year to serve. and IL Prr~idC7t
Ni'snn cOntiuIFs bis proSCui rc2 ;l ! ,
wIlI tsvt little TO do but To .,1rr, "u}
~" \ relapse and ho unable {, Iir, T
trr SIat' department. sir. to'h- viii
,"a:I' " ha, bis duties the c are rom .ho
Lansing corr rspoudcuce Ilr / to >ir
stu rnn say nothing. His miHI must
willingly 90 alooG with tnat Of ~,
Presidents. aud if the Frrsidcut'
mind suSpendS work the Sta'o Depart
mpnt must folIow suit.
Philadelphia Inquirer Announce