Arizona republican., 1920-02-15
The Going of Mir. Lansing

The Going of Mr. Lansing
 The removal of Secretary of State Lansing gives the pleasing assurance that President Wilson is convalescent his indsposition At the time gather from the circumstances dis the correspondence that President Wilson until recently much sicker man than he represented to be- since it is made to appear that aware constitutional authority being usurped by his secretary of state. Surely if he was not cognizant of that he must have been kept abysna1 ignorance of all govern affairs The>government running with any other head than that of Apprentice Lansing Now that it is all yet shudder at the 0 which subjected, running wild
 o great sympathy will go to Mir nsng decoration with the Order of Can. probably the weakest man that occupied the post of foreign minister in country. He had for months given the impress of who would go any length to hold his job
 l had resigned during his stay in Paris he might retired degree of credit. A who refuses to serve in the role of rubber stamp. by refusal a bid for the respect of his csuntryman n whatever other qualities he lacking.
 But in all respects he was just such secretary of the president desired-that is to say. secretary at al-onIy errand boy-or office boy. Lansing temperamentally such enc, but he possessed contrary quality com mon o childish. impotenty rebellous disposition, manfests itself when restraint is removed. Many office boy will cringe and crawl in the face of his employer shake his him when his back is turned
 This Lansing phase of character is touched upon by the president n following paragraph:
 While we were stin in Paris
 felt interestingly since, that accepted
 my guidance and direction questions with re-
 gard which I had to instruct you. only with
 reluctance, and-snce my return to Washington.
 I have been struck with number of matters
 in which you apparently tried to forestalI
 my Judgment by formulating action and merely
 asking my approval when it was impossible for
 me independent Judgment because 1 had opportunity to examine the cir
 cumstances with any degree of independence"
 The use of with reluctance" recalls the secret messag ge by Rodn, the the General of the Jesuits in Sues "The Wandering Jew hesitated.' Reluctance to accept un- questioningly any dctum of the president to the latter dsloyalty. Thus. see. the members of the cabinet regarded by the president as coun- ciIlors advisers. but only puppets which the constitution has forced upon him.
 During stay in Paris, there runors Lansng's dissent from the views of the president especially with respect to Shantung matter. They rather confirmed by Lansing before the senate committee foreign relations Then came the disclosure by William c. Bullitt the commit conversations with Lansing in the of which latter made to say that if the people O United States really knew what con- ceafed peace treaty they would reject it.
 Butts testimony denied by the retary and it naturally be accepted by the country
 This disclosure while the president was his western tour. At the time he nearing collapse which hurried him back to Washington. may imagine serious character of his illness v which prevented him from taking notice of epi- sode which became the turning point in the treaty fight We also imagine that it months afterward before his attendants permitted him be informed of the Bult testimony.
 last straw the back of the camel app pears have been the lightest one-the con- vocation by secretary of the cabinet informal conferences. There have been stitutonaI authority for such an informality And have no evidence that at these informal ferences any matters of great vital moment settled.
 But questions of puzzling character must presented themselves during the country's acepha1ous period when the members of the official family felt the of mutual counsel. There doubt that duong this period president have been wholly incapacitated In time president under the constitution acted absence of action by him, action by ranking member of the cabinet, whether Iy authorized not seemed not pro- ceeding. The government must have at least the. semblance of head. If the engineer colapses his cab, the fireman throttle. And the fireman failing becomes the natural office nearest trainman act
 : There are a few phrases from the recent cor respondence between the president his retary though interjected without bearing upon the ethical constitutional questions voved attract attention For instance, con- cluding paragraph from the presdents first happy your to that your strength returning" president ..ad transcribed all that this him. prob