Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-02-28

Disagreement with his entire official
family, all Of whom have participated
in these meetings for months past
without seeing to see the action in
the light that the President has.
How seriously Mr.. Wilson now
views these meetings is revealed IN his
first letter OF inquiry directed to Mr..
Lansing last Saturday, In which i'll
the very opening sentence he puts
:hc question bluntly to his Secretary
o. State rs to whether or not It was
truo that during his illness these
meetings had been held.
Under our constitutional law and
practice, as developed hitherto" tho
President wrote, no ono but the Prcsi
don't has tho right to summon the
heads Of tho executive departments
into conference, and no one but the
President and tho Congress has the
right to ask their views Or the views
Of any Of them on any public ques-
tion."
It was to this letter Mr.. Lansing
vouchsafed the explanation not only
that 1t was the truth but that i'll
common with other members OF tho
Cabinet no felt that, inasmuch as
tboy were denied communication with
Mr.. Wilson, such meetings were nee
cssary for the government to func-
ton.
ut never for a moment entered
my mind, wrote Mr. Lansing, that I
was acting unconstitutionally or con-
trary to your wishes and there certain
ly was no intention OH my part TO
assume powers and exercise function
which under tho constitution are OK
clusively conrided to the President.
HIS OFFER TO RESIGN
It was in this letter, written last
Monday, that Mr.. Lansing suggested
to Mr.. Wilson that if the latter pre-
ferred another to conduct tho Depart
ment OF State he be allowed to resign.
Tho position taken by Mr.. Wilson
in this matter Is more clearly set
forth i'll q letter which followed this
reply of Mr.. Lansing 1t being that the
Cabinet could take no action without
him (the President,) ind therefore
ne useful purpose could be served In
holding such meetings.
JUSTIFICATION FOR CON-
aFI0RNNCES
This view, when made known TO-
night in official circles. provoked OK
pressions OF amazement even from
friends Of the President. The coal
strike, tho railroad crisis, the high
cost Of living campaign instantly We're
stressed as matters whose subsequent
handling had justified these confer
ences from which the President con
tended no advantage could flow by
reason OF the Executives absence. The
Cabinet meetings as a matter Of fact
are without any authority in law
even with the President sitting at
tho head OF the table, one OF their
chief purposes being the proper coor
dination of the work OF tho depart
ments.
The correspondence leading up to
the departure Of Mr.. Lansing tonight
revealed that the disagreelnents III
Paris Of which the world has known
for months, between the President
and his chief Cabinet officer merely
have been cIfmaxed by the incident
OF Cabinet meetings. Tho President
IN fact. complies this major charge
with the assertion that Mr.. Lansing
wh'lo In Paris had taken hts guidance
""d direction with Increasing relut
tance,"
t'c makes tho further charge that
since Mr.. Lansing's return from Par
is the Secretary ha dtried to forestal
his Judgment by formulating actor
and merely asking my approval wher
it was impossible for me to form al
Independent Judgment because hat
not an opportunity to examine the
circumstances with any degree OF il
dependence"
Mr.. Lansing IN reply to this char &,
. makes it plain that he had been aware
i since January Of last year, which wa:
when they were both in Paris, tina
;; MIR. Wilson no longer welcomed hi
ADVICE and would have resigned thel
and on various occasions since tina
time had It not been for the misinte
: probation that might have been place.
on his action.
III this connection The Sun and New
York Herald correspondent can nov