Evening star., 1920-02-14
Secretary Lansing's Resignation.

fuDilc reaction OF sympathy Api
Secretary Lansing's position in the
matter of his resignation, rendered
virtually at the Presidents request, is
Immediate and unmistakable. Mr.
Lansing, it would seem from the cor
respondenee now published, offended
tho Presidents sense of official pro
pfiety by frequently calling the heads
of the executive departments into
conference. 1t is evident from the
letters that behind this fact, however,
there have been serious differences
between the President and the Sece-
tsfy for over year.
The President notes in his letter of
February IL that while they were still
in Paris he felt that Mr.. Lansing was
aecepting his guidance and direction
Sxith increasing reluctance Mr..
Lansing, in his letter of resignation,
notes that ever since January, 1919, he
has been conscious that the President
was NO longer disposed to welcome his
advice and that his inclination was
then to resign, but he held his office to
prevent embarrassing the President in
bis absorbing peace treaty labors at
Paris, and again upon his return he
refrained from resigning while the
peace treaty was under consideration
in the Senate, in order to avoid mis-
construction in the public mind which
would embarrass the administration
in its fight for unconditional ratifiea-
'tion. Subsequently, after the Presi-
dent became ill, he decided to stay
in the State Department until the
Presidents health would permit him
to choose a successor.
80 that it would appear that the mat
ter Of the cabinet meetings is not the
cause of the Secretary's retirement, or
dismissal, but only the occasion util-
ized to effect his withdrawal. The
esuse lies deeper, in evidently irreeon-
eilable differences Of opinion on poll
eics. Mr.. Lansing's withholding of his
rssignstion for year against his in
elination bespeaks high sense of
duty, and discloses the patriotic en-
dursnce Of Q burden which he now
lsys down "with profound relief" to
himself and to the satisfaction of the
Prssident, who, measurably restored to
health, desires NO mind in his cabinet
which does not unreservedly ego along
With" his own.
Az to the cabinet meetings, it is
Doubtful if there is ground for the
Psssident's complaint of usurpation of
Ms efsee or prerogative. The cabinet
does not exist Is . legal entity. 1t is
not recognized by the Constitution or
b. the statutes. Its sessions have no
validity in law and only have acquired
prestige through the fact that the con-
elusions that may be reached at such
meetings lead to executive pronounce
,nents or decisions, which in the final
analysis must always be the function
cffhe President and none other.
In calling the cabinet into session
or rather in summoning his colleagues
for conferences on interdepartmental
mstters-Mr. Lansing was promoting
che national welfare at a time of grave
anxiety and strain and doubt.
Il would have been better, if the
President felt that he and his Secre-
.eary Of State were not of the same
mind, were not working harmoniously,
and that a change in the Office would
be wise or desirable, for him to have
put the matter strictly on that plane
and not to have brought into the case
Che question of the propriety of Mr..
I.snsing's endeavor to serve the coun-
try In the emergency of Mr.. Wilson's
fitness, unselfshly, conscientiously and
snostentatiously.