Evening star., 1921-04-06
Editorial Digest
The Case Of Lansing vs.. Wilson.

matter for . great many columns OF
does not yield much material for a
judgment Of the work itself. Indeed
it would seem that the remark of the
indianapolis Star independent repub-
lican) that "the practical value ei
the book will be "te supply the Presi-
| dents antagonists with fresh fuel for
their remerselees flres and to infuse
| fresh zeal into his idolators" Is jusu-
fled in the editorial comment. The
majority Of those whe touch upon the
! question seem to feel that while Mr..
Lansing makes a good case" against
the President. he still has not justified
| his own action in refusing to repudi-
ate publicly policies with which he
did not sympathize and to resign i'm
mediately. Some Of his supporters,
however, find reasons for hits "hang-
Ing on" that were unself1sh. AS the
New York Tribune (republican) ex-
plains, desertion at critical period
in the peace negotiations would have
looked like "a stab in the back and
| later Wilson was i'll and the govern
| ment "headless.''
In order to reflect as wide a range
of opinion as possible the following
excerpts have been chosen as repre-
sentative:
"Withal. this flrsthand report of Mr..
Wilson's performance at Paris is damn
ing OF the practical Judgment the
sincerity and the methods of that gen.
tleman." - Pittsburgh Gazette Times
Tepublican).
Mr.. Lansing would undoubtedly re-
ceive more sympathetic consideration
from his readers had he resigned from
the cabinet when serious differences
first developed between himself and
President MISUNDERSTANDING News
(democratic).
In his own opinion. Americas en-
try into the league would be a fatal
blunder. but he did not have the moral
courage to say SO publicly and do what
he could to save 110,0o0,000 people
from such a step. Mr.. Lansing's S
standard of patriotism is not one to be
admired. Wilmington (Del) Journal
(republican).
"Distinctive in Lansing's book is the
faiiacy OF its assumption. that it could
not be possible for him to be wrong in
anything or Wilson right at any time
His assertion it was only his strong
sense of patriotism that kept him from
resigning will be received with a hol-
low jeer."-Portsmouth (Ohio) Times
independent democratic).
The sum and substance of the whole
matter is that Secretary Lansing knew
months before he went to Paris, that
he differed hopelessly with his chief
Under the circumstances he should
nave resigned of his own accord in
stead of waiting until he was asked. -
youngstown (Ohio) Vindicator (demo-
craticl
His own opinion of the Presidents
coarse shows that he thought he was
destroying the Constitution, abrogat-
ing the Monroe doctrine and letting
America in, as he expressed it. for
train of evils that appalled, him. Yet
he did not resign, nor did he refuse
fv nf bot
sought to fasten these ruinous con-
ditions upon his own country
Akron Beacon journal frepublican).
Robert Lansing ought to have been
in position to give the world
splendid resume of the peace confer
ence. Instead. he has bequeathed to
posterity rather petty memoir which
will eventually be accepted as con-
nrfiing President Wilson 8 Judgment
in asking for his resignation."-Ho
ton Chronicle independently.
Even those who dislike Wilson
most and are most hostile to the
league covenant are not negle
in the satisfaction they get from the
Lansing book. to point out that the
former Secretary has convicted him
vict his chief. Whoever else may
suffer in the end. Lansing is. by COM
mon consent. set down the most dis
credited Secretary Of State the United
States ever had."-Des Moines Reg
lister independent republican,.
We'll, the man who was not willing
to take the responsibility of protest
ing against an unjust peace never
should have assumed the RESPONSE
bility OF heipihg make peace.'-Buf-'
falo News "trepublican).
TT is easy to believe that had Rob
ert Lansing's program at Paris, as he
now/outlines it. been accepted by the
President some Of the later embar-
EASEMENTS encountered in his deal
ings with the Senate would have been
avoided" Plain Dealer
independent democratic).
I'VE find it simply impossible to fit
Mr.. Lansing's belief and exact knowl-
edge to his performance in support
ing that which he believed to be vi
cious in itself and damaging to his
country. y."--Manchester Union dnde-
pendent republican,.
Mr.. Lansing is an able lawyer and
from his own presentation of his po-
sition one receives the impression that
at the Reconstruction crisis he looked
at world problems too strictly from
could not do other than handicap his
usefulness at a signally critical time"
Buffalo Times (democratic).
THE Secretary came home inward
ly cursing the treaty as an abomina-
ton. and eondemning the covenant of
shine and ineptitude, only to advocate
in public the treaty's ratification with
out reservations His book was the
essence Of insincerity. the exposure of
before the Senate committee."-
Springfield Republican independently.
'If, in Mr.. Lansing's view, treaty
unacceptable to the people Of the
United States was being made, a
treaty that could not be ratified by
ha t,oiDht hova n
higher purpose had he openly an
nounced that he could not sign and
rendered his resignation to the Presi-
dent. Looking back upon it now. it
had somebody thrown monkey
wrench--or several-into the machin-
cry of the Big Four."-Springfiel
Union (republican):
THE historian who reads Mr.. Ian
most instinctively classify 1t with Nc
Ciellan's Own Story, in which the de-
posed commander Of the Army of the
Potomac set out to vindicate himself
and ended by proving Lincoln's case
cratic).
"Mr Lansing clearly shows that
America was poorly represented at
Paris, that the President and the ma
ton lost prestige almost from the
moment Mr.. Wilson sat down to con-
Harrisburg Telegraph (republican).
'"To be blunt. Mr.. Lansing does not
disclose in tho book higher diplomatic
qualities than those with which popu-
lar1y he had been credited."-Rich--
mond News-Leader independent dem
ocratic).
1T is a painful book to read. 1t is
painful because it is the 2S0-page
lament of q nice but smaller man who
is hurt, deeply hurt, by the indiffer-
ence shown him by a cold and ter