Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-02-14
Letters Which Led to Split
of Wilson and Lansing

apartment last night issued formai
statement announcing the resignation
OF Secretary Lansing and giving the
correspondence which passed between
the president and his chief aid lead
ing up to the breaking OF relations
The correspondence follows;
-The White House, Feb, I. My dear
Mr.. Secretary: Is II true, as ! have
been told. that during my illness you
have frequently called the heads of
the executive departments OF the gov
ernments into conference II II is,
feel Il my duty to call your attention
10 considerations which DO not care
10 dwell upon until learn from your
self that this is the fact. Under our
constitutional law and practice. as de-
welcomed hitherto, no one but the pres
ident has the right to summon the
heads Of the executive departments
into conference, and no one but the
president and congress has the right
TO ask their views or the views or
any one OF them on any public ques-
tion.
IT take this matter UP with YOU be-
cause In the development OF every
constitutional system, custom and
precedent are of the most serious
consequence. and I think we will all
agree in desiring not 10 lead in any
wrong direction. I have therefore TIA
ken the liberty OF writing you TO ask
you this question, and am sure you
will be glad to answer.
'T am happy to learn from your re-
cent note to Mrs. Wilson that your
strength is returning.
CORDIALLY and sincerely yours.
Woodrow Wilson"
Eyes. l Called Meetings"
"The Secretary of State, Washing
ton. Feb. 9-"My dear Mr.. Presi-
dent: 1t is true that frequently dur
ing your illness l requested the heads
of the executive departments of the
government to meet for informal con-
ference.
"Shortly after you were taken i'll in
October certain members of the cab
met. of which was one, felt that, in
view of the fact that we were denied
communication with you, ii was wise
for us to confer informally together
on interdepartmental matters and
matters as TO which action could not
be postponed until your medical ad-
visers permitted you to pass upon
them.
Accordingly I, as the ranking
member, requested the members of
the cabinet to assemble for such in
formal conference, and in view of the
mutual benefit derived the practice
was continued.
II can assure you that it never for
a moment entered my mind that I
was acting unconstitutionally or con-
trary to your wishes, and there GER
tainly was no intention on my part
to assume powers and exercise func-
tions which under the constitution
are exclusively confided to the presi-
dent.
During these troubious times.
when many difficult and veNatious
questions have arisen and when in
the circumstances I have been de-
prived of your guidance and direc
to carry out your policies as 1 under
stood them and to act in all matters
as believed you would wish me to
act. If. however. you think that I
have failed in my loyalty to you and
If you no longer have confidence in
me and prefer to have another con-
duct our foreign affairs, / am, Of
course, ready, Mr.. President, to re-
Iieve you of any embarrassment by
placing my resignation In your hands.
Il am, as always, faithfully yours,
Robert Lansing"
Sees Lansing Antasonsm.
"The White House, Feb. II, 1920
My Dear Mr.. Secretary: ! an very
much disappointed by your letter Of
Feb. 9 in reply to mine asking about
the so-called cabinet meetings.
you kindly explain the motives of
those meetings and find nothing in
your letter which justifies your as
sumption OF presidential authority in
such matter. You say YOU felt
that, in view Of the fact that you
were denied communication with me-
1t was wise to confer informally to-
gether on inter departmental mat
tiers and matters as to which action
could not be postponed until my
medical advisers permitted me- to be
seen and consulted, but have to re-
mind you, Mr.. Secretary, that no &C.
ton could be taken without me by
the cabinet, and therefore there
could have been no disadvantage in
awaiting action with regard to mat
tiers concerning which action could
not have been taken without me.
''This affair. Mr.. Secretary, only
deepens a feeling that was growing
upon me. While we were still in
Paris I felt, and have felt increas-
mgly ever since, that you accepted
my guidance and direction on ques-
lions with regard to which 1 had to
instruct you only with increasing
reluctance. and since my return to
Washington l have been struck by
the number of matters in which you
have apparently tried to forestall my
Judgment by formulating action and
merely asking my approval when it
was impossible for me to form an
Independent judgment because I had
not had an opportunity to examine
the circumstances with any degree
OF independence.
II, therefore, feel that I must
frankly take advantage of your kind
suggestion that II + should prefer to
have another conduct our foreign af-
fairs you are ready to relieve me OF
any embarrassment by placing ycur
resignation in my hands, for must
!, say that 1t would relieve me Of en-
barrassment MI. Secretary, the en-
harrassment Of feeling your reluc-
fance and divergence Of Judgment, /,
you would give your present offio<