Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-20
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Secretary Of State Lansing Is
Forced Out of the Cabinet by
President Wilson.
iDISCORD OF VIEWS REVEALED
Director General Hines Refuses to
Raise Wages Of Railway Employees
and the Dispute Goes to Pres
Ident--Renewed Hope for
Peace Treaty.
BY EDWARD W. PIckARp.

Forced out by President Wilson on
n pretext, Secretary Of State Lansing
resigned from the cabinet on Friday
and HIS resignation was accepted at
once. Coincident with this announce
ment the state department gave out
the correspondence on the subject be-
tween the president and the secretary
IA series Of letters that made plain
the growing discord between the two
men and revealed what looked like
querulous irritability on the part of
Mr.. Wilson. All the world knows, Of
some Of the dlsareements, but the
president chose for the subject Of
complaint the fact that Mr.. Lansing
had been calling informal meetings of
the cabinet during the illness of the
chief executive. He wrote as though
be had just learned Of this, and as
serted that In doing II the secretary
had usurped presidential prerogative,
This has put the other members Of
the cabinet in an uncomfortable posi-
tion, for the cabinet gatherings we're
called and held by their advice and
consent. Washington is wondering
whether they, too, win be called ON
20 resign.
u Mr.. L6hsing's resignation Is less sur
prising than the fact that he has so
long remained In the cabinet. Though
he was the premier" he. like the
other advisers of the president, was
accorded mighty little freedom Of ac-
tion. Though more nearly trained
diplomat than any other member Of
the administration, and nominally in
charge Of foreign affairs, all impor-
tant international matters were han
idled not BY him. but BY President VIII
son himself or by Colonel House.
Other cabinet members much inferior
In ability and experience, like Baker,
Burleson and Daniels, have been taken
into the confidence OF the president
much more than has Mr.. Lansing. He
has been a good deal of rubber
stamp" through no fnult of his own.
and his friends would have liked to
see him get out Of the cabinet long
ago.
Director General Hines and the
heads Of the railway unions failed to
reach an agreement as to wages, and
the whole matter was passed on to
president Wilson for his decision OF
the final attitude OF the government
The possibility Of a general railway
strike and consequent paralysis of In.
dustry loomed big. despite the asser.
stion of the leaders Of the four brother.
hoods that no such move was being
considered vet.
Mr.. Hines, after many days Of con
ference with the labor chiefs, came
to the conclusion that, though tn,
workers may be entitled to more pay
under existing living conditions, It Il
economically impossible for the rail
way administration to grant the in
creases In view of the fact that feder
nj control comes to an end on Marcl
1. 1t was believed In Washington
that the president would sustain Mr.
Hines and appeal to the railway un
ions to submit their demands to tn
wage adjustment boards provided 70
in the pending railway legislation. TIL
unions, however, do not seem to hav
any faith In such tribunals, and fee
that they will have no chance afte
N the roads have been returned I
private ownership.
Everyone concerned In the matte
e directly feels that the union chief
n have been very courteous and hav
shown a genuine desire to avoid ser
\ ous trouble. It is to be expected tina
some strikes win follow If the pres
~ dent decides against the workers, br