New-York tribune., 1920-02-16
WashingtonGossipSe Seesin
Dismissal Correspond
ence a Desire by the
President to Run Again
Successor Before
End of the Week
New Theory Is That Secre-
tary Was Ousted for
Urging an Acting Head
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-1nterest in
the ousting of Secretary of State
Lansing by President Wilson shifted
largely to-day to the political side. No
Cabinet member has followed the ex-
ample of former Secretary Lane, who
acknowledged his joint responsibility
for the Cabinet meetings with Mr.
Lansing. Mr.. Lane resigned before the
present row broke. The other Cabinet
members are sitting tight and hoping
the whole unpleasantness will blow
over.
No action is contemplated by any re-
sponsible leader on Capitol Hill. 1t is
rather safe prediction that nothing
will be done unless there are fresh de-
velopments. The Republicans are de-
lighted with the way things are going
and do not wish to make any move that
might prove boomerang. The Demo
Gratis are profoundly worried and GER
tainly do not want to start anything.
But everywhere politicians and Of
ficials gather the political consequences
of the ousting of Mr.. Lansing, and par
ticularly of the amazingly frank state
ments made by President Wilson, H.
Illustrating his desire to have only men
in the Cabinet whose minds "will &c
along more willingly with mine," are
being discussed
1t was intimated from an official
source tonight that the President
might name a successor to Secretary
Lansing be ore the end of the week
This intimation came despite the pre-
vious assertion that there was no hurry
about the appointment, inasmuch as
Under Secretary Polk could serve as
Secretary for thirty days.
Interest in the name of Mr.. Lam
sings successor is Keen not only be-
cause of the desire to know who will
fill the office but because there is
wonder is, the appointment may not
disclose new motive on the part of
the President for ousting his Secre-
tary of State. Among Senators, men,
bers of the House and officials the
talk is very strong of John w. Davis
and Secretary of War Baker.
One member of the Cabinet to- day
told friends he thought Mr.. Davis was
met, who is known for his interest
in practical politics, believes the Davis
appointment would strengthen the
Democratic party in Mr.. Davis's state.
West Virginia, which went for Hughes
by narrow majority in 1916 The
mention of Secretary Baker is based
on the thought that the President has
always seemed to regard him very
highly and because his mind goes
along with that of the Pres dcnt very
willingly indeed.
Lansing Maintains Silence
The general opinion in Washington
however, is that the President is going
to have considerable trouble in get
ting man to take Mr.. Lansing's place
who will impress the American people
favorably. Most men big enough for
the job of Secretary of State ordi-
narily, and whose names will so i'm
press the people, do not want to be
rubber stamps, it is pointed out. 1t is
thought the Presidents letters to Mr..
Lansing, which are interpreted as
showing that Mr.. Wilson does not want
one to find out what the President
wants and do it, have made the place
far less attractive than it would have
been had Mr.. Lansing retired without
any such bald statements on the part
of the President.
Mr. Lansing persists in an absolute
silence so far as newspaper men are
concerned. In talking to a close per-
sonal friend he is understood to have
said, when questioned as to the real
reason" for the Presidents action,
that "you could scrape as deep as you
wished under the chip and you could
4 ~
closed in the correspondence"
At Mr.. Lansing's house' to-day it was
said Mr.. and Mrs. Lansing would
leave in about two weeks for Daytona.
Fla, where they will spend several
weeks.
Intends to Run His Party
A question much discussed to-day
was whether the President intends to
run again for the Presidency. AS
was pointed out in The Tribune
just after the Jackson Day dim
ner, reports had even then been
mitteemen indicating that the Presi-
dent would be physically able to run at
that time if he desired to do so. Mr..
Wilson's action in the Lansing case is
taken by many as showing that he in
tends very positively to run the Dem
ocratic party as we'll as his Cabinet
and to brook not the slightest trace
of opposition.
The impression that Mr.. Wilson re-
CARDS himself as again in the saddle
was increased tonight by dispatches
from Paris telling o. the Presi-
dents fiat statement that he would
not accept the Lloyd George proposal
for the settlement of the Adriatic prob
lem, and, further, that the United
States would find it impossible to con-
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