Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1920-02-14

AS the record stands, Mr.. Lansing
rendered his resignation and Mr.. Will
son accepted it. The resignation
was offered, however, only after the
president, under date of February 7
had written asking if it were true
that Mr.. Lansing had called cabinet
meetings and stating that if such
were the case, he felt it necessary to
say that "under our constitutional
law and practice, as developed hith-
erto, no one but the president has the
right to summon the heads of the
executive departments into confer
ence."
Mr.. Lansing answered two days
later-last Monday, saying he had
called the cabinet conferences be-
cause he and others of the presi-
dents official family "felt that, in
view of the fact that we were denied
communication with you. it was wise
for us to confer informally together
on matters as to which action could
not be postponed until your medical
advisers permitted you to pass upon
them"
The secretary concluded by say
inp that if the president believed he
had failed in his loyalty" to him
and if Mr. Wilson no longer had
confidence in him, he was ready to
"relieve you of any embarrassment
by placing my resignation in your
hsnds."
The president replied last Wednes-
day that he was "much disappointed
bv Mr.. Lansing's letter regarding
"the cabinet meetings." He said he
found nothing in the secretary's let
ter (which iustifies your assump-
ton of presidential authority in such
matter" and added that he "must
frankly take advantage of your kind
suggestion" to resign.
Begin at Paris.
~ must saw" continued the pres
ident. "that it would relieve me OF
embarrassment, Mr.. Secretary, the
embarra ssment of feeling your re-
hictance and divergence of judgment
if you would give up your present Of
flee and afford me an opportunity to
select some one else whose mind
would more willingly go along with
NINE"
Before this letter was written, the
dav for the regular cabinet meeting
last Tuesday-had passed an dthe
correspondence discloses why the
cabinet did not meet. On the same
day he received this letter from the
president, Mr.. Lansing announced
that he had written other cabinet of
ficers that he would not call any
more cabinet conferences for the
present, but no explanation was of.
fered. Inquiry at the white house
hroughtsonly the statement that Mr.
Wilson himself probably would call
and preside at the next session Of
his official advisers.
But the difference between the
president and Mr.. Lansing long pre-
dated the first cabinet call by Mr.
Lansing, which was issued last Oc-
tober 5,.seven days after Mr.. Wilson
returned from his western speaking
tour and took to his bed Thew be-
gan at the peace conference in Paris
as Mr.. Lansing disclosed in his fl
nal letter~.to the president. under
date Of yesterday, and had continued
since that Mme-one of the chief diff
ferences hing over the governments
ATTITUDE tOWaTO MEXICO.
When the cabinet met on October
5, Joseph p. Tumulty, private secre-
tarv to the president. issued for
NAL statement explaining the reasons
for the conference. He said:
Met Twice Weekly.
"The cabinet was called to con-
slider questions, in which more thar
one department was concerned, and
also to discuss the industrial confer
ence."
He referred to the first conference
called by the president with the hope
of allaying the industrial unrest.
In his statement, Mr.. Tumulty said
that Rear Admiral Grayson, Mr.
Wilson's physician, was present and
suggested that only urgent matters
be brought to the presidents atten'
ton"
Thereafter until this week tn,
cabinet met more or less regularly
During the coal strike it met twice /,
week in an effort to avert the walk
out of the miners and several week.
ago it was decided to have meeting,
every Tuesday and Friday.
During the coal wage eontrovers!
the president was said at the whit
house to have been advised of tn,
meetings and to have been kept in
|.