New-York tribune., 1920-02-14


thority in such a matter" The Cabinet
could do nothing without tho President.
Mr.. Wilson pointed out. and "thercfore
there .ceald have been no disadvantage
in awaiting action with regard to mat
ters concerning which action could not
have been taken without me-"
Breach Started In Paris
The President mentions the "increas-
ing reluctance" of Mr., Lansing in fol-
lowing Presidential instructions, which
he first noticed at Paris, but which had
been increasing. He goes on to dis
cuss the attempts of Mr.. Lansing to
"forestall thu Presidents Judgment
by attempting to submit decisions for
approval instead of letting the Presi-
dent examine the circumstances with
any degree of independence" He then
calls for Mr.. Lansing's resignation.
Mr. Lansing's reply, written yester-
day, states that he has beer conscious
since January, 1919, that the President
was no longer disposed to accept his
advice on the peace negotiations, or
the foreign service, or on International
affairs in general. His resignation,
however, he thought. might have been
misconstrued both at home or abroad,
so he stayed on to avoid ombarrass-
ment to the President, On his return
to America his wish TO resign in
creased, hut again resignation might
have been misconstrued. he said, as
hostility to the ratification of the
treaty. Then came the Presidents i'll
ness, and Mr. Lansing says he felt it
his duty to remain until the Presi-
dents recovery 'permitted you to as
sumo again full direction Of foreign af-
fairs
Lansing Defends His Course
Mr.. Lansing declares with the sharp
cst language in his letter with regard
10 tho Cabinet meeting: Il believed
then, and | believe now that the CON
fcrenoes we're for the best interests of
your nistration and 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 derelict in my
duty if l had failed to act as | did"
Denying that he was attempting to,
forestall the Presidents judgment, Mr.
Lansing admits that When he thought
a case demanded immediate action lie
had advised what he thought the action
should be.
This" he said, ~ conceived to be
function of the Secretary OF State, and
! have followed the practice for the
that 1 have been surprised and disap-
pointed at the frequent disapproval of
ny suggestions, but have rever
falsed to follow your decisions, how
ever difficult it made the conduct Of
our foreign Affairs
That last clause, in the minds of
some here tonight, is the most sweep
ing criticism ever made of Woodrow
Wilson by one of his official family.
The i1ap+ ri il,o
ence with brief note to- day. accepting
the Lansing resignation Eat once"
Clashed Over Jenkins Case
One of the incidents to which it is
understood the President had refer
cnce in which Mr.. Lansing, in the Pres
ldent's opinion, attempted to forestall
Niisonian opinion, was in the Jenkins
case. Secretary Lansing inspired the
Fall resolution requesting the Pres-
dent TO Withdraw recognition from
larranza and sever diplom attic relations
with Mexico. 1t was on this occasion
that the President saw Senator's Hitch
cock and Fall in MS sick room, later
writing tart note telling the Senate
that the conduct of foreign affairs
should be left to the President, in
whom they were vested by the Consti-
tuition.
The resolution also approved the
action of the Department. of State"
which was the action of Mr. Lansing
as indorsed by Ambassador Henry B.
Fletcher. Curiously enough, Mr..
Fletcher also has just resigned.
Polk Now Acting Secretary
One theory evolved tonight in the
aroping around for the real reason
of the Presidents sudden decision to
GUST Mr.. Lansing was that the Lord
Grey letter on the peace treaty had
something to do with it, Just a few
days before the Presidents first letter
TO Mr.. Lansing was written, last Satur-
day, it became known at the White
House that the President was very in
Thursday, two days before the letter
to Lansing was written, Secretary
Tumulty virtually confirmed the re-
ports printed that morning that the
President was strongly displeased
'Tumulty permitted himself to be
quoted as saying the President never
heard Of the Grey letter until it was
printed, and generally gave the i'm
preston that it was a "breach of
courtesy.'
The theory is that perhaps tile Pres
ident for some reason thought that Mr.,
Lansing should have been able to pre-
vent any such blow at the fight the
President was making to get the peace
treaty ratified without reservations.
Frank l.. Polk, Under Secretary of
state, became acting Secretary of
State to-day, and Will continue in that
capacity until the President names
successor to Mr.. Lansing. 1t is pos
slble that Mr.. Polk will be promoted,
hut Washington does not expect this.
The President has surprised officials
here SO much by his appointments in
the last few weeks that most peoptc
have given up the habit of trying to
guess who would be appointed to any
particular place. The theory of many
officials tonight seems to be thot as
MIR. Polk is rather the logical man for
the place he Will not be appointed.
Mr.. Lansing's resignation was dis
tnct shock in Washington tonight
Had 1T occurred while he was in Paris
those who had received some word
about the state of affairs between the
president and the members of the
American peace mission would not have
been surprised. Had it occurred after
Mr. Lansing's testimony before the
Foreign Relations Committee of the
senate, when ne clearly showed how he
was ignored by the President and
given the Presidents confidence on
scarcely anything of Importance, there
would have been no surprise. Or had
u occurred after William c. Bullitt
told the committee that Mr. Lansing
had told him the treaty was .'thorough-
jV bad' and that +bo ,>.o,,a...