The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-02-14

the cabinet together, and the presi-
dent somewhat disturbed, gave his
personal physician a message to de-
liver to the secretaries.
The secreta les assembled at their
| usual places that day and Mr.. Lam
sing sent for DR.. Grayson. The pres
idents chair at the head of the table
was left vacant until the physician
arrived, and he was asked to oc-
| cupy it.
'Dr Grayson," Secretary Lansing
! is reported to have said by those who
were present, 1--WE wish to know the
| nature and extent of the president S
| illness, and whether he is able to
perform the duties of his Office, so
that we may determine what shall
| be done to carry on the business of
! the government" The presidents
physician is quoted by some of the
other secretaries as having replied
| in substance:
"The president is doing as well as
coi',d be expected; he is in full pos
session of all his faculties, and he
has directed me to inquire of you
by what authority this meeting of
the cabinet was called, what busi-
ness is before it, and what business
it is expected might be transacted at
cabinet meeting without his par
ticipation."
! According to the story told at the
time, Secretary Lansing had no OPP
portunity to reply because some of
the other members stepped into the
| breach and asked DR.. Ora. son to
say to the president that the only
purpose of the meeting was to in
quire the state of health and to send
him a message of loyalty and en-
couragement. At that point the
meeting broke up without having
transacted any business, but it did
not end the so called cabinet confer
ences. 1t has not been made plain
whether President Wilson knew
since then that the cabinet members
had been assembling and talking
over interdepartmental affairs, but
the meetings have been held in the
cabinet room in the executive Of
! fees and if the president did not
know it probably was because lose
surrounding him did not think it
wise to tell him.
/ The best opinion of those "on the
! inside" is I the president did not
know until last week of the regular
/ ity at which the cabinet was meeting
| at call Of the secretary of state be-
cause about the time which the pres
/ idcnt's first letter to Mr.. Lansing is
dated. the White House Offices let 1t
! be known" that the president had
ended the cabinet conferences and
/ there was an inference that he
might preside at the next one him
/ self. There was however no hint
nf
marked a separation between Mr..
! Wilson and Mr.. Lansing.
Would Have Spared Upheavsl.
] Now that the break has come ana
, Mr.. Lansing has left the cabinet, much
may be revealed of the extent 90 which
/ the secretary Of state and the presi-
dent differed i'm matters Of policy. quite
aside from the differences at the peace
conference, there were other differences
/ iu foreign policy. and some OF Mt.
! IansinE's friends say he would have
J left his office some time ago but, Tor inc
fact that he wished to spare the presi-
/ dent an upheaval i'm his official family
At a time when Europe was watching
TIE fight ovcr the treaty 600 America
and especially when the president WAS
ill and unable 90 look after the affairs
Of the state department himself
Mr.. Lansing became head OF the
state department when william J.
Bryan and the president had their
differences over the Lusitsnia notes.
Mr.. Lansing was counselor, an once
In which he had succeeded John
Bassett Moore. u has been COM
mon knowledge that while M. Tan
sings name was signed to the sue
Ceedinq notes 70 Germany and the
notes which preceded the arm isttce,
Mr.. Wilson wrote them hIr7seif, m
fact he practically acted as secre-
tary OF state In all important bust
! ness. Il was the presidents con-
/ ception Of his relation 20 the foreign
policy Of the nation.
AS TO MEXICO.
/ How much Mr Lansing and the pres
1 idsnt differed on the Mexican policy
/ never has been fully revealed. but Of
1 nCiBls who sympsthize with Mr.. Lam
| sings views say that they differed q
/ great deal. i has generally been he