Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-14
Wilson Gusts lansing
as Secretary of State

reading from a diary, quoted Secretary
Lansing as having told him he was out
o. sympathy with the League of Ma
tions' covenant and as predicting that
the treaty would fail if the American
people ever learned of its full import
Mr.. lansing. obviously in very diff q.
cult position, did not repudiatc Bull
ntt's statements, although il was mo-
inentarily expected in Washington that
ne either would repudiate them or re-
sign his office. President Wilson was
Mt the time on his speaking tour in the
West. To say that he was upset by
BuIlitt's story and his quotations of the
secretary of the state puts 1t mildly.
Snicials in the presidential party. who
knew the workings of the President S
mind. expected to see the Secretary s
resignation asked for when the Presi-
dent returned to Washington. These
same officials believe now that the
breakdown. which sent the President
home a very sick man. was the only
thing which prevented it.
Mr.. Lansing, however. never saw the
President again and did all his bust
ness with the chief executive in writ
ing. The relations between the men
remained very much strained. and then
MIR. bansing's action in calling the
cabinet together brought them to the
breaking point.
Those who were present at the first
cabinet meeting describe rather tense
and dramatic scene. Congress was full
of rumors that the President was so
disabled as to be constitutionally un
able to discharge the functions of his
Office. There was talk of what might
be done to place Vice President Mar
shall at the head of the government and
how Congress might 40 about doing it.
Nobody knew the full extent of the
Presidents illness. 1t had not then
become known that he had partially lost
the use of his left arm and leg through
a blood clot in one of the arteries in
his brain.
There were ugly rumors that the
President might not be in possession of
all his faculties. Some senator's were
even contemplating some action to find
out whether we have q President or
not as one of their number put it.
These ugly stories were, of course, all
disposed of and shown to be pure and
unfounded gossip by the later develop
ments. but they were being circulated
and widely credited last November
when the cabinet assembled for its first
conference ut the call of Secretary
Lansing.
The secretary of state, it should be
said, believed he was supported by
precedent in calling the cabinet to-
gether. Looking up the historical rec
ord he found it had been done when
President Garfield lay i'll for weeks
after having been shot by an assassin
and that it had been done before that
when. President Taylor had long H.
ness and ultimately was succeeded by
Vice President Fillmore.
The Wilson cabinet assembled the
first day with feeling of apprehension,
for none of the members knew the eN-
tent Of the Presidents illness, but eX-
pected to be informed OF It. Secretary
Tumulty had informed the President
that Mr.. Lansing had called the caolnet
together, and the President, somewhat
disturbed gave his personal physician
a message to deliver TO the secreta-
ries.
Wilson Wanted to Know
The secretaries assembled at their
usual places that day and Mr.. Lansing
sent for Doctor Grayson. The Presi-
dents chair at the head of the table
was left vacant until the physician ar
rived, and he was asked to occupy it,
doctor Grayson,' Secretary Ian
sing is reported by those who were
present to have said. I'VE wish to know
the nature and extent of the President
Illness and whether he is able to per
form the duties of his office, so that we
may determine what shall be done TO
carry on the business of the govern
nnent.'
The President S physician is quoted
by some of the other secretaries as
having replied in substance:
The President is doing as we'll as
could be expected; he is in full pos
session of all his faculties and he has
directed me to inquire of you by what
authority this meeting of the cabinet
was called, what business is before 1t,
and what business it is expected might
be transacted at cabinet meeting
without his participation.
According to the story told at the
time, Secretary Lansing had no oppor-
tunity to reply, because some of the
other members stepped into the breach
and asked Doctor Grayson 10 say to the
President that the only purpose of the
meeting was to inquire the state of his
health and to send him message of
loyalty and encouragement. AT that
point the meeting broke up without
having transacted any business, but it
did not end the so-called cabinet Cou-
ferences.
1t has not been made plain whether
IrPSlupnt W llSOD knew SlUce tUPD lnHL
the cabinet members had been as
sembling and talking over interdepart-
mental affairs. but the meetings have
been held in the cabinet room in the
executive offices. and if the President did
not know it probably was because those
surrounding him did not think it wise
to tell him.
Called Meetings on
The best opinion of those ION the
inside" is that the President did not
know until last week of the regularity
at which the cabinet was meeting at the
call of the secretary of state, because at
about the time at which the Presidents $
White House offices let it be known
that the President had ended the cabinet
conferences. and there was an inference
that he might preside at the next one
himself There was, however, no hint
that the ending of the meetings marked
u separation between Mr.. Wilson and
MIR. Lansing.
Now that the break has come, and /.
Mr.. Lansing has left the cabinet, much 7
may be revealed of the extent to which
the secretary of state and the Presi-
dent differed in matters of policy. Quite .
aside from the differences at the Peace .
Conference, there were other differences
in foreign policy. and some of Mr.. Ian
sings friends say he would have left .
his office some time ago but for the fact I
that he wished to spare the President .
an upheaval in his official family at a