The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1920-03-27
THE SICK MAN OF AMERICA

There is no doubt that American peo-
pie, regardless of party, are deeply dis
turbed over the tragic situation which
has eveloped in Washington. They see
clearly that the collapse of the executive
branch Of our gournment threatens to
throw the country into chaos. At the very
moment when we need great leadership
we are drifting like disabled and cap
talnless ship in heavy weather.
Sincet he opening of peace negotiations
the nation has had no chief executive. And
if we accept Mr.. Wilson's Interpretation
of the presidential prerogatives we have
had no government so far as the execu-
tive branch is concerned. For MANY
months the President was in Europe. On
his return his time and strength were TAX
en- up with strenuous but unsuccessful eff
fort to convince the Senate and public
that they ought to obey his will and accept
his judgment with reference to the peace
settlement. TO the genuine regret of his
fellow citizens this task broke the Presi-
dents health, and since October he has
been incapacitated by serious and mys-
FERROUS illness.
Although the people of the nation were
not permitted to learn the nature of the
disease which had Frustrated their chief
executive, they were given to understand
that his mind was unimpaired and that
in cases of special Importance he could
and would exercise his authority. Mean
while they were assured that the Cabinet
was still functioning in the care of the
various departments and that the ordin-
airy presidential duties we're in the hands
of such able and experienced statesmen
as Mr.. Tumulty and DR.. Grayson. thus OBJ
waiting the necessity of overburdening
our genial vice president.
On Friday, the 18th of February the
country was appraised of the Presidents
restoration to his normal health by the
startling announcement that he had sum-
marily dismissed Mr. Lansing from the
office of secretary of state. This action
was based on two grounds. FIRST, that
during the presidents long illness Mr..
Lansing, as ranking member, had called
together the Cabinet at various times to
confer upon the business of the country,
and second, that while "in Paris and ever
since Mr.. Lansing accepted with increas-
ing reluctance the guidance and direction
of the president upon questions with re-
gard to which, as secretary of state, he
had to be intrusted"
There is something peculiarly bewilder-
ing about this unhappy event. Either
Mr.. Wilson was incapacitated by his i'll
ness, or he was not. If he was incapaci-
tated then, of course, he did not know
that his Cabinet was meeting every week
and trying, as honorable public servants,
to care for the business of the country.
And if the president did not know what
was going on, why an by whose authority
was the country led to believe that he did
know? If the president was not incapac-
itated by his illness then, of course, he
knew from the beginning that his Cabinet
was meeting regularly. and doubtless he
must have known what they were doing
at these meetings. But if this were the
case how is he able to write Mr. Lansing:
81 have been told that during my illness
you have frequently called the heads of
the executive departments Of the govern
ment into conference"
This situation involves much mo.'e than
a mere change in the presidents official
encourage He has the constitutional
right to choose his Cabinet. But the rea-
sons upon which he acted in dismissing
Mr.. Lansing are highly dangerous reas-