The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-02-21
LANSING LEAVES
WILSON'S CABINET
President Claims That He
Usurped Power Delegated
To Executive.

WaShingtOn.-RODert Lansing emu
ed his career as secretary of state Fri
day. The state department issued the
following statement:
Secretary Lansing has resigned, ant
his resignation has been accepted, tax
! ing effect today. Following is the cor
respondence between the president
and Secretary Lansing:
"The White House, Washington
Feb. Z, 1920.-My Dear Mr.. Secretary:
Is it true, as | have been told, that
during my illness you have frequently
called the heads of the executive de,
partments of the government into con,
ference? If it Is, feel it my duty to
call your attention to considerations
which do not care to dwell upon I'M
til learn from you yourself that this
is the fact. Under our constitutional
law and practice, as developed hither-
to, no one but the president has the
right to summon the heads of the ex-
ecutive departments into conference,
and no one but the president and the
congress has the right to ask their
views or the views of any one of them
on any public question.
Il take this matter up with you be-
cause, in the development of every
constitutional system, custom and
precedent are of the most serious con-
sequence, and think we will all agree
in desiring not to lead in any wrong
direction. | have therefore taken the
liberay of writing you to ask you this
question, and | am sure you will be
glad to answer.
81 am happy to learn from your re-
cent note to Mrs. Wilson that your
strength is returning Cordially and
sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON.
Hon. Robert Lansing, Secretary Of
State"
"The Secretary of State, Washing
ton, Feb. 9, 1920.-My Dear Mr.. Presi-
dent: 1t is true that frequently dur
ing your illness | requested the heads
Of the executive departments of the
government to meet for informal con-
ference.
Shortly after you were taken i'll in
certain members Of the cabi-
net, of which | was one, felt that in
view Of the fact that we were denied
communication with you it was wise
for us to confer informally together on
lnterdepartmental matters and mat
postponed until your medical advisers
permitted you to pass upon them. Ac-
cordingly, /, as the ranking member,
requested the members of the cabinet
to assemble for such informal confer
ence, and in view of the mutual bene-
tit derived the practice was continued
can assure you that it never for a
entered my mind that | was
acting unconstitutionally or contrary
70 your wishes, and there certainly
was no intention on my part to assume
powers and exercise functions which
lnder the constitution are exclusively
,onfided to the president
During these troublous times,
when many difficult and vexatious
questions have arisen, and when in the
circumstances have been deprived of
vour guidance and direction, it has
'een my constant endeavor to carry
tut your policies as | understood them
md to act nj all matters as | believed
,ou would wish me to act. If. how
'ver, you think that I have failed in
ny loyalty to you, and if you no longer
ave confidence in me and prefer to
AVE another conduct our foreign af-
airs, ! am, of course, ready, Mr.. Presi-
ent, to relieve you of any embarrass-
nent by placing my resignation in
our hands. l am always faithfully
ours, ROBERT LANSING"
The president replied that he was
much disappointed" by Mr.. Lansing's
etter regarding "the so-called cabinet
leetings." He said he found nothing
the the secretary's letter (which
lstifies your assumption of presiden-
al authority in such matter" and
dded that he must frankly take ad-
antage of your kind suggestion" to
ssign.
Il must say" continued the presi
emit, that it would relieve me of en-
arrassment of feeling your reluctance 1
nd divergence of judgment, if you
ould give up your present office and
ford me an opportunity to select /
'me one else whose mind would more
illingly go along with mine"