The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-02-19
SECRETARY LANSING
QUITS CABINET
TROUBLE STARTED IN PARIS
NOW IMPOSSIBLE TO
CONTINUE

Robert Lancing, ended his career as
Secretary of State after President
Wilson had accused him of usurping
the powers Of President by calling
meetings of the cabinet during Mr..
Wilson's illness.
Mr.. Lancing denied that he had
sought or intended to usurp the Pres
idential authority. He added, however,
that he believed and still believes that
the cabinet c9pferences were "for the
best interests of the republic" that
they were proper and necessary" be-
cause of the Presidents condition and
that he would have been derelict in
his duty if he had failed to act as he
did.
As the record stands Mr.. Lansing
rendered his resignation and Mr.. Will
son accepted it. The resignation was
offered, however, only after the Pres
ident, under date of February Z, had
written asking if it were true that
Mr.. Lansing had called cabinet meet
ings and stating that if such were the
case he felt it necessary to say that
under our constitional law and prac-
tice, as developed hitherto, no one but
the President has the right to summon
the heads o. the executive depart
ments into conference"
Mr.. Lansing answered two days
later-last Monday-saying he had
called the cabinet conferences because
he and others of the Presidents Off
cial family "felt that, in view of the
fact that we were denied communica-
ton with you, it was wise for US to
confer informally together on matters
as to which action could not be post
poned until your medical advisers
permitted you to pass upon them"
The Secretary concluded by saying
that if the President believed he had
failed in his loyalty" to him and if
Mr.. Wilson 10 longer had confidence
in him he was ready to relieve you
of any embarrassment by placing my
resignation in your hands"
The President replied last Wednes-
day that he was much disappointed"
by Mr.. Lansing's letter regarding
"the so-called cabinet meetings" He
said he found nothing in the Secre-
tary's letter which justifies your as
sumption of Presidential authority in
such a matter" and added that he
~must frankly take advantage of your
kind suggestion" to resign.
II must ssy," continued the Presi-
dent, "that it would relieve me of en-
barrassment; Mr.. Secretary, the en-
barrassment of feeling your reluctance
and divergence of judgment, if you
would give up your present office and
afford me an opportunity to select
some one else whose mind would more
willingly go along with mine"
Before this letter was written, the.
day for the regular cabinet meeting
! last Tuesday, had passed and the cor
-respondence discloses why the cabinet
didvnQt meet. On the same day that
he received this letter from the Pres
ident, Mr.. Lansing announced that he
had written other cabinet officers that
he would not call any more cabinet
conferences for the present, but no
explanation was offered. Inquiry st
the White House brought only the
statement that MIR. Wilson himself
probably would call and preside at
the next session of his official advis-
ers.
But the differences between the
President long pre-dated the first
cabinet call by Mr.. Lansing, which
was issued last October 5, seven days
after Mr.. Wilson returned from his
western speaking tour and took to
his bed. They began at the peace con-
ferences in Paris, as Mr.. Lansing dis
closed in his final letter to the Pres
ident, under date of last Friday, and
had continued since that time-one
of the chief differences being over
the gove znment's attitude toward
Mexico.
When the cabinet met on October
5, Joseph P. Tumulty, private secre-
etary to the President, issued formal
statement explaining the reasons for
the conference. He said:
The cabiaet was called to consid-
eer questions in which more than one
aartment was concerned and also
Eeuss the industrial conference"
ea,,.aH fo tho fret conference