Evening star., 1920-02-16

sing call the first cabinet meeting
after President Wilson became ill?
He admits he did. but at least one
OF the calls for a cabinet meeting-I
think it was the first-wcnt out
through the medium OF the White
House Offices and officials there could
nave stopped ii by notifying the
PRESIDENT of what was happening.
they did nothing of the kind.
what was the atmosphere and sit
uation when the first cabinet meeting
was called? Congress was restless.
Poiitical enemies OF the President
were circulating stories that he was
mentally unable to fulfill the duties Of
the presidency and were talking
ting a successor. Newspapers were
clamoring TO know how the govern
ment was functioning, If at all. Mem
berS of the cabinet thought it was
up to them to do something to quiet
public alarm. 1t was the political and
loyal side of the Wilson following
trying to meet public criticism in an
awkward situation.
uninterrupted Government.
The Presidents friends did not
know how sick he was. They knew
only that he needed rest and freedom
from worry. If they could only give
the appearance of uninterrupted gov
ing him a service. So the first cabi
net meeting was held.
1t is true DIR. GraySon came there
as the emissary of the President, and
made it clear that Mr.. Wilson was
curious and therefore not altogether
pleased with what was happening.
He wanted it understood that no
action could be legally taken on a
question which the President is au
thorized TO act upon by law unless
the President himself approved.
The cabinet took that as natural
limitation upon them and understood
perectly well what they could and
could not do. But it was decided for
the sake of appearances as well as
for the good that might come out of
interdepartmental conference ana
consultation to continue the meetings
Several of them were held. White
House officials pointed to them as
proof that the government was func-
tioning and that all was well with
the affairs of the republic.
Suddenly. out of clear sky. comes
a letter from President Wilson to
Secretary Lansing asking him IL 1t
was true that cabinet meetings had
been held. Nobody was more sur
prised than the Secretary of state.
He had had differences with the Pres
ident and had been intending to re-
sign, but no never dreamed that the
calling of cabinet meetings which ha ID
been planned as service and not n
dis-service. But Mr.. Lansing didn't
play the part of Il little man. He took
the rebnke politely and made his exit
He could have involved other men In
the Wilson administration who had
urged him to keep the cabinet meet
ings going. He could have involved
nearly everybody in the President s
official family. But, since he was made
the goat, he accepted his fate without
a whimper, trusting that the pubic
might some day understand.
knowledge Of Meetings.
Did the President really remain un-
aware until last week Of the fact that
cabinet meetings were being held IN
the executive offices q few yards from
his own sick room? Circumstantial
evidence would seem to point to the
absurdity of such a conclusion.
The newspapers printed references
to it again and again. I remember
clearly that Attorney General Pal
mer went to the White House before
a certain momentous cabinet meeting
on the coal strike. and after a prief
discussion with the President told
! the correspondents later that the gov
ernment was behind him ana Mr.
Wilson approved Of what had been
done.
The correspondents recall that Mr..
| Palmer said something to them or
having informed the President OF the
cabinet situation. But he may not
| have gone into detail concerning
meetings. The President may have
! gotten the impression that the At
torney General was consulting his
| colleagues in an informal way.
1t is within the range of possibility
that while Mr.. Wilson did know aoout
these conferences, did read about
them in the newspapers. ana ola re-
gard them as inter-departmenta ntal
consultations" he may have fallen
back on fine distinctions in the use
of words and failed to regard mem
as cabinet meetings. NOT oio ne
concern himself about them. propaoly
until some one told him they weIe
not Informal. get-together functfons
| but formal sessions. and that At one
of these sessions the question was
| seriously raised as to whether or NOT
the cabinet should ask the wee
President to come and take the place
of the President.
Possible Resentment.
Maybe Mr.. Wilson didn't learn OF
the latter fact till last week. GosHp p
| iika that doesn't always travel fast.
| but when it did reach Mr.. WILSON, it
| Is generally believed, he gave vent 10
a pent-up dissatisfaction with MT.
I,ansinEs views on the peace treaty
and a deep IeSeHlHlcHI a. " ''As
considered desire to depose the
President of the United States.
personally. / prefer for the present
to believe that the President was. Tor
the most part. kept in Ignorance OF
what had been going on around him.
Every President has an outer armor
which protects him from accusations
and at the same time safeguards him
| a gainst mistakes. The tragedy OF the
time nobody dared to say him nay:
nobody let him in on the fact that
the country had been accepting: the