Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-02-16
AN. AMAZING


Wilson is an amazing performance,
not In the act itself, but in the meth
cd employed to accomplish it. That
sharp differences Of opinion, on mat
ters Of Importance existed between
the president and the head Of the
state department has bccn a matter
of common knowledge. How serious
these differences were has no been
known, but it is now evident that they.
were of a character which make h
separation OF the two men in the
near future inevitable. With this
state Of affairs existing it was natu-
raj that Mr.. Lansing should contem-
plate rcsisning as soon as vas con-
sistent with his personal regard for
his superior and for what he conceiv-
cd to be the public interest. 1t would
also have been most natural for the
president, at what he considered an
appropriate time, to request the sec
retary's resignation on the ground
that incon,patibility rendered ;harmo-
NOUS cooperation no longer possible.
Had the resignation been demanded
on this ground, the incident would
have excited interest and provoked
comments>but it would have been un-
derstandable.
} As the situation stands now it is in
comprehensive. That the differences
referred to exist, and have existed for
a long time, is frankly stated by both
president and secretary, and that}with
these differences existing no prcsi.
dent could be expected to- rctlin his
chief advisor is perfectly apparent.
The amazing thing about tho whole
proceeding is that without any at
tempt to conceal the fact that here
We're abundant causes which woul.l
render a request for resignation nat
ural and logical. the president has
chosen to base his demand on
grounds which V II strike pea
ple<as utterly unrcasonablc.
The immediate cause ii Secretary
Lansing's summary G~ismissa!--fo!
that ia what it amounts .to-is tina,
during the presidents illness which
required callers TO he kept away. from
him for weeks, n which prevented
him, fora considerable time. from
being informed of or discussing any
matter of public business. The secrc.
taIy Of state had caused to be hc.t
various conferences of cabinet OFF.
GERS for the discussion of public bus
mess. Mr.. WILSON, Hectares that til,
president, and life *ttrosidcna a.one
has the right to call fhs heads q; ,ht
executive departments irtn coafer
ence, and that no crcNbut he am
congress has the right to ask ,l1es.
iofficiais for their opinions on I~uats.r
Of public business.
The theory. seems To he that. witt
the chief executive ~incsptctsted
and without the pcss,ejl;t: rl,ic:
wouIR have been affa-1ei by III
presence Of a unification CT the worl
Of the departments. eac!, Gernr,,nen
head should have proceeded ir HI:
own way and %sccording to his. or,
Judgment: without even dar:rs:-.l,
: compare notes or -orrsliit wi f1a..-fs,
heads of other departments Who's
work, in many cases. must have y
important bearing on his own. r1a
Gems more like the expression q
petulant annoyance than the ~d;snisic.
statement of a principle by 4 thin1,
Ing man.
The incident emphasizes two fac>.
y largely persona. Tao other fun
damental, but both OF them ln,por,
ant.
First. we have another demn,s:ra
= ton, added t. the mar: already Pre-
sented: Of the unfi.ncsr Of Mr. W!Iso'
for the important position 1whic;h.. Il II
holds by reason of his Temperament
tai inabiljty-to endure the presenc
around him or men az assistants ad
FisorS or associates who will he NOR
than menials. He insists on play!p
a lone hand, on formulating hi. ow
policies and issuing orders whie
must not be questioned. He will az
cept no advice which does not &C
tincide with his own opinions. an
prefers in all matters to be q Ia,
unto him selfstand ali others. N,
disposition. whore If has not fills
public places with n%onentitieE. :ha
made the lot of really capable me
SO difficult that one after another til
strongest MAJ in his cabinet ba,
gone. It 10 the same tendency whic
is Responsible for tbs long dalays
the ratification of the peace treat
and for the failure Of our sov.rnmel
to function properly in relation
many other matters.
Second, there is needed Al once,
clear dehnit1on OF what constttut
disability on the part of ths preside;
OF the United States, how the fact
to be dstermined.a and BY exact
Whist prcesss the pubic business III,
be carrisd On when such disabili
arises. At present We are at six
And sevena on this subject. rl
same question may arise Il any tin
In the Standardization OF any pre-
dent. II should be disposed Of no
before another empfzency arises.
ROBEaRTSON SUCCEEDS LODGY
Birmin9hann, England. Jan. "a.
Charles Grant Robeftson. Fellow
al Souls college Oxford. has 81
appointed pF1ncipAl OF Birrninxhs
uniyeFH ssto sncceed Sir Oil,
I44gs yeAgnsd.
II IL TIt fEfsfifL Nt.Rae