Evening star., 1920-02-14
Mr.. R.POLK|SACT|NG
SECRETARY UNDER
LAW FOR 50 DAYS
Official States That No Spe-
cial Designation by Presi-
dent Is Necessary.

Undersecretary Polk stated today
without the necessity of special des-
ignation by the President, under the
statute authorizing the senior official
of department to act as Secretary
/, in the absence. illness resignation or
death of the Secretary for period
of thirty days" He said also that
the usual course had been followed in
listers of the United States in foreign
countries of the resignation of Sec
retary Lansing and that he (Mr.
Palk) would sign the mail as acting
Secretary" pending the appointment
of a Secretary. In response to in
quiries, MIR. Polk said he did not
know who was to be made Secretary
of State nor when such an appoint
ment would be made.
Robert Lansing held the Office of
Secretary of State four years, seven
months and twenty-one days, count
ing from to- date Of his confirmation.
June 23. 1915. For two weeks before
confirmation he was Secretary of
state ad interim following the resig-
| nation of Mr.. Bryan.
Mr.: Lansing was born at Watertown
n. Y, October Il. 1854. He was grad
uated at Amherst College, with the
B. A. degree in 1886, was admitted to
the bar of his home state in 1889 and
practiced law in partnership with his
father at Watertown for three years.
He made the study of international
law his specially and his first service
under the government was as asso-
ciate counsel for the United States in
the Bering sea arbitration in 1892 and
1898. He was counsel for the United
States before the Bering sea claims
commission in 1896 and 1897: solici-
toR and counsel for the United States
before the Alaskan boundary tribunal
in 1903. counsel for the United States
in the Atlantic fisheries arbitration, a
technical delegate in the conference
for modification of the fisheries
technical delegate in the fur seal con-
ference at Washington in 1911, special
counsel for the Department of State
on various diplomatic questions and
for negotiations with Great Britain
of claims to be arbitrated under the
counsel in 1912 and agent in 1894
for the United States in the American
and British claims arbitration.
Entered Department in 1914.
Mr.. Lansing was appointed coun-
selor for the Department of State
March 27. 1914. He was appointed
the representative of the Department
of State on the central committee Of
the American National Red Cross
of State ad interim June 9, 1915. and
was appointed Secretary of State
June 23, 1915. He was appointed min
lister plenipotentiary of the United
States to negotiate peace November
10. 1918, and until the summer of
1919 he labored in the peace confer
ence at Paris.
In January, 1890, Mr. Lansing and
Miss Eleanor Foster were married.
Mrs. Lansing is a daughter of John
w. Foster. who was Secretary of
State under President Harrison. The
washington home of Mr. and Mrs.
Lansing is 1928 18th street, though
Mr. Lansing maintains his voting resi-
dence at Watertown. \. Y.
The first member OF the Lansing
New York in 1860. Mr.. lansing s
kgrandmother was of the Ten Eyck
family of New York. His great
grandfather, John Lansing of AL
! bany, was a delegate to the constitu-
| tional convention of the state of New
York in 1897; Mr.. Lansing,s grand
! father. Robert Lansing. law partner
| of Judge George G. Sherman. was dis
| trict attorney of Jefferson county,
| N Y, state senator and county
| Judge. Mr.. Lansing's father. John
Lansing was lawyer of prominence
| and distinction. Mr.. Lansing's mother
was born Maria Dodge, daughter OF
Judge Edwin Dodge, at one time a
New York state senator
Mr.. Lansing is a member or the
Black River Valley Club. the Fort
nightly Club and number of others:
Recently he was chosen &C chairman AR amor OF
church movement Of North America
and is president of the Archaeological
| Society of Washington:
Acting Secretary OF state FRANK
LYON Polk entered the State Depart
ment as counselor on September IT,
1915. succeeding to the post Mr.. Lam
sinp held before becoming Secretary.
He was made undersecretary Of state
on June %. 1919. under the legislation
passed by the last Congress creating
the office. He served as acting Secre-
tary of state throughout the time MI
Lansing was at the peace conference
| in Paris
Before entering the State Depart
mont Mr.. Polk, whose home is in New
York, was a member of the civil serv-
ice commission in New York and also
was corporation counsel for New York
city from January Is. 1914. to Sep
l IL 1QlH>