Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-14

sonal wish 10 resign had not changed,
but again felt that loyalty to you and
| my duty ~ tho Administration compelled
mc to defer action, ms my resignation
might have been mIsconstried into hos
tility 10 the ratification Of the treaty
OF peace or at least into disapproval Of
your views as TO the form OF ratification.
| therefore remained 81 lent, avoiding any
comment on the frequent reports that
VIC were not in full agreement. Suisse
qucntly your serious illness, during which
have never seen you, imposed upon me
The Juty-~at least | construed it to bc
my duty--to remain in charge OF the
Department Of State until your health
permitted you TO assume again full
direction of foreign affairs.
Believing that that time had arrived,
| bad prepared my resignation, when
my only doubt as To the propriety Of
placing IL in your hands WAS removed
by your letter indicating that IL would
be entirely acceptable to you.
II think, MIR. President, in accordance
vi th the frankncss which has marked this
correspondence and for which am grato-
ful TO you, that ] cannot permit to pass
unchalengcd the imputation that in call
ing into formal conference the heads OF
the executive departments / sought to
h1hF S'hi pItsiitntth tubiPtifs
had no such intention, no such thought.
! believed then and believe now that the
conferences which were held were for the
best interests of your administration and
OF the Republic, and that belief was shared
by others whom | consulted. | further
believe that the conferences were proper
and necessary IN the circumstances and
that | would have been dcrelct in my
duty If | had failed To act as | did.
II also feel, MIR. President, that candor
compels me to say that cannot agree with
your statement that | have tried To fore
stall your Judgment in certain eases by
formulating action and merely asking your
approval when II was impossible FOR you
10 form an independent Judgment because
You had not had nm opportunity 10 exam
inc the circumstances with any degree
of Independence have, it is true, when
| thoughLa case demanded immediate
action, advised you what, IN my opinion.
that action should be, stating AT the same
time the reasons ON which my opinion was
based. This | conceived Ia be function
of the Secretary of State and have fol-
lowed the praerce for the last four years
and a half | confess that ] have been
surprised and disappointed at the frequent
dlsapproval OF my suggestions, but have
never failed 10 follow your decisions,
however difficult IL made the conduct Of
our foreign affairs.
1 need hardly add that leave the office
of Secretary Of State with only good will
toward YOU, MIR President, and with a
SENSE Of profound relief
Forgetting our differences and re-
memhcring only your many kindnesses
IN the past have tho honor 10 be, Mr.
President, sincerely yours,
Robert Lansing
Tho President the White House
RESIGNATION ACCEPTED.
The White House,
Washington, February Is, 1920
NV Dear Mr.. Secretary
ALLOW me 10 Acknowledge with approoia-
tion your letter of February II IL now
being evident Mr. Secretary. that we have
both OF us felt tho embarrassment Of our
recent relations with each other. feel
It my duty to accept your resignation,
to take effect AT once: at the same tlrne
adding that ! hope that the future holds
for YOU many successes of the most
gratifying sort NV best wishes will
always follow YOU. and IL will be matter
of qualification 20 me always TO remember
our delightful personal relations. SIN
cerely yours,
Woodrow Wilson.
Hon Robert Lansing
Secretary of State