Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-02-24
LANSING QUITS
WILSON CABINET
Secretary of State Charged by
President With Usurp-
ing Power.
LETTERS ARE MADE PUBLIC
Executive Objected tovHolding of Cab
met Meetings Without His Knowl-
edae-Friction Between Pair Be-
gan at Peace Conference.

tIlcL mcSttl9S WITHOUT IIIS FNtiO"-
edge-Friction Between Pair Be-
gan at Peace Conference.
Washington, Feb. 16.-Robert Lam
sing resigned on Friday night as Sec
rotary of state.
Mr.. Lansing left office because he
was charged by President Wilson with
assuming the prerogatives of the pres
ident during the period of the latter's
illness in the past four months by call
ing and presiding over meetings of the
cabinet.
His resignation, rendered in a letter
under date of February u, was &C
copied by the president Friday and be-
came effective at once. Under-Secre-
tary OF State Frank Polk is the ad
interim head of the state department
and may be named as Mr.. LanSing'S
successor.
The state department on Friday
night issued a formal statement an
nOuncing the resignation of Secretary
Lansing and giving the correspondence
which passed between the president
and his chief aid leading up to the
breaking of relations.
Wilson to Lansing.
''The White House, Feb. z.
'My dear Mr.. Secretary: Is it true,
as have been told, that during my i'll
ness you have frequently called the
heads of the executive departments of
the government into conference? Ii
it is feel it my duty to call your at
tentiOn to considerations which 1 do
not care to dwell upon until l learn
from yourself that this is the fact.
Under our constitutional law and prac-
tice, as developed hitherto, no one but
the president has the right to summon
the heads of the executive depart
ments 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 Ques-
ton.
II take this matter up with you be-
cause in the development of every con-
stitutiOnal system custom and prece-
dent are of the most serious conse-
quence, and l think we will all agree
in desiring not to lead in any wrong
direction. have therefore taken the
liberty of writing to ask you this
question, and l am sure you will be
glad to answer.
Il am happy to learn from your re-
cent note to Mrs. Wilson that your
strength is returning.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON"
Lansing to Wilson.
"The Secretary of State, Washington,
Feb. 9.
''My Dear Mr.. President: 1t is true
that frequently during your illness I
requested the heads of the executive
departments of the government to meet
for informal conference.
Shortly after you were taken i'll in
October certain members of the cab
met, 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
jnterdepartmental matters and matters
as to which action could not be post
pOned until your medical advisers per-
mitted you to pass upon them.
Accordingly I, as the ranking men,
Der, requested the members of the cab
met to assemble for such informal con-
ference, and in view of the mutual ben
eft derived the practice was continued
II can assure you that it never for
8 moment entered my mind that l was
acting unconstitutionally or contrary to
your wishes, and there certainly was
no intention on my part to assume
powers and exercise functions which
under the constitution are exclusively
cOnfided to the president.
During these troublous times. when
many difficult and vexatious questions
have arisen and when in the circum-
stances l have been deprived of your
guidance and direction, it has been my
constant endeavOr to carry out your
policies as l understood them and to
act in all matters as l believed you
would wish me to act. If, however, you
think that have failed in my loyalty
TO you and II you no longer have conf
dence in me and prefer to have another
conduct our foreign affairs. l am. of
course, ready, Mr.. President, to relieve
YOU of any embarrassment by placing
my resignation in your hands.
Il am, as always. faithfully yours,
ROBERT LANSING"
Wilson to Lansing:
''The White House, Feb. IL, 1920.
MY Dear Mr.. Secretary 1 am very
much disappointed by your letter OF
Feb. 8 in reply to mine asking about
the so-called cabinet meetings.
"You kindly explain the motives of
those meetings and find nothing in
your letter which juStifieS your as
sumption of presidential authority in
such matter. You say you felt that,
in view of the fact that you were de-
MED communication with me. it was
wise TO confer informally together on
inter-departmental matters and mat
tiers as TO which action could not be
postponed until my medical advisers
permitted me- to be seen and consult
ed, but l have 10 remind you, Mr.. Sec
rotary. that no action could be taken
without me by the cabinet, and there
Sadly incomplete.
A deed dated March Is. 1907. recent
iy recorded on Long Island. conveys