Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-14
tween the President and Secretary Lansing:
'''1he White House,
Washington, Feb. I.

Under our constitutional law ana prhctice'
as developed hitherto, no one but the
| President has Abe right To summon the
| heads of the executive departments INTO
! conference, and no one but the President
| and the Congress has the right 10 ask
| their views or the views OF any one ot
them on any public question.
IL take this matter up with you be-
cause in the development OF every con-
stitutional system, custom and precedent
are OF the most serious consequence and
| think we will all agree III desiring not
to lead in any wrong direction. | have,
therefore, taken the liberty of writing
you TO ask YOU this question, and am
sure YOU will be glad To answer.
II am happy 70 learn from your re-
cent note to Mrs Wilson that your strength
is returning Cordially and sincerely yours,
Woodrow Wilson"
''Ion. Robert Lansing,
Secretary Of State
LANSING OFFERS TO QUIT.
Washington, February 9, 1920.
"My Dear Mr.. President
lit is true that frequently during your
illness | requested the heads of the ex-
ecutive departments of the government
to meet for informal conference
Shortly after YOU were taken Ill IN
October, certain members of the Cabinet
of which | was one, felt that. IN view
of the fact that we were denied communi-
cation with you, IL was wise for us to
confer informally together on lnterdc-
partmental matters and matters rs TO
which action could not bc postponed
until your medical advisers permitted
YOU 20 pass them.
Accordingly |, rs the ranking member.
requested the members of the Cabinet to
assemble for such informal conference; /;
and in view of the mutual benefit arrived,
the practice was continued. ! can assure
YOU that It never for a moment entered
my mind that | was acting unoonstltutlon-
ally or contrary 90 your wishes, and there
cert ainlv Was no intention on my part to
assume powers and exercise functions
which under the Constitution are ox-
clusivclv conhded 10 the President.
During these troublous times, when
many difficult and vexatious questions
have arisen and when IN the circumstance
I have been deprived OF your guidance
and direction. ii has been my constant
endeavor to carry out your policies as !
understand them and to act IN sll matters
as believed vou would wish me to act
IT, however, you think that have failed
IN my LOYALTY To YOU and # You no longer
have confidence 10 me and prefer Ia have
another conduct our foreign affairs,
am, of course ready, Mr., President 10
relieve YOU of any embarrassment by
placing my resignation IN Your hands.
am. as always, fsithinlly yours,
Robert Lansing,
PRESIDENT ACCEPTS OFFER.
"The White House, Washington.
February IL, 1920
"Ny Dear Mr.. Secretary am very
much disappointed by your letter Of Feb
r,Iary in reply TO mine asking about the
so-called Cabinet meetings. You kindly
explain the motives of these meetings, and
find nothing in your letter which justlties
YOUR assumption OF Presidential authority
IN such . matter. You say YOU felt that,
in view of the fact that YOU were denied
communication with me, IL was wise 20
confer informally together on interdepart-
mental matters and matters asito which
action could not be postponed until my
medical advisers permitted me TO be seen
and consulted but | have to remind you,
MIR Secretary. that no actlon could he
taken without me by the Cabinet and
therefore there could have been no dis
advantage IA awaiting action with regard
to matters concerning which action could
not have been taken without me
This affair. Mr. Secretary. only deepens
4 feeling that was growing upon me,
While we were still in ~ParIs ! felt. and
have ieit increasingly ever since, that
YOU accepted my guidance and direction
on questions with regard 10 which ! had
10 instruct YOU only with increasing re-
luctance. and since my return 70 Wash
ington ] have been struck by the number
of matters IN which YOU apparently have
tried 10 forcstall my Judgment hN for
nulatine action and merely asking my ar
proval when II was impossible for me TO
form an independent judgment because
| had not had an opportunity To examine
the circumstance with any degree of in
PREFERS ANOTHER sECRETARy.
a. therefore, feel that ] must frankly
take advantage of your kind suggestion
hat If should prefer 10 have another 10
conduct our foreign affairs you are ready
to relieve me OF any embarrassment bv
placing your resignation in nv hands,
for / must say that il would relieve me
IF embarrassment. Mr.. Secretary, the /
of feeling your reluctance /
and divergence of Judgment, if you would /
give YOUR present Office up and afford me /
IN opportunity TO select some one whose /
mind would more willingly 60 along with /
mine.
Il need not tell YOU with what reluc- /
-ance | take advantage OF your sugges- /
ion or that | do so with the kindliest |
ceiling In matters Of transcendent i'm
lortance like this the only wise course
: a course of perfect candor. where per
,onal feeling Is as much as possible left
,It of the reckoning Very sincerely
ours, Woodrow Wilson.
Hon Robert Lansing,
Secretary of State.
FELT STRAINED RE1Ar'oNs.
The Secretary of State.
Washington, Feb ~. 1920.
My Dear Mr.. Present:
- wish To thank you sincerely for
our candid letter of the llth in which
ou state that my resignation would be
to YOU, since il relieves me
f the responsibility for action which ]
ave been contemplating and which
an now take without hesitation as it
neets your wishes.
Il have the honor therefore, 10 tender
.ou my resignation as Secretary of State
he same TO take effect at your convenience.
In thus seyering our official associa-
ion | feel, MIR. President; that / should
made the following statement which |
lad prepared recently and which will
how YOU that ] have not been unmind-
II that the continuance of our present
elations was impossible and that | real
ed that it was clearly my duty to bring :
lem TO an end at the earliest moment