The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-16
Selection Of This Lawyer aid in Form
ing international Court, Presumably
After Consultation With the State
Department Was Without knowledge
Of the President
Statement from the White House Is to the Effect
That Discussion Of the Incident Is Closed 80
Far as Officials There Are Concerned

Of explanation fer the sensation e3er-
ton from the cabinet OF Secretary of
State Lansing by President Wilson d.
Nrfoped today in nigh official auarter1
II was reported that one. it not this
most impeilins reason for the actiof
Q. the president was the selection az
Elibu Root, presumably after the state
/ d. partment had been sounded out, III
THE distinguished man from Americas
/ to aid in the formation Of a constitu-
ten for the permanent court OF inter.
Eational Justice in accordance with the
plAns Of the member states Of thS
I que OF nations
I Mr.. Roots selection while made
sometime ago, was not formally an
rounced until the recent meeting of
J the council of the league in london
/ Tie gossip in Diplomatic circles ID Is
/ tire ea.et that the president was not
asked whether he thought the appoint.
ment of Mr.. Root was suitable. chiefy
because the council. under tho treaty,
| ~ free to name whoever il deems beat
fitted. American diplomats overseas.
though knew long in advance of the
| official announcement OF Mr.. Roots
appointment that he had been selected
| Ter the position and they nasuraiiv
communicated the information To the
state department.
GREY's LETTER.
While in the best informed Circles
/ the belief that Fiscount Greys iett1r
was the spark that started this white
House honf,re persisted today, there
pas nevertheless an indication to place
lcrcdence in the report that Mr.. Roots
appointment was an 3Gtuating netiy4
81 Tar as the Presidents action i4 con-
! eerred
The objection OF the president, II H.
sat forth. las not 50 mueh Ia the mr.
sorsssty e MIR. Rnot. whom ~ II a.
4 csst s~sertcd for srnrrrtark m3ssloaps
/ but in the manner OF his appotntmAnts
Fsessed the right to select any one Af
Ift5 discretion for the posts one s62
which will be taken by Mr.. Root. MT
lat II also neld that IL would be Ate
eether contrary to internattonals eon1S
itv and precedent if this government
were not FIRST consulted regarding III
views on Mt Roots ftnesS for tins
place Otherwise, foreign nations. Or
the council of tire league. might select
persona objectionable to the AMERICAS
Eesernment.
Tho repcrt Is that the president wAs
in ignorance Of Mr. Roots SELECTION
until the newspapers, about ten daTa
ago, carried accounts that he would ~
CHOSEN sa
4 When the news became public, the
president is said to have looked u0o4
Mr.. Roots sproin,ment "a a matter ~
Which he should a least have been a.
rised and because he was not advined.
ana also because he believed the stats
department. knew OF IT, and regarded
its failure n INFORM him as culminAt-
ing point in his gradually rising hoatil-
It's toward Mr.. Lansing, IT IL betl1w0A
he then jndited the letter which
brought about MIR. Lans,ngs resfxna-
ton. ssss;ss
THE GARNET MEETINGS.
=
knowledge of cabinet meetings us
swept aside today when ii was st&txds
b. one Of the r-en present at the AfSt
meeting. early in October, that Rear
Admiral Cary r. Grayscn, the preaf-
dents personal physician, appeared
with message from the president.
asking the memb ers OF the cabinot NJ
what authority they met and for whAt'
reason. y
Al the white House today it Ma1
stated en,phaticaiiy that discussi0n ~
the LANSING Wiiscn incident WAS closed
SO far as officials there were concerned
No one there would answer any quaA-
lions relating to the subject. Efforts
r 70 obtain any informstic At the stats
department. were likewise unavalling
as Frank Folk, secretary Of state N
Interim was in New York. ss d,
1t is we'll TO remember. in consiee-
ton with Mr.. IAnsings resignatt0n
that all tHH alHFfenceS oACWe40 hin
and the president as the result of tn
neace conference were Apparenf3x
smoothed ont when Mr. lansing ra-
turned To Washington. Shortly AFTER
!; he again took up his duties Ia this
country. he began at the invitation of
the presirent TO visit him In 4lte
White House everyday
All of these facts, coupled with the
unusual manner in which the preeJ.
dent denosed Mr.. Lansing. hava hAd
the effect OF confirming the beijAf
, here that the president IL reeervinf
fammunition for use Ia future ana
perhaps more sensational DEVELOPS
tments than those surrounding tke
resignation of his chief cabinet Az
fcer.
SoMF. COMMENT. s
} Cambridge. Eng, Feb. ssPres(*
+ dent Wilson'S virtual dismissa1 af
; Secretary OF State Lansing II "a ne
J the most astounding incident III
| American political life; II seeMt Ri
sscofsi pF%h cnAfb4
/ This WAS the comment friday ~
: John Maynard Keynes, fellow IA
: Kings college. Cambridge. and 0AAs ri
. 1.-The most penetrating minds IN
land, whose recent book dsalin9 It'll
: the work OF The peace conferences ~
. led to debates both In thA heuQ1 2E
|. som mons and the American c0Unx1