Evening star., 1920-02-14
Mr.. LANSING RESIGNS
FOLLOWING REPRIMAND
BY PRESIDENT WILSON
CONTINUED from First Page.)


learned of its full import.
Mr.. Lansing, obviously in a very
difficult position. did not repudiste
Bullitts STATEN. nts, although was
that he either would repudiate them
or resign from his office. President
Wilson was. at the time. on his speak
ing tour in the west. To say that he
was upset by Buliitt's story and his
quotations of the Secretary of STATE
puts it mildly officials in thf rresl-
Dental party who knew the worklnr
of the Presi6 ents MIND expected TO
see the Secretary resignation asket
for when the President returi 10
Washington. These sam. ctfcia b
lieve now that the breakdow mich
sent the President home very sex
man was the only thing whlch pre-
vented il.
the President again and did all his
business with the chief executive IN
writing. The relations between IN"
men remained very much STRAINED.
and then Mr.. I.ansinG's action III ca,t-
ing the cabinet together Drpught
them to the breaking point
Cabinet Meeting Dramatic.
Those who were present at the first
cabinet meeting describe rather
tense and dramatic scene. Congress
was full of rumorS that the President
was SO disabled as to be constitution
ally unable to discharge the functions
of his Office. There was talk of what
might be done TO place Vice President
Marshall 1T the head of the govern
ment and how Congress might go
d bout doing it. Nobody knew the full
extent Cf the Presidents illness. 1t
had not then become known that he
had partially lost the use of his left
arm and leg through an accumulation
of blood in one of the arteries IN his
-
tha; the President might not be in
possession Of all his faculties. Some
senators were even contemplating
some action to find out whether we
have a President or rot" as one OF
their number put it. These persisted
until Senator Fall. republican. New
Mexico, after a personal talk with the
President announced that he was sat
isaed that Mr.. Wilson was in full pos
session o. his mental faculties and en-
tirely able TO discharge the duties Of h:s
office. but they were being circulated and
widely credited last November when the
cabinet assembled for its first confer
snce at the call of Secretary Lansing.
Precedents Cited.
The Secretary of State. it should he
said. believed he was supported by
precedent in calling the cabinet to-
gether. Looking up the historical
record, he found il had been done
"
weeks after having been shot by on
q assa ssin, and that II had been done
before that when President Taylor
had long iline IS and ultimately was
succeeded by Vice President Fillmore.
The Wilson cabinet assembled the
first day with a feeling of apprehen-
sion. for none of the members knew
the extent of the Presidents illness.
but expected to be informed of it.
Secretary Tumuity had informed the
President that Mr.. Lansing had called
the cabinet together, and the Pres!-
personal physician message to de-
liver to the secretaries.
The secretaries assembled at their
usual places that day and Mr.. Lam
sing sent for DR.. Grayson. The Pres
ident's chair at the head of the table
was left vacant until the physician
arrived. and he was asked to occupy 1t.
Inquiries About President.
DIR Graysen," Secretary Lansing
is reported to have said by those who
were present, I'VE wish 20 know the
nature and extent OF the Presidents
illness, and whether he is able to per-
form the duties OF his office. SO that
we may determine what shall be done
TO carry on the business OF the gov
ernmeni." ~.
by some of the other secretaries as
having replied in substance:
The President is doing as well as
could be expected; he is in full pos.
session Of all his faculties. and he
has directed me to inquire OF you by
what authority this meeting OF the
cabinet was called, what business is
before II. and what business it is ex-
pected might be transacted at cab
met meeting without his participa-
ton"
According to the story told at the
time, Secretary Lansing had no op-
portunity to reply because some of
the other members stepped into the
breach and asked DR.. Grayson to say
to the President that the only pur-
pose of the meeting was to inquire
the state Of his health and to send
him a message OF loyalty and en-
eouragement. At that point the meet
ing broke up without having trans
acted any business, but IL did not
end the so-ealled cabinet conferences.
Deubtful whether President Knew.
1t has not been made plain whether
President Wilson knew since then
that the cabinet members had been
assembling and talking over interde-
partmental affairs. but the meetings
have been held in the cabinet room
in the executive Offices and if the
President did not know IL probably
was because those surrounding him
did not think it wise to tell him.
The best opinion of those ION the
inside" is that the President did not
know until last week of the regular
ity at which the cabinet was meeting
at the call of the Secretary of State
because at about the time at which
the Presidents first letter to Mr.
Lansing is dated, the White House
Offices '1et it be known" that the
President had ended the cabinet con-
ferences and there was an inference
that he might preside at the next one
himself There was, however, no
hint that the ending OF the meetings
marked separation between Mr.
Wilson and Mr.. Lansing.
Other Differences Existed.
Now that the break has come and
Mr.. Lansing has left the cabinet.
much may be revealed of the extent
to which the Secretary OF State and
tho presidABf differed in matters OF