Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-08
LANSING FORCED TO QUIT
FOR ASSEMBLING CABINET
DURING WILSON'S ILLNESS

every reason to believe that a de
mand would then have been made
in the senate for succession by Vice
President Marshall
When Mr. Wilson gradually recov.
ered to the point of being able to
listen to affairs of state he was APP
prised of the fact that cabinet meet
ings had been held. He was told OF
the incident which led to the sum-
moning of the cabinet. lie was UNI
aware of the situation which had
existed and of the practically
unanimous belief of all his advisers
that the holding of cabinet meet
ings would preserve public conf
dence in the government while he
was unable to function. He demand
ed the resignation of Secretary
of State Lansing as punishment
and example.
There were of course, contribu-
tory reasons such as the dissent eX-
pressed at Paris by Mr.. Lansing
with respect to the Shantung settle
ment in the Versailles treaty of
peace. Mr. Wilson showed displeas-
ure. for instance, on his western trip
when he received telegram from
Mr.. Lansing stating that one of the
attaches of the American peace mis-
sion testifying before the senate for
eign relations committee had reveal
ed Mr. Lansing's disagreement with
the president on the Shantung ques-
ton, a circumstance which had up
to that time been rumored but not
confirmed and which, of course, was
ammunition for Mr.. Wilson's oppo-
nents in the treaty fight.
What Mr.. Lansing did as secre-
tary of state-the responsible Off
Ger &C the government who must
certify to all proc!amations and
whose duty under the law it is to
notify the vice president of the death
or disability of the president, I'M
doubtedly was just the thing that
would irritate an individual who felt
he was by no means incapacitated.
An impartial judgment of the affair
cannot but lead to the conclusion
that the unprecedented functionins
of the cabinet as an entity without
executive direction, guidance or au-
thQrity except as derived by impli.
cation from the statutes was tact
full move which prevented the un.
pleasant question Of technical dis.
ability from being raised by the
many who were opposed to Mr. Will:
son in those bitter days of the treaty
fight.
The presidents shaky signature
to public documents and the gradual
Improvement thereafter in his hand
writing tell story of how difficult
it was for the president to carry
on in his hours of physical distress
He was incapable OF sustained eff
fort. At first he could give an hour
or so to official duties and later two
hours and then more as his health
improved. Only the most important
matters were placed before him in
the limited time that his physicians
said he could afford to give to pub
lie business.
CnfaVorable news was withheld
from Mr.. Wilson and nothing was
done that was in the least calculated
to excite or disturb. Mr.. Wilson
was given to emotional outbursts.
wept very often, and grew melan-
choly over his breakdown.
Throughout this period, Mrs Will
son was constantly at his bedside,
as was also his eldest daughter, Miss
Margaret. The devotion of the wife
and daughter was no small factor
in nursing the president back to
more and more participation in pub
lie affairs. Mrs. Wilson stood be-
tween her husband and the govern
ment, indeed between him and the
outside world. 1t was she who acted
as personal secretary, taking notes
and writing memoranda and mes
sages to the various cabinet officers
and officials of the government gen
orally. Even the private secretary,
Mr.. Tumulty, refrained from enter
ing the bed chamber except when
sent for He placed his memoranda
on vital questions before Mrs. Will
son, leaving it TO her to discover the
proper moment to ask the president
for his opinion or decision. She was,
so to speak, the reigning monarch.
An annual address had to be sent
to congress in December, 1919, and
also in December, 1920 On both
occasions, Mr.. Wilson was spared
the necessity of composition. His
cabinet officers wrote memoranda
ON the topics that had to be covered
IN these messages and with the help
oL secretary Iun1ulty, who Wove
them together, the documents were
put into finished form and read to
Mi. Wilson,, who, with a few
changes. gave his approval and SO
was able to fulfill his constitutional
function of reporting to congress on
the state of the union. Thus did his
lntlmates struggle to keep up APP
pearances in the days when America
really had no president.
saturdays chapter tells of Wood
row Wilson's relations with the
preSS.)