Bisbee daily review., 1920-02-14

ing statement:
 Secretary Lansing has resigned and his resignation has been accepted talk ing effect today. Following is the correspondence between the presi dent and Secretary Lansing: The White House, Washington, 7th
 Feb. 1920.
 My Dear MT. Secretary:
 "1s it true. as have been told. that during my Hines you have frequent rly called the heads of the executive departments of the government into conference? If 1t is, 1 feel 1t my duty to call your attention to considera- tions which I do not care to dwell upon until learn from you yourself that this is the fact
 HUnder our constitutional law
 and practice, as developed hither-
 to, no one but the president has
 the right to summon the heads Of
 the executive 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.
 "l take this matter up with you be- banse, 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 sead in any wrong direction. I have. therefore, taken the liberty of writing you to ask you this question and I am sure you will be glad to answer.
 CT am banny tO Iaarn from, 1ou- ra cent note to Mrs. Wilson that your strength is returning.
 Cordially and sincerely yours.
 WOODROW WILSON"
 Offers to Resign.
 Washington, Feb. 9, 1920.
 My Dear MT. President: It is true that frequently during your illness, 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 cabinet, of which I was one, felt that, in view of the fact that we were de- nied communication with you, it was wise for us to confer informally to- gether on inter-department matters and matters as to which action could not be postponed until your medical advisers permitted you to pass upon. Accordingly, l, as the ranking mem Der. requested the members of the cabinet to assemble for such informal conferences, and in view of the mu- tual benefit derived, the practice was continued. l can assure you that it never for moment entered by mind that 1 was acting unconstitutionally or contrary to your wishes and there certainly was no intention on my part to assume powers and exceed functions which under the constitu- tion are exclusively confided to the president
 During these troublous times when many difficult and vexatiOus ques- tions have arisen and when in the I have been deprived of your guidance and direction, it has been my constant endeavor to carry out your policies as 1 understood them and to act in all matters as I believed you would wish me to act. If however, you think that I have failed in my loyalty to you and if you no longer have confidence in me and prefer to have another conduct our foreign affairs, am, of course, ready MT. President, to relieve you of any mbarrassment by placing my resig- nation in your hands.
 T am, as always. faithfully yours.
 ROBERT LANSING"
 "The White House.
 Washington, Q. C., fifth, Feb.
 1920.
 "My Dear Secretary: | am very
 much disappointed by your letter
 of February g, in reply to mine
 asking about the so-called cabinet
 meetings. You kindly explain the
 motives of these meetings and
 find nothing in your eltter which
 justifies your assumption of pres
 idential authority in such mat
 ter.
 You say you felt that, in view of the fact that you were denied com with me, it was wise to confer informally together on inter departmental matters and matters as to which action could not be post poned until my medical advisers per mitted me to be seen and consulted, but have to remind you. MT. Sec retary. that no action could be taken without me by the cabinet and there fore, there could have been no dis advantage in awaiting action with regard to matters concerning which action could not have been taken without me
 This affair. MT Secretary. only deepens a feeling that was growing upon me. While we were still in Paris. felt. and have felt increas- ingly ever since, that you accepted my guidance and direction on questions with regard to which I had to in struct you only with increasing re luctance and since my return to Washington I have been struck by the number of matters in which you have apparently tried to forestall my judgment by formulating action and merely asking my approval when 1t was impossible for me to form an in- dependent judgment because had not had an opportunity 10 examine the circumstance with any degree of independence.
 "l therefore, feel that l must
 frankly take advantage of your
 kind suggestion that H should
 xA. A. .NA