The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-02-14
PRESS COMMENT.
ON RESIGNATION
News of Secretary Lansing'S
Dismissal From Cabinet
Creates Sensation.
L ON DON ASTOUN DED

London, Feb. IA. N. S)-News OF
the resignation of Robert Lansing.
the American secretary or state, ar
rived in London too late for comment
in the morning newspapers The Daily
News printed a brief Washington dis
patch stating that Mr. Lansing was
out The News was eagerly discussed
| among the European statesmen gather
ing here for the meeting of the council
of the league of nations and the big
| three
| "A u. S. \. Political Sensation, ," was
the headline, printed in big type, that
| the Evening STANDARD carried over its
| Washington story. This newspaper de-
voted over half of its first page to Sec
retary Lansing's resignation,
This afternoon London newspapers
print the news OF Secretary Lansing's
resignation under u variety of promi-
| cnt captions, such as United States
| Political Bombshell," "Washington
Sensation" Great L. S Sensation"
The Pan Mall Gazette says:
president Wilson's return to political
activity has been announced by sem
! satona stroke" During his Illness
the newspaper adds, all kinds of re-
| ports were current as TO where the real
seat of authority lay in the conduct of
| the American administration. The
| curtain now has been thrust aside"
| the article co0tinucs, "and we have the
| lively spectacle o, the president, not
only using his prerogative, but employ
! ing II to discharge his chief legal ad-
| wiser The newspapers consider the
| presidents self-assertion 'emergcs all
the stronger for his enforced rest, and
| he is evidently going TO take up the
reinS of government in a spirit that
will not parley with opposition"
The Westminster Gazette says:
The dismissal of Secretary Lansing
by the president is a dramatic illustra-
ton of the peculiar power assigned to
the head Of the government by the
American Constitution. What il is eX-
actly, that Secretary Lansing has done
is not very clear but he would appear
TO have applied on his own account
what has been described as the Amer-
can principle of onc-man management,
while President Wilson insists on
monopoly of the idea. &"
New York Feb. 14--Editoral COM
ment in New York on the resignation
under dramatic circumstances OF Secre~
tary OF state Lansing was confined to
the Times and the World, both Of
which have been consistent supporters
of the administration. The World
says Secretary Lanslng's resignation
is even more sensational than Mr.
Bryan's, for in addition to the sudden
retirement itself there is the dramatic
fact that the resignation was asked
for in most bewidering circumstances
Philadelphia, Bulletin-fn comment
ing today upon the lansing Wilson
| breach, declared the rupture dated
back to the "suhordination OF the sec.
retary 10 Col. House in the councils
at Paris" adding that the secretary's
dismissal was unfair unjust and an
extraordinary course TO be pursued
by the president"
Pittsburgh Ledger Had either
President Wilson or Secretary Lansing
possessed the courage Of their opinions
the secretary of state would have left
As a personal quarrel between
two democratic party leaders the pub
lie will have little interest in the dis
agreement And whatever may be the
surface Indications, that II all the
Lansing resignation amounts to-"
Pittsburgh Press-"Mr. Lansing IS
only fault has been his overmodcsty,
his silence, when he should have
spoken and spoken emphaticaly, Now
that he has refused any longer TO oc-
cupy false position and by his re-
ticence mislcad the people. the country
manifestly cannot do otherwise than
approve his action"
Hamomnd lndD Times-"ls vii
son in his right mind to force
the resignation Of Lansing or
has his arrogance so Increased, be-
cause that worthy public official con-
suited with the cabinet at a critical
juncturo that he can, brook no in
reference with the idea that Wilson
alone. i'll or well. reigns In American"
The Baltimore American says the ac-
tion Of President Wilson I'm calling for
the summary resignation Of Secretary
Lansing "wll stand as an almost uu-
precedcntcd step IN the record Of the
White House. The letter from the presi-
ident viii cad many IN believe that hc
acted in iit OF pcevshcnss and that
his long sickness may have had some
thing TO do with the determination to
get rid OF the secretary"
Baltimore Sun-"Thp democratic re-
moNal OF Secretary Lansing gives evil
dcuce that the president is on the job
again. literary with vengeance
Though the happening comes with a
shock. various events Of the recent
or more remote past might have pre-
pared the discerning mind for II. n
their significance had been fully mcd-
tated upon"
Pittsburgh Retirement Of the
secretary Of state marks the return
Of Mr Wilson to forccful direction Of
the executive duties Of govern
The manner OF Mr. Tansiup'q do
parturo is rcErcttnhlo Mtt hie de
parturo under tho circumstance rs not
10 be likely wisely regretted n has
long seemed that no was iu MANY re-
spects out Of harmony with admiuigtra-
tion policies"
The Pall Mall Gpzcftc nnd tho Gloho.
London. ench gave half Of Tho FIRST
mer called II "a Washington scnsa-
ton;" tho latter Tuitrd S'of,g po-
ltical bomhsholl"