New-York tribune., 1920-02-15
he answered that his Judgment was
different on that point

he answered that his Judgment was
different on that point.
On their return from Paris--on diff.
ferent ships---the President and Mr.
Lansing spent some time In Washing.
ton without seeing each other Their
Mr.. Lansing arranged for his vacation
ana went up to Waterto WIZ, ". Y, with.
out even calling to say goodbye or sx-
rlain conditions to tho President. II
il understood that ne tried on One OF
two occasions to see him, but was
Obliged to content himself by writing
notes.
1t was during the stay Of Mr.. Ians.
ing in Watertown that William G. Bull
litt told the Foreign Relations Com
mittee what Mr.. Lansing had said to
according to Bullitt. characterized the
treaty as "thoroughly bad"
Before Mr.. Lansing's return to
Washington-and re has never denied
the Bullitt quotations--the President
had started on his swing round the
circle in behalf of the treaty, during
which he collapsed.
AS the President gradually recovered
it became more and more q matter of
speculation rs to why the President
and Mr.. Lansing did not see each other.
| IL
one occasion, said the President and
he we're in frequent communication.
Communicated in Writing
what is the form Of that communi .
cation?" he was asked.
writing" said Mr.. Lansing, briefly.
| The surprise at the intimation in the
Presidents first letter to Mr.. Lansing
that he was not sure any Cabinet meet
ings had been held, and wanted to be
| assured of this before making any
| comments, deepened to-day as Incl
dents during the course of these Cabi-
net meetings were recalled. For in
stance, on October 80 Attorney General
Palmer had fifteen-m minute conference
with the President, after which he
| said land it was printed the following
morning, the President approved the
course the Cabinet had pursued.
Aside from Mr.. Palmer's statement,
which was never questioned, it is GER
tain the President approved of Mr.
Parmer's stand, which had previously
been approved by the Cabinet, accord
ing to the sworn testimony of Dr.. Gar
field, Fuel Administrator, on the stand
before the Frelinghuysen committee.
dent had sustained the Cabinet and
Palmer against him he had resigned,
though he was sure if he could ge,
to the President things would be diff
ferent.
Another incident was that on Octo-
ber 81 DR.. Grayson expressed the opin-
ion that the President might be able
to consider any plan that might be
presented to him by the Cabinet, as to
reconvening the industria> conference.
Mental Expert Still Needed
Some of the comment on Mr.. Lam
sings resi- signation and the way in which
it was brought about, follows:
Senator Norris, Republican, of Ne
braska-The correspondence between
Secretary Lansing and President Will
son demonstrates two things: First,
the President was incapacitated and it
was necessary for some one to look
after the government; second, that the
mental expert who has been employed
at the White House has been dis
charged too soon.
Senator Capper, Republican. Of
Kansas-The President has the right
to discharge members of his Cabinet
if he pleases, but to discharge Mr..
Lansing on such f1imsy pretext as
this is silly and unreasonable. Fortu-
nately the people will be with Mr..
Lansing.
Senator Smoot, Republican, of Utah
During the entire period of the Presi-
dents illness | never heard a sugges-
ton of criticism of the policy of the
Cabinet in holding meetings to con-
slider government business, nor CT
Secretary Lansing for taking the Leaf
in calling them. To me it has seemed
that the Cabinet would have been dere
lict if it had not gone ahead assuring
that government business was kept ir
b,+
as ranking member of the Cabinet,
would have been particularly so if he
had refused to take the part he did.
I cannot understand the Presidents
reasoning. ! To me it appears that q
most serious situation is presented
to US.
Senator Kirby, Democrat, of Ar
kansas-This is one time when l keep
still.
Senator Ashurst, Democrat, of Ari-
zona-You ask me about the resigna-
ton? That reminds me that once l
was asked what l thought of capital
punishment, and l replied that l
thought there were not enough men
hanged.
Senator Kellogg, Republican, of Min
nesota, declared it was utterly ridicu-
lous to think members of the Presi-
dents Cabinet cannot get together to
President is laid up for five months"
Calls Usurpation Idea Absurd
Senator Cummins, Republican, of
Iowa, said it was "absurd to entertain
the idea that the act Of Secretary
Lansing calling a meeting of the Cabi-
net is usurpation of executive au-
thority. Such statement comes with
poor grace, especially from President
Wilson, who has not had a noticeable
regard in the past for usurpation when
he was doing the usurping."
Senator New, Republican, of Indiana
The tone of the Presidents letter
only. shows that he wants another pup
pet in the Cabinet.
Senator McCumber, Republican, of
North Dakota. said he did not care to
discuss 80 disagreeable a subject as
the resignation of Secretary Lansing"
Senator Lodge declined to discuss
the incident in any way
Senator Gronna, Republican, of
North Dakota, said that he had always
regarded Secretary Lansing "as high