Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-14

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE state
department last night made public
the following statement:
Secretary Lansing has resigned
and his resignation has been ac-
cepted. taking effect today. Fol-
lowing is the correspondence be-
tween the president aad Secretary
Lansing:
| Wilson to Lansing.
The White House, Washington
It'll Feb. 19z0-My Dear Mr.. Score
tary: Ii 1t true, as I have been
told that during my illness you
have frequently called the heads oil
the executive departments OF the
government into conference? II il
Is, / feel it my duty to call your at
tention to considerations which
DO not care to dwell upon until ]
learn from yod. 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 executive 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
because, in the development of ev-
cry constitutional system, custom
and precedent are of the most seri.
GUS consequence, and l think we
will all agree in desiring not to
lead in any wrong direction.
have. therefore, taken the liberty
of writing to you to ask you this
question, and l am sure you will
be glad to answer
Il am glad to learn from your
recent note to Mrs. Wilson tina,
your strength is returning.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON.
Secretary of State"
"Hon. Robert Lansing,
| Lansing To Wilson.
The secretary replied:
THE secretary of State, Wash.
ington. Feb. 9, 1920.-Mr. Dear Mr.
President: 1t is true that fire.
quently during your illness, re.
quested the heads of the executive
departments of the government Il
meet for informal conference.
Shortly after you were taken II
in October, certain members of thu
lcasinet. of which l. was one, fell
that, in view Of the fact that We
we're denied communication will
you, it was wise for US to confer
informally together on inter-de
partmental matters and matters a!
to which action could not be post
poned until your medical advisers
permitted you to pass upon them
Accordingly, l, as the ranking
member. requested the members o
the cabinet to assemble for sucl
informal conference; and. in view
of the mutual benefit derived, thu
practice was continued.
II can assure you that it neve
for a moment entered my mine
that l was acting unconstitution
ally or contrary to your wishes
and there certainly was no inten
ton on my part to assume power
and exercise functions which unde
the constitution are exclusivel,
confided to the president.
During these troublous times
when many difficult and vexatiou
questions have arisen. and when
!! in the circumstances. l have beel
deprived of your guidance and di
rection, it has been my constant en-
deavor' to carry out your policie
as I understood them and to &C
: in all matters as / believed yo'
! would wish me to act.
"If, however, you think that
, thave failed in my loyalty to yo'
and if you no longer have conf
denc in me and prefer to have an
other conduct our foreign affairs
Il am, of course, ready. Mr.. Presi
!. lent, to relieve you OF any embar
rassment by placing my resignation
in your haads.
81 am, as always, faithful
!. yours.
ROBERT LANSING"
Presidents Reply.
To this letter the president replied
= "The White House,
II Washington, Feb. II, 1920.
, My Dear Secretary:
' II am very much disappointed b
> your letter of Feb. 9 in reply t
, lmine asking about the so-calle
y cabinet meetings. You kindly ex
! plain the motives Of these meeting
a and find nothing in your lette
which justifies your assumption G
. presidential authority in such
matter. -
"You say you felt that, in vie'
OF the fact that you were denie
communication with me, it wa
wise to confer informally togethe
. on interdepartmental matters. an
:. matter as to which action could nj
: be postponed until my medical al
? yisers permitted me- to be seen an
!, consulted, but I have to remin
: you, Mr.. Secretary, that no actio
!, could be taken without me by tn
= cabinet, and. therefore. there coul
= have been no disadvantage
= awaiting action with regard to ma
: tiers concerning which action cou!
not have been taken without me.
II This affair, Mr.. Secretary. onl
lGeepens a feeling that was CROWN
. upon me. While we were still
= Paris l felt, and have felt increa.
!, ingly ever since. that you accel
: my guidance and direction on que
/" lions with regard to which ha
4 to instruct you only with increa'
: ing reluctance, and since my retur
. to Washington I have been struc
. by the number Of matters in whic