Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-14
LANSING HOSTILE
Continued from pasc /

III.
mona OF the members knew tho extent OF
the Presidents illness. but expected 10 be
informed OF it. Secretary Tumnlty had
informed tho President that Mr. Lansing
had called the cabinet together, and the
President, somewhat disturbed, grive his
personal secretary message 10 deliver
to tho secretary of state. Tho secretaries
assembled at their usual place that day
and Mr. Lansing sont for DR.. Grayson.
Tho Presidents chair ut the head of the
table was,eft Vacant until the physician
arrived and he waa asked To occupy IL.
I DR.. Graysnn, Secretary Lansing is
reported by those who wero present 10
have said, I'VE wish Ia know the nature
and extent of the Presidents illness ard
whether he ia able to perform the duties of
his office, 80 that we may determine what
| shall be done to carry on the business of
| the government
/ WILSON ExpREasEs ANGER.
The Presidents physician Is quoted by
some of the other secretaries as having
replied in substance:
/ "lhe President is doing as we'll as could
be expected. He is in full possession of his
| faculties and he has directed me 10 inquire
| OF you ly what authority this meeting Of
the cabinet was called, what business is
| before IT, and what business il ia expected
might be transacted Mt n cabinet meeting
/ without his participation"
According 10 the story told AT fhe
time, Secretary Lansing had no on.
portunity TO reply because somo OF the
other members stepped into the breach
and asked Dr. Gfayson To say 10 the Pres j.
dent that the only purpose Of the meeting
was to inquire the state of his health and
TO send him message of LOYALTY aud rn-
n A I.t al.
broke up without having transacted any
| business, but IL did not end the so-calle1
cabinet conferences.
II has not been made plain whether
President Wilson knew since then that
the cabinet members had been assembling
aud taking over intnrdepartmentai RI
fairE but the meetings have been held in
tho rabinet room IN the executive Offices,
and If the President did not know il II
probably was because those surrounding
tum did not think 1t wise 70 tell him.
JUST LEARNED or CABINET aYrrrsaa
The best opinion OF those "on the in
side ls that the President did not know
until last week of the regularity af which
the cabinet aass meeting a. the call Of thn
Secretary ri State, befause m about the
time at which the Presidents 4 frat letter
20 Mr.. lansing IL detcd the " bite House
officers let II he known that the Prests
dent had ended the cabinet conference
and there was an inference that he might
Preside At the next one himself There
was. however, no hint that The ending of
the meetings marked a separation between
Mr.. " ilson and MIR Lansing.
WIDELY DIFFERED wfTH WILSON.
Now that the break has come and Mr.
Lansing lett the cabinet. much may be
revealed If the extent 10 which the gecre-
tary of State and the President differed in
matters Of policy. Quite aside from the |
differences ~ the peace conference. there
were other differences IN foreign policy,
and some Of Mr.. Lansing's friends say
he would have eft his office some time
ago but for the fact thst hs wished 10 +
spare the President an uphnaval in his
Official family st tune when Ftirore was
watching the fight over che treaty in
America and especially when the President
was Ill and unable to look after the affairs o
the state Department himself
wfLaoN REAL SECRETARY OF srAry.
MIR Lansing became head Of the Stat.
Department WHEN William J. Bryan and
the President had their differences over
the Iusltania notes. MIR Lansing was
counsellor, an office m which he had suc-
ceeded John Baa4ett Moore. Ii has been
common knowledge Tint while Mr.. Lana
inEs name was signed to the SUGGESTING
notes TO Germany aud the notes which
preceded the arruistice. Mr.. Wilson wrote
them hiTnaeii---in fact, ho practically acted
as Secretary OF state m all important {
business. IL was the Presidents coneep-
ton OF his relation To the foreign policy
Of the nation.
WIDELY APART on MEXICO
How mnch Mr.. Lansing and The
President differed on the Mexican policy
never has been fully revealed, but OF.
aelals who sympathize with MIR. Lansines
views say that they differed great deal.
{ has generally been believed in official
.ircies that the sharp notes which Mr.
Lansing sent 10 Iarranza in connection
WITH the Jenkins case are what the Presi-
lent referred to IN his letter TO the seere-
AIRY when he spoke of the secretary OF
tate having taken action 10 forestaII his
Judgment.
Ii IS known, however. that Henry
rather Fletcher, former ambassador 10
Mexico, who recently resigned, wrote a !
etter 10 the President in which he ex- ,
oriated the administration Mexican
'ohcy and the general belief in the State
apartment Is that MIR Lansing and Mr..
fletcher agreed pretty generally. Mr.
'ietchers letter OF resignation never has
zen given out 3: the White House. II
LANSING AND TuMULTY UNFhIENnLY.
But aside from his difficulties with the
resident, 1t has been common knowledge
a Washington that MIR. Lansing has not
cen on good terms with Secretary Tu- r
lulty and from time 10 time that has t
cen apparently we'll grounded reports of ]
Iction with Secretaries Baker and Dam d
Us. In the Senate Foreign Relations !
Committee, where MIR. Lansing was in p
-equent touch with Senators, he is re- a
arded as trained diplomat. S
Senators remarked when Bullitt gave q
is sensational testimony that they re- v
tied 1T very much ON Lansing's ac-
punt.
Secretary Lansing gave out the CORE
,ondence between himself and the Presi- T
cut last night and stipulated that it was
IT publication IN morning papers today. B
pmc news agencies, however, other than
he Associated Press, violated their II
edges to the State Department and W
ibiished the letters IN some parts of the W
'untry yesterday afternoon. II
REPUBLICAN, STANDS BY LANSING. al
Chairman Porter, OF the House General =
fairs Committee, commenting today ~
a Secretary Lansng's resignation, said: - !.
Il am not inclined to accept this new ~ -
ld novel Interpretation of law. There hs