Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-24
LANSING LOYAL
TO PRESIDENT.
SAYSLAWRENCE
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

Lansing was popular as secretary OF
state. Diplomats recognized the
awkwardness of his position, par
ticularly his inability often to speak
for the president because the latter
individual would not take him into
his confidence, but they made al
lowances for this and liked Mr.
Lansing for such frankness as he
was able to display. He was courte-
Gus with foreign governments and al
though he differed again and again
with the president as to wisest poll
Cy to pursue, he never showed it 20
q foreign government.
Whenever the president decided Il
question that was enough for Robert
Lansing. Like an ambassador in
foreign country he followed instruc-
tons faithfully.
Nevertheless it mus" not be mag
med that Robert Lansing has not
eXerted a very great influence on our
foreign policy in the last two years
Even before he took office, he fran
ed the neutrality policy of the gov
eminent as counsellor of the de
artment Of state and is generally
credited with having been the author
OF the phrase "a stric| accounta
bility," which was used in one of the
first Lusitania notes. He wrote
many drafts Of notes that never saw
the presidents eye and he wrote
many shat were pigeonholed by the
president. But like a true counsellor
he always was ready with a com.
prehensive statement of the alterna-
tiVes involved.
Kept in Background
Usually, he gave the president the
various courses of action which could
be followed, and, while politely sug-
costing which he himself thought
best, invariably left it to the presi-
dent to choose. But Robert Lansing
knew traditional American doctrine
and he also put in every note he
wrote a certain liberalism and al
truism that so many people would
promptly say was Wilsonian. Even
on the. notes for which the president
received the highest praise, you
couldn't get a word Que of Robert
Lansing as to the part he played.
1 remember particularly one of
the best notes ever sent out by the
United States governments COM
munication to the Austro- Hungarian
government about the requested en-
barge on arms. Solicitor Woolsey
and Secretary Lansing framed that
note and the editorial praise which
the president received for doing what
he didn't do had no effect on the
feeling of the men in the depart
ment of state which took it as a
matter of course.
Mr.. Lansing always will be re-
membered for his clear definition OF
Pan-Americanism and for his splen-
did conception Of what our relation
ships should be with the nations
south Of US. 1t is true that he didn't
favor the couple of the League Of
Nations with the peace treaty, SIM
ply because he thought better Con
sideration could be given to each
separately. But he didn't press his
views and when the American mis-
sion got to Paris, he worked as hard
as anybody to help realize the idea
which the president had set before
the peace conference.
He wrote a plan for League Of
Nations and submitted it along with
the rest, but showed no signs of dis
pleasure when it was not approved,
nor was he peeved at the frequent
prominence bestowed upon NColonel
House.
He took his presidents idiosyn-
crasies for what they were worth
and like a faithful servant did all
he could to keep relations harmon
ious. But the president, instead OF
approaching the self-sacrifice OF MS
secretary Of state, oftentimes for
got he had one. He gave so much
time to Colonel House and placed so
much confidence in The man from
Texas that it was a subject of pubic
comment on every side.
Yet, Mr.. Lansing hid his pride ans
| did his job. 1t was when the Shan-
| tung settlement came up and When
| the president became involved in the
meshes of European diplomacy thai
| Mr. Lansing expressed dissenting
Siews on q number Of questions, all
Of which served to irritate Mr.. Will
| son. who couldn't brook disagree A.
| ment.
Presently, Mr.. Wilson began to
| lose confidence in the judgment OF
| Colonel House and when he failed
70 consult him, he relied more on
Mr.. Lansing's advice. It began to
look as if the two men ould get
close together after all. Mr~Lansing
didn't want the president to go on
that western trip. He thought Mr..
Wilson could do much more effec-
tive work in Washington and he felt.
TO-. that the physical strain might
break him down.
But the real crux of the situation
came when Mr.. Lansing showed I'M
mistakable readiness to write a
compromise on the peace treaty, y
willingness to adopt the Lodge res
ervations to the Wilson viewpoint
in such fashion that ratification
could be accomplished without loss
Of dignity by either side. But Mr..
Wilson was furious. He was i'm
patient with anyone who even men
toned the word, reservation" in his
presence. The nearest one could get
in a communication that would not
bring forth his displeasure was the
employment OF the word 'interpreta-
TONS"
Senator Hitchcock probably could
tell an interesting story some day
about his trouble with President Will
son, which perhaps would throw light
on why Mr.. Lansing was summarily
dismissed.
internationally, the departure of
Mr.. Lansing will cause much I'M
certainty, Cor our ambassadors and
ministers abroad long have felt that
they were unable 70 execute their
tasks because of the lack of know
edge of what the department of state
had in mind. There will be even
more perplexity because it VIII take
the new secretary of state some time
to get his bearings. Mr.. Lansing's
going will be regretted by newspa-
per men generally who regarded him
as not necessarily the best secretary
Of state we have ever had, but as
one of the highest types of public
officia1-an honest, Christian gentle
ni&n who gave more to the president
than he ever received.