The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1921-03-31
LANSING'S OWN STORY OF
HIS BREAK WITH WILSON
Former Secretary of State Presents
Book Telling Of Conflict Over
Peace Treaty.

| Inc Peace negotiations, was given
to the public by his publishers last
Friday, the publishers being Houghton
Miffiin Company, of Boston and New
| York.
1t is startling story of what hap
pened behind the scenes at the peace
conference, which Lansing, then sec
rotary of state, attended as one of the
five American peace commissioners.
Lansing begins by telling why the
president asked for his resignation as
secretary of state, February II, 1920
1t was because Lansing did not agree
with Wilson on these points:
One-The Presidents presence in
Paris during the peace negotiations.
Two-"The fundamental principles
of the Constitution and functions of
the League of Nations as proposed
and advocated by him."
Three-The inclusion of the coven-
ant gin the treaty restoring a state of
peace"
Four-"The treaty of defensive al
lance with France"
Five-"The necessity of a definite
program which the American commits
sioners could follow"
Six-"The employment of private
interviews and confidential agree
ments."
Seven-'Lastly, the admission of
the Japanese claims in the Province
of Shantung"
The book shows the president and
his secetary of state were apart long
before the peace commissioners went
abroad. Lansing says that of Will
sons four peace colleagues, Colonel
House alone knew Wilson's peace pro-
gram, other than as he had publicly
announced them in his familiar IA
points and the subsequent addresses"
Believes Wilson Opposed Him
Previous to the departure of the
American commission to Paris" Lans-
ing writes, "the president did not
consult me as to his plans for Lea
que of Nations. | think there were
two reasons for his not doing so. AL
though | was the official advisor whom
he should naturally consult on such
matters"
These two reasons Lansing says
were:
That Lansing was opposed to the
employment of international force.
That Lansing was a lawyer.
Wilson, he says, has taken no trou-
Bile to conceal that he does not value
the advice of lawyers except on strict
ly legal questions.
Lansing, himself, a noted interna
tional lawyer, with other legal advis-
ors of the commission prepared what
they called Skeleton treaty" This
was done after Lansing came to be-
lieve the president had no definite
plan for peace beyond the League of
Nations. This Skeleton treaty" Lans~
ing carried to the president who re-
Jected it, saying with great candor
and emphasis that he did not intend
to have lawyers drafting the treaty of
peace"
Being the only lawyer on the dele.
cation" Lansing says, 81 naturally
took this remark to myself"
Lansing Says Wilson OverruIed Collie.
agues on Chinese Question.
Lansing admits that practically the
only hand he had in the peace con-
ference came when the Japanese de-
mands on Shantung were reached.
Here the president asked Lansing to
confer with both the Japanese and
Chinese delegations. Commissioners
Bliss and White also participated.
They We're agreed that China should
not be forced to give Shantung to the
Japanese, and so reported to the pres
ident, who they believed then was of
the same mind.
Later Japan threatened to with
draw from the conference and to re-
ject the League of Nations. Lansing
says Wilson was afraid the threat
would be made good, although at the
time Lansing insisted that Japan
would not withdraw; that she could
not surrender her high place as one
of the "Big Five" of the league. The
day after a majority of the American
peace commission had reported
against the Japanese claims, 'the
Council of Four reached its final decis-
ion, in which Mr.. Wilson acquiesced
e China had been abandoned to
Japanese rapacity"
"The whole affair furnishes anoth-
err example of the results of secret
diplomacy, for the arguments which
prevailed with the president were
those to which he listened when he
sat in secret council with NJ Clemen,
ceau and Mr.. Lloyd George"
The first breach between Lansing
and Wilson after they arrived in
Paris, was upon the question of guar.
antee of territorial rights. Wilson