The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-02-19
PRESIDENT GUSTS LANSING.
Feeling of Long Standing Reaches Gil
max i'm Cabinet OFFICERS Forced
Resignation.

Resignation.
Robert Lansing, secretary OF state
and one of the strongest members OF
the presidents CO net, has rendered
his resignation. 7 he resignation was
forced by letter from the president
charging Mr. Lansing with having as
sumed presidential authority while
Mr.. Wilson was i'll, in that he called
informal meetings of the cabinet to
discuss state matters. There is much
under the surface and official Wash
ington says the feeling between the
president and his secretary is of long
standing A Washington dispatch
says:
Mr.. Lansing denied he has sought
or intended TO usurp the presidential
authority. He added, however, that he
believed then, and still believes, that
the cabinet conferences were "for the
best interests of the republic" that
they were proper and necessary
because of the Presidents condition
and that he would have been derelict
in his duty if he had failed to act as
he did.
LAS the record stands, Mr.. Lansing
rendered his resignation and Mr.. Will
son accepted it. The resignation was
offered, however, only after the
President, under date of February T.
had written asking if it were true
that Mr.. Lansing had called cabinet
meetings and stating that if such
were the case he felt it necessary to
say that under our constitutional
law and practice as developed hither-
to no one but the President has the
right to summon the heads of the ex-
ecutive departments into conference.
"Mr. Lansing answered two days
inter-last Misunderstanding he had
called the cabinet conferences be-
cause he and others of the Presidents
official family felt that, in view of
the fact that We were denied COM
munication with you, it was wise for
us TO confer informally together on y
matters as to which action could
not be postponed until your medical
advisers permitted you to pass upon
them"
The secretary concluded by say
ing that if the President believed he
had failed in his loyalty" to him,
and if Mr.. Wilson no longer had con-
fidence in him, he was ready to re
lieve you of any embarrassment by
placing my resignation in your
hands,
The President replied last We'd
nesday that he was much disappoint-
ed" by Mr.. Lansing's letter regarding
"the so called cabinet meeting" He
found nothing in the secretary's let
ter which justifies your assumption
Of presidential authority in such a
matter" and added that he must
frankly take advantage of your kind
suggestion to resign"
Il must say" continued the Presi.
dent, that it would relieve me of en-
barrassment, Mr.. Secretary, the EN-
barrassment OF feeling your reluct-
ance and divergence of judgment, il
you would give up your present Of
! flee and allow ME to select some one
else whose mind would more willing.
| ly go along with mine"
Before this letter was written the
date for the regular cabinet meet
ing last Tuesday-had passed, and
the correspondence discloses why the
cabinet did not meet. On the same
day that he received this letter
from the President. Mr.. Lansing an
nounced he had written the cabinet
officers that he would not call any
more cabinet conferences for the
lpresent but no explanation was Of
fered. Inquiry at the White House
brought only the statement that Mr.
Wilson himself probably would call
and preside at the next session of his
official advisers.
But the differences between the
President and the secretary long pre-
dated the first cabinet call by Mr.
Lansing, which was issued last Octo-
ber fifth, seven days after Mr.. Will
son returned from his western speak
ing tour and took TO his bed. They
began at the peace conference in
Paris, as Mr.. Lansing disclosed in his
final letter to the President, under
date of yesterday, and had continued
since that time-one of the chief diff
ferences being over the governments
attitude toward Mexico.