POLITICAL SENSATION

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1920, Page 2

POLITICAL SENSATION

AMERICAN DIFFERENCES

(By Electric Telpgraph—Copyright.;

WASHINGTON, February 13.

Hop. Mr Lansing has resigned his Cabinet , position as United States Sec r rotary of State. President Wijsog has accepted his resigi|atioi|.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. . President Wilson wrote to Mr Lansing on February 7th asking if it was true that Mr Lansing had called g Cabinet meetijig during President Wilson's illness and pointing out that ho one save the President hud authority to do this. Mr Lansing replied: “Yes. Do you think I failed in my loyalty to you?” Mr Lansing then tendered his resignation.

It i s further stated that the correspondence between Mr Lansing and President Wilson that led to Mr Lansing's resignation lots brought out the fact that there has been a growing different between the two iiien for some time. President Wilson assert >« o»}e letter that he felt while he and Mr Lansing were stifl in Paris( that Mr Lansing accepted his (President Mason's) guidance and dirsc£ipu vvijdi increasing reluctance, and that he had attempted to forestall his (President AVilson’s) ..judgment in many matters.

Mr Lansing replying stated that he had long ago wished to resign because since January, of 1019, he felt that President Wilson no longer welcomed the Secretary for State's adyieg tabling to the negotiations at Paris and to International affairs generally, bn}: lie has withheld his resignation, fearing it would be misinterpreted abroad and (hat it would embarrass the President. Mr Lansing concluded by pointing out that he neither wished to believe nor to be usurper of the 'President’s authority bv calling a. Cabinet meeting.

,AMERICA’S MEXICAN POLICY. NEW YORK, February 14. The press states that the resignation of Mr Fletcher (United States Ambaa. sador to Mexico) is announced. It is due to disgust at President’s Mexican policy with which Mr Lansing is also dissatisfied. Other press references disclose that the Wilson-Lansing disagreement began in 1917, when Mr Lansing stated that the United States was steadily (drifting towards war. There were further disagreements in Baris. Thorp in President Wilson's absence, Mr Lansing tentatively agreed to abandon the League of Nation's provisions in order to allow speed in concluding pence, Mr Bullitt's revelations abqu( Russia iff which ip was disclosed (hat Mr Lansing Rid not approve of the League of Nations wag a further fap r tor.

Jj ig alleged that af the first Cffbjnpf j meeting, which Mr Lansing called q j complaint was made that none know the President's condition although ru = mourn were abroad that Mr Wilson was non compos mentis. Mr Lansing had not seen President AVilson since the first day of Ids illness. Other press correspondents comment on Mr Lansing’s resignation contend tliat President Wilson shows capacity for ignoring Cabinet officers and is utilising Colonel House as his special ambassador abroad instead of Mr Lansing.

A FURTHER RESIGNATION POSSIBLE.

ITnfteef States Secretary Lane has caused a sensation in the capital by announcing that be is equally responsible with Mr Lansing for the Cabinet meetings which Mr Lansing called. It is now believed Lane will also resign.

MR LANE’S SUCCESSOR, (Received this day. at 9.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. John Barton Payne, Chairman of the United States Shipping Board, has been appointed *to succeed Mr Lane, as Secretary of the Interior.