The St. Mary banner., 1920-02-21
LANSING LEAVES
WILSON'S CABINET
President Claims That He
Usurped Power Delegated
To Executive.

|
ed his career as secretary of state Fri
day. The state department issued the
| following statement:
| Secretary Lansing has resigned, and
his resignation has been accepted, tax.
| ing effect today. Following is the cor.
respondence between the president
and Secretary Lansing:
THE White House, Washington,
Feb. 7, 1920.-My Dear Mr.. Secretary:
Is it true, as l have been told, that
during my illness you have frequently
called the heads of the executive de-
partments of the government into con-
ference? If it is, feel it my duty to
call your attention to considerations
which | do not care to dwell upon I'M
til | learn from you yourself that this
is the fact. Under our constitutional
law and practice, as developed hither-
to, no one but the president has the
right to summon the heads of the ex-
ecutive departments into conference,
and no one but the president and the
congress has the right to ask their
views or the views of any one of them
on any public question.
Il take this matter up with you be-
cause, in the development of every
constitutional system, custom and
precedent are Of the most serious con-
sequence, and | think we will all agree
in desiring not to lead in any wrong
direction. | have therefore taken the
liberay of writing you to ask you this
question, and l am sure you will be
glad to answer
Il am happy to learn from your re-
cent note to Mrs. Wilson that your
strength is returning. Cordially and
sincerely yours,
"WOODROW WILSON.
"Hon. Robert Lansing, Secretary of
State
The Secretary of State, Washing
ton, Feb. 8, 1920.-My Dear Mr. Presi-
dent: 1t is true that frequently dur
ing your illness | requested the heads
OF the executive departments of the
to meet for informal con-
ference.
Shortly after you were taken i'll in
October certain members of the cabi-
net, of which | was one, 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 and mat
ters as to which action could not be
postponed until your medical advisers
permitted you to pass upon them Ac-
cordingly, |, as the ranking member,
requested the members of the cabinet
to assemble for such informal confer
ance, and in view of the mutual bene-
1T derived the practice was continued.
can assure you that it never for a
entered my mind that | was
acting unconstitutionally or contrary
o your wishes, and there certainly
vas no intention on my part to assume
powers and exercise functions which
lnder the constitution are exclusively
,onfided to the president. (
During these troublous times,
when many difficult and vexatious
luestions have arisen, and when in the
circumstances | have been deprived of
our guidance and direction, it has {
'een my constant endeavor to carry
ut your policies as | understood them t
nd to act nj all matters as | believed |
Ou would wish me to act If. how t
ver, you think that | have failed in /
ny loyalty to you, and if you no longer
ave confidence in me and prefer to 9
ave another conduct our foreign af- l
airs, / am, of course, ready, Mr. Presi-
ent, to relieve you of any embarrass-
1ent by placing my resignation in
our hands. | am always faithfully
ours, ROBERT LANSING"
The president replied that he was
much disappointed" by Mr. Lansing's
9tter regarding ''the so-called cabinet r
leetings." He said he found nothing
/ the the secretary's letter (which
lstifies your assumption of presiden- $
al authority in such a matter" and !
dded that he must frankly take ad- 1
antage of your kind suggestion" to {
ssign. {
Il must say" continued the presi-
ent, that it would relieve me of en- :.
arrassment of feeling your reluctance !.
Id divergence of judgment, if you 9
ould give up your present office and
ford me an opportunity to select
me one else whose mind would more L
illingly go along with mine"