The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-17

Editor's Note-This is the first of a
series of three articles on the Wilson
Lansing break, the underlying causes
and Significance of it.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17--President
Wilson has made mistake His
friends are bewildered. His oppon-
ents naturally rejoice. Few pepole
Know the facts-not more than two or
three. The background of the epi-
sode. the thread of the narrative itself
discloses the inner side of the White
House and officialdom as it is today,
the president incapacitated. irritable
Pver his long confinement and ex-
tremely jealous of his presidential
prerogatives, and officials generally
are apprehensite lest they, too. be-
come victims of presidential wrath.
For. if there was "usurpation" of
authority by Secretary Lansing, there
was plenty of it by other persons
equally as close to President Wilson.
Ascribed to illness.
1t is easy for people outside OF
Washington to make an offhand Judge
ment and assume that the presidents
blunt act is a direct consequence of
the tedium of his illness-an impati-
ence and petulance not unknown to
persons suffering from nervous ex
haustion. But instead of supposing
that the president acted unnaturalIy
Cne close at hand can't fail to have the
impression that the president indeed
acted naturally. Study of the Wilson
temperament over a period of years
and observation of what has been
going on in the environs OF the white
house and Capitol hill since the presi-
ho 1c
more easily to the conclusion that Mr.
Wilson gave vent to an outburst of
temper which has appeared on previ-
GUS occasions but which his advisers
concealed or checked than to the
notion that some newly developed
irascibility brought about the curt
dismissal of the secretary of state.
To form a correct judgement, it is
necessary to know how much Presi-
dent Wilson has been permitted to-
learn of events and affairs going on in
the government and outside world
during his illness. Three people can
answer the question, Dr. Cary T. Gray
son, his physician; Mrs. Woodrow Will
Tumulty. The lips of the first indi-
vidual are sealed by professional
ethics, the wife of the president is not
newspapers and has no communica-
tion with the press since Mr.. Wilson
became ill, and the private secretary
to the president has decided to keep
absolutely mum.
s Correspondents Get Inside.
But correspondents who 60 to the
White House every day make it their
business to keep their eyes and ears
open and to remember from week to
week and month to month. And any
one of dozen who watch White house
affairs carefully can testify to certain
happenings, which, when pieced to-
Sether and anaiyzed in the light of the
Wilson mood and temperament, can
not but result in Illuminating conclus-
ions.
For instance: Did Secretary Lam
sing call the first cabinet meeting aft
er President Wilson took sick? He
admits he did. but at least one of the
calls for a cabinet meeting-I think it
was the first-went out through the
medium of the White house offices,
and officials there could have stopped
It, by notifying the President of what
was happening. They did nothing of
the kind.
What was the atmosphere and sit
uation when the first cabinet meeting
was called? Co Vess was restless.
Political enemie II the President
mentally unable to fulfill the duties of
the presidency and were talking about
constitutional methods of getting
successor. Newspapers were clamor-
ing to know how the government was
functioning, if at all. Members of the
= cabinet thought it was up to them to
do something to quiet public alarm
1t was the political and loyal side OF
the Wilson following trying to meet
public criticism in an awkward Situa
ton.
Didn't Know Real State.
The Presidents friends did not
know how sick he was. They knew on
ly that he needed rest and freedom
from worry. If they could only give
the appearance of uninterrupted gov
eminent, they felt they would be do
ing him a service. So the first cabi
ret meeting was held. 1t is true DR.
Grayson came there as the emssary
of the president and made it cleal
that Mr.. Wilson was curious and there
fore not altogether pleased with what
was happening. He wanted it under
stood that no action could be legally
taken on a question which the presi
dent is authorized to act upon by law
unless the president himself approved
The cabinet took that as a natura
limitation upon them and understood
perfectly we'll what they could ant
could not do But it was decided fol
the sake of appearance as we'll a:
for the good that might come out o
inter-departmental conference ant
consultation to continue the meet
ings. Several of them were held
WHITE house officials pointed to then
as proof that the government wa'
functioning and that all was well will
the affairs of the republic.
Like Bolt From Sky.
{ Suddenly out of a clear sky, comes
letter from President Wilson to Sec
Il retary Lansing, asking him if it wer'
true that cabinet meetings had beel
held. Nobody was more surprised
than the secretary of state. He hat
+ had differences with the president ant
(Continued on page twelve)