The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-02-14

Washington, Feb. 13.-Robert Lans
ing ended his career as secretary of
state today after President Wilson
had accused him of usurping the
powers of President by calling meet
ings of the cabines during Mr.. Will
sons Illness
Frank l.. Polk. under secretary OF
state, will be made secretary ad
interim tomorrow TO act until Presi-
dent Wilson appoints successor 60
Robert Lansing. This is expected TO
be in the vrrv naa- = rrn
The name of Mr.. Polk was suggest.
ed as permanent. appoln.eo, -. ..s
friends say he wi not accept the ap
pointment IL offered him because of
the sta cf his hea.,h.
Mr. Lansing denied that he had
sought or intended to usurp Pres
dental authorities. He added, how
ever, that he believed then and still
believed tha. the cabinet conferences
were for the best interests of the
republic" that they were proper
and necessary" because of the Presi-
dents condition, and that he would
nave U6cu III ulS du IL
had ia led to act as he did.
AS the record stands, Mr.. Lansing
rendered his resignation and Mr.. vii
son accepted it, The resignation was
offered, however, only after Presi-
dent under date of February z, had
written asking II i. were true that
Mr.. Lansing had called cabinet meet
ings, and stating that il such were the
Case he re IL necessary 10 say That
under our consti utional aw and
practice, as developed hitherto, no
one but the President has the right to
summon the heads of the executive
departments in o conference
Mr.. Lansing answered two days
later, saying that If the President be-
lie - he had failed IN his loyalty
to him, and if Mr.. Wilson no longer
had confidence in him, he was ready
to relieve you of any embarrassment
by placing my resignation in your
hands"
The President replied last Wednes-
day that he's was much disap-
po.nted by Mr.. Lansing's letter re-
Ferd'ng "the sc-called cabinet meet
ings," and added that he must frank
~! ne advantage of your kind sug-
gestion" to resign.
Before this ,et er was written, the
day for the regu ar cabinet meeting
last Tuesday-had passed and the
correspondence discloses why the
cabinet did not meet On the same
day that he received this lie ter from
the President, Mr.. Lansing announc
ed that he had written other cabinet
officers that he would net call any
more cabinet conferences for the
present, 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 long pre-dated
the nrst cabinet cal. by Mr.. Lansing.
which was issued last October s.
seven days after MIR. Wilson returned
from his western speaking tour and
took to his bed. They began al the
peace conference IN Paris, as Mr.
Lansing disclosed In his final letter
TO the President, under date of yes.
terday, and had continued since
that time-one of the chief differ
ences being over the governments
attitude toward Mexico.
When the cabinet met on October
8, Joseph P. Tumulty, private secre
tary TO the President, issued for
NAL s atement explaining the reasons
for the conference. He said
The cabinet was called to consider
questions in which mere than one de
pertinent was concerned, and also te
DISCUSS the industrial conference,