Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-02-19
SECOND SECRETARY OF
STATE QUITS CABINET

kindly explain the motives of these
meetings and find nothing in your
letter which justifes your assump-
ton of presidential authority in such
matter.
you say you felt that, in view
of the fact that you were denied COM
munication with me, it was wise to
confer informally together on inter
departmental matters, and matters
as TO which action could not be post
poned until my medical advisers per-
mitted me, 10 be seen and consulted,
but ! have TO remind you. Mr.. Score
tary that no action could be taken
without me by the cabinet, and, there
fore there could have been no disad-
vantage in awaiting action with re-
gard To matters concerning which
action could not have been taken
without me.
This affair Mr.. Secretary, only
deepens feeling that was growing
upon me. While we were still in
Paris felt, and have felt increasing
ly ever since, that you accepted my
guidance and direction on questions
with regard TO which | had to in
struct you only with increasing re-
| luctance, and since my return 10
! Washington | have been struck by
the number Of matters in which you
have apparently tried to forstall my
judgement by formulating action and
merely asking my approval when it
was impossible for me to form an
independent judgment, because | had
not had an opportunity to examine
the circumstances with any degree OF
independence.
81 therefore feel that must
frankly take advantage of your knd
suggestion that if should prefer TO
have another TO conduct our foreign
affairs you are ready TO relieve me of
any embarrassment by placing your
resignation in my hands, for l must
say that it would relieve me of en-
barrassment, Mr.. Secretary, the EN-
barrassment Of feeling your reluc-
tance and divergence of judgment, if
you would give your present Office up
and afford me the opportunity TO Sc
lect someone whose mind would
more willingly go along Win mine.
II need not tell you with what re-
luctance ! take advantage Of your
suggestion or that do so with the
kindliest feeling In matters of tran
scendent Importance like this the
only wise course is course of per
feet candor, where personal feeling
is as much as possible left out Of the
reckoning.
Very sincerely yours,
"(Signed) WOODROW WILSON.
Secretary of State
Hon. Robert Lansing,
GLAD TO QUIT'-LANSING
Mr. Lansing's letter follows:
THE Secretary Of State,
Washington, Feb. u, 1920.
MY Dear Mr.. President: | wish
to thank you sincerely for your can
did letter of the 18th in which you
state that my resignation would be
acceptable to you, since it relieves
me of the responsibility for action
which have been contemplating and
which can now take without hesita-
ton, as it meets your wishes.
81 have the honor, therefore, TO
tender my resignation as secretary of
state, the same to take effect at your
convenience.
"In thus severing our official asso-
citation | feel. Mr. President, that |
should make the following statement
which ! prepared recently and which
- 4hot hnnn
unmindful that the continuance of
our present relations was impossible
and that | realized that it was clearly
my duty to bring them TO an end az
the earliest moment compatible with
the public interest.
Ever since January, 1919, | have
been conscious of the fact that you
no longer were disposed to welcome
my advice in matters pertaining to
the negotiations in Paris, TO our for
eign service or To international af
fairs in general. Holding these views,
| would, if | had consulted my per-
sonal inclination alone, have resigned
rs secretary Of state and as a com
missioner to negotiate peace.
ltll, nOWtNtIs ifldb SuNU a oNtp
might have been misinterpreted both
at home and abroad, and that it was
my duty to cause you no embarrass-
ment in carrying forward the great
task in which you were then engaged.
Possibly | erred in this, but if ! did
it was with the best of motives.
when / returned to Washington
in the latter part Of July, 1919, my
personal wish to resign had not
changed, but again felt that loyalty
to you and my duty to the admins
tration compelled me to defer action.
as my resignation might have been
misconstrued into hostility to the
ratification of the treaty Of peace or
al least into disapproval of your
views as to the form of ratification
II. sherefore. remained silent,
avoiding any comment on the fire.
queni reports that we were not in
full agreement subsequently you
:, .ous illness, during which have