The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-02-14
LANSING QUIT
WHEN REbUKED
BY PRESIDENT
Final Break Came After
Long Series of
Disagreements


by President Wilson for calling cahI-
net meetings during his illness. Sec
reisry Lansing has resigned
The president has accepted the
resignation with appreciation. and
Mr.. Lansing beooiacs the second sec
retary OF state to leave the adminis-
tration over a disagreement with his
chief.
Although the correspondence be-
tween Mr.. Lansing and the president
makes the calling OF the cabinet meet
inss the incident which lead directly
to the sccrctary's resignation per-
sons on "thc inside Of the ndmlhls-
tration who know what has been go
ing on. say that was only an Incident
and that tho real reasons for the
break 20 back over a period OF many
months and come from fundamental
differences OF opinion In policy.
Many Disagrecmcnts.
The disagrccments between tho
president and the head OF the state
department even antedAted the entry
OF the United States into the war.
The relations between the two men
almost reached the breaking point
NANNN III ANA Nnfn MI Lansing -
sued his celebrated statement say
ing the United States was daily be-
ing drawn nearer and nearer the war.
BY some. u was taken to forecast the
entry OF the United States. The presi-
dent made every effort to oVcrtake
the statement after II had been given
out az the state department but It
wns impossible
when Mr.. lansing went ~ a mem-
her OF the American peace delegation
to Paris more differences developed.
with other members Of the American
mission he was not In accord with the
presidents idea Of making the treaty
OF peace and the covenant OF the
league OF nations one and the same
inseparnhle document. II was Mr..
lansinE's idea that such plan would
delay the ratification OF peace
treaty and In this he was supported
by Henry white and r. NJ House.
" may he said with a great degree
OF authority that while the president
and Mr. Lansing were together In
Paris other differences OF more than
minor nature developed and that is
confirmed by the reference which the
president makes 10 II In one OF hts
letters
When President Wilson went back
TO Paris last March aud found that
during his brief absence In the United
States, Mr.. Lansing ana the others
Of the American mission had agreed,
tentatively al least. to have the peace
terms and the league OF nations
covenant separated, the situation
came very near a breaking point and
probably was avoided only because
the president thought Il more Inn
portnnt not to let European states
men see split In the American peace
delegation. While Mr. lansing prob
ably saw and conferred with the
president In .'aris AS much as any
other members OF the American mis-
sion. Il was matter OF remark that
he saw him very little.
Bullirs Testimony Helped.
However. the incident which came
nearer causing break than any
other, was the sensational testimony
OF william G. Built, one OF the eN-
perts attached to the American
peace mission, bofore the senate for
eign relations committee. Bullit, AZ
I viii be recalled, reading from diary,
quoted Secretary Lansing as having
[ told him he was out OF sympathy
with the league OF nations covenant
and as predicting that the treaty
would fail Il the American people
ever learned OF It's fun import.
Mr.. Lansing, obviously In "A very
difficult position, did not ropudiate
son was al the time on his speaking
tour In the west To say that ho was
unset hy Bullirs story and his quota
tions OF the secretary Of state puts u
mildly. officials In the presidential
pnrty who knew the workings OF the
presidents mind expected to see the
secrctary's resignation asked Tor
when the president returned to
Washington. These Same officials be-
ueve now that the breakdown which
sent the president home very SICK
man was the only thing which pre-
vented g.
Mir. IaualnE. however. never saw
the president again, and ala an MS
business with the chief executive in
writing
THOSE who were present at the
first cabinet meeting describe n
rather tense and dramatic scene.
Congress was fun OF rumors that the
president was 30 disabled as TO be
constitutionally unable 20 discharge
tho functions OF his office. There
was talk Of what might be done TO
place Vice President Marshall at the
head Of tho government ana now
congress might go about doing u.
Nobody knew the full extent OF the
presidents illness. II had not then
become known that he had partially
lost tho use OF his left arm and
leg through an accumulation OF blood
in one Of the arteries In his brain.
There were even ugly rumors that
the president might not be In pos
session or an his faculties. some
senators were even contemplating
, some action to find whether I'VE
] 4