Alma record., 1920-02-19
SECOND SECRETARY or
STATE QUITS CABINET
Robert Lansing and Wilson
Write Notes" About Trou-
ble-Lansing Resigns.

day with the announcement that Rob
ert Lansing. secretary of state, had
resigned from President Wilson's
cabinet. And 1t was not lessened to
any extent by the publication of the
letters exchanged between Wilson
and Lansing, which are supposed to
contain all Of the information that
the public needs to know about the
affair.
The letters follow
WILSON TO LANSING
The White House, Washington.
9TH February, 1920.
my Dear Mr. Secretary:
rs il true, as | have been told,
that during my illness you have fire.
quently called the heads of the execu-
tive departments of the government
into conference? If it is, feel it my
duty TO call your attention to consid-
erations which ! do not care TO dwell
upon until ! learn from you. your
self, that this is the fact.
"Under our constitutional law and
practice, as developed hitherto. no
one but the president has the right TO
summon the heads of the executive
departments into conference. and no
one but the president and the con-
gress has the right to ask their views
or the views OF any one of them on
any public question.
II take this matter up with you
because, in the development of every
constitutional system, custom and
precedent are of the most serious
consequence, and ! think we will all
agree in desiring not to lead in any
wrong direction. have, therefore.
taken the liberty of writing to you to
ask you this question, and am sure
you will be glad to answer.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON.
Hon. Robert Lansing,
Secretary of State"
LANSING TO WILSON
The secretary replied:
THE Secretary Of State,
Washington, Feb. 9. 1920.
"My Dear Mr. President:
1t is true that frequently during
your illness. requested the heads o,
the executive departments of the gov
ernment to meet for informal confer
ence.
Shortly after you We're taken i'll
IN October, certain members of the
cabinet, Of which was one, felt that.
in view of the fact that we were
denied communication with YOU. it
was wise for as TO confer informally
together on inter-departmental mat
ters and matters as to which action
could not be postponed until your
medical advisers permitted you to
pass upon them.
Accordingly, |, 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
Il can assure you that it never for
a moment entered my mind that |
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 conditions are
exclusively confided 20 the president.
During these troublous times.
when many difficult and vexatious
questions have arisen, and when i'm
the circumstances. ! have been de-
prived Of your guidance and direc-
tion, it has been my constant en-
deavor TO carry out your policies as
] understood 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 20 have another conduct
our foreign affairs, am, Of course,
ready. Mr.. President, to relieve you
Of any embarrassment by placing my
resignation in your hands.
81 am, as always, faithfully yours,
ROBERT LANSING"
"DISAPPOINTED"-WILSON
To this letter the president replied:
"The White House, Washington.
Feb. IL, 1920.
"My Dear Secretary-I am very
much disappointed by your letter of