The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-14
LANSING QUITS CABINET
Secretary of State Breaks With
Wilson Over Question of
Usurping Power.
YEAR OLD QUARREL
President and Lansing Had Nu-
merOus Differences Over
Peace Treaty Clauses.

Washington. Feb. 13.-Robert Lans-
Ing ended his career as Secretary of
state today after President Wilson
lad accused him of usurping powers
u the President by calling meetings of
n:e cabinet during Mr.. Wilson's ill
aess
Lansing denied he had sought or in
tended TO usurp Presidential authority.
He added however he believed then
and still believed that Cabinet con-
/ ferences were for the best interests
of the Republic;" that they were
proper. and necessary because of
the Presidents condition, and that he
would have been derelict in his duty
if he had failed to act as he did
As the record stands, Lansing tend
cred his resignation and the President
accepted it. His resignation was
offered, however only after the Presi-
dent, under date of Feb. Z, had written
asking If it was true that Lansing
had called the Cabinet meetings and
stating # such were the case he felt
I Il necessary to say that under our
constitutional law and practice as de-
yeloped hitherto, no one but the Pres
ident has the right to summon the
heads of executive departments into
Conference"
Lansing answered that he called the
cabinet meetings because he and
5thers of the Presidents official fam
,y felt il wise to confer together in
formally on matters which the Presi-
3ents medical advisors would not let
aim pass upon. Lansing then offered
20 resign.
The correspondence discloses that
differences between Wilson and Lans-
ag began in Paris and that since then
oae of the chief differences had been
The United States attitude toward
Mexico.
In the Presidents second letter to
lansing regarding cabinet meetings,
the President said:
This affair, Mr.. Secretary, only
deepens a feeling that was growing
upon me While we We're stin in Paris
] felt and have felt increasingly ever
since that you accepted by guidance
and direction on questions with re-
gard to which / had to instruct You
uuly with increasing reluctance. And
since my return to Washington
have been struck by the number of
c-ed to forestalI my judgement by
/ :0rmulating action and merely asking
my approval when it was impossible
for me to form an independent judge
ment because I had not had an oppor-
unity TO examine circumstances with
4 any degree of independence"
In Lansing's letter replying to the
above is the following:
Even since January, 1919, have
been conscious of the fact that You
no longer were disposed to welcome
4 my advice in matters pertaining to
negotiations in Paris, to our foreign
service. or to international affairs in
general"
Lansing then said if he had con-
suited his own feelings he would al
ready have resigned, but he remained
feeling that his resignation would have
hoen misunderstood at home ana
abroad.
When the cabinet met Oct. 5, for the
first time after the President had
aiken to his bed. Secretary Tumulty
issued "A formal statement explaining
why and saying that Rear Admiral
Grayson was present and suggested
hat only urgent matters be brought
10 the Presidents attention"
During the coal controversy which
y was one of the subjects under discus
4 SION at the time it was said the White
House, the President had been ad
vsod of the meetings and he was said
70 have ben kept informed of progress
towards a settlement. He finally took
the matter out of the cabinets hands
and suggested settlement which the
miners accepted.
Under Secretary Polk will be made
secretary ad interim tomorrow to act
Until a successor to Lansing is ap-
pointed. Polk is chief among those
mentioned as possibilities for appoint
neut but his friends say he will not
accept because of ill health. In fact
ne long has had it in mind to resign
MS present office and take a rest
which his physicians have advised.