Norwich bulletin., 1920-02-14

Washington. Feb. 13. Robert lansing ended his career as secretary of state today after President Wilson had accused him of usurping the powers of president by calling meet incs Of the cabinet during Mir. Will sons illness.
 Mr. Lansing denied that he had sought or intended 10 usurp the pres tdential authority He added. how ever that he believed then and still believed that the cabinet conferences were for Ihe best interests of the republic and that they were proper and necessary because Of the presl- dents condition
 As the record stands Mir. Lansing rendered his resignation and MT. Wilson accepted Il. The resignation was offered, however. only after the president. under date of February |, had written asking if it were true that Mir Lansing had called cabinet meetings and .NIting that if such were the case he felt 1t necessary to say that under our constitutional law and practice. as developed hith srto. no one but the president has the right tn summon the heads of the ekequtive departments into confer ence.r
 Mir. Lansing answered two days iater-last Monday-saying he had called the cabinet conferences be- cause he and others of the presi- dents official family felt that in view of the fact that we were denied communication with you. it was wise for Us to confer informally together on matters as to which action rould not be postponed until your medical advisers permitted you to pass upon them"
 The secretary concluded by saying that if Mr. Wilson no longer had confidence in him he was ready to relieve you of any embarra ssment by placing my resignation in your hands.
 The president replied last Wednes- day that he was much disappoint- ed" by Mir. Lansing's letter regard ing the so-called cabinet meetings.' lie sad he found nothing in the sec retary's letter which justifies your assumption of presidential authority iu such a matter and added that he must frankly take advantage oi your kind suggestion" to resign.
 Before this letter was written, the day for the regular cabinet meeting last Tuesday-had passed and the correspondence discloses why the cabinet did not meet. On the same day that he received this letter iron the president. Mir. Lansing announced that he had written other cabinet of ficers that he would not call any more cabinet conferences for the present but no explanation was offered.
 But the differences between the president long pre-dated the first cabinet call by Mir. Lansing, whicf was issued fast October 5. seven day: after ,Nr. Wilson returned from hi: western speaking tour and took tC his bed. They began at the peace conference in Paris, as Mir. Lansing disclosed in his final letter to the president. under date of yesterday and had continued since that time one Of the chief differences beinl over the governments attitude to- ward Mexico.
 When the cabinet met on Octobet 5. Joseph P. Tumulty, private secre tary Co the president, issued a for nal statement explaining the reason for the conference. He said:
 The cabinet was called to conside questions in which more than one de partment was concerned and also | discuss the industrial conference
 h his statement. MT. Tumulty sai that Rear Admiral Grayson. Mir. Will sons physician was present an, suggested that only urgent matter be brought to- the presidents atten ton.
 Thereafter until this week the cab met met more or less regularly. Dur ing the coal strike it met twice week in an effort to avert the walk out of the miners and several week ago it was decided to have meeting every Tuesday and Friday.
 Tnrrfrr r0l1 the president was said at the Whit House to have been advised of tn meetings and 10 have been kept in formed as to the progress his advis CTS were making toward a settlemer of the controversy He finally too the matter out of the cabinets hand and suggested a settlement which u miners accepted
 MT. Lansing accompanied the pres ident to Paris in December, 1918. 2 one of the American peace delegate but his friends have said that whi Mir. Lansing was at the peace cor ference MT. Lansing was virtual without authority and that natural he felt this keenly since the other a lied and associated countries wei represented by their premiers and n, the heads of their governments
 During the presidents illness u Mexican issue again came to Il front with the Kidnapping and sul sequent arrest of American Consul; Agent Jenkins in Mexico. After u Jenkins case had been discussed cabinet meetings presided over [ Mir Lansing. the state departmel sent a note to Carranza blunt warning him that further "molests tion' of Jenkins would seriously a feet the relations between the Unite States and Mexico, for which the go- ernment of Mexico must assume so responsibility"
 President Wilson was advised of situation which apparently had groV acute and he was said at the time have personally taken charge of il matter The Mexican government d. layed its reply for some time ar subsequently, Jenkins was release sn bail
 The state department issued Il