The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1020. PRESIDENT AND MINISTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 40, 16 February 1920, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1020. PRESIDENT AND MINISTERS.

For the cease tliat lacks assistances, For the wrong that needs retsiatance. Far Vie future in the distance. And the good that we can dm.

The resignations of the .Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Interior in Mr. Wilson's Cabinet will not surprise anybody who has followed American politics. The relations 'between the President and his Secretary of during the past twelve months have been freely eliscussed in the American Press, an influential and well-informed section of which considered! that Mr. Wilson had humiliated Mr. Lansing 'by ignoring him in matters of the highest importance. Two months ago the San Francisco "Argonaut'" said that in respect to Mexico, Mr. Willson had put a slight on the Minister " which no man of real dignity would accept supinely." According to the "Argonaut's " version, when tho President was too ill to see anybody, a crisis arose in the perennial elispute with Mexico, and Mr. Lansing acted on his own responsibility, but subsequently Mr. Wilson, after a brief conference with two Senators, and without even referring the question to Mr. Lansing, took matters into his own hands. But the rift between the two men dates further back than this. It is alleged that the President subjected Mr. Lansing, who, as Minister of foreign affairs should have been his right band man, to a "painful record of slights and rehuffs" at the Peace Conference, and went for advice to his unofficial adviser, Colonel House. In his evidence before a Senate Committee on his return, Mr. Uinsing had to make some humiliating admissions as to the extent to which he was kept in ignorance of important questions, and his testimony provoked the comment that he had been treated more as a clerk than as a Minister. It was stated in December that Mr. Lansing, who is the most important member of the Cabinet, had not seen his chief for four months, anel it appears from to-day's message that the two have not met since this was written. The President, however, has grievances against Mr. Lansing. He complains that at Paris Mr. Lansing was reluctant to accept his direction and guidance, that he attempted to forestall his judgment, and specifically that in Mr. Wilson's absence he took upon himself to abandon the League of Nations proposal tentatively in order to hasten the making of peace. The ultimate offence was when during Mr. Wilson's illness Mr. Lansing called a Cabinet meeting. To understaud the situation one must bear in mind that under the Constitution the President has great executive power and wide responsibility. He appoints Ministers, presides over Cabinet meetings, and is supposed to supervise the work of all departments. Especially is he expected to keep a watchful eye on foreign affairs. In the hostile article from which we have just quoted the "Argonaut"' said that none would question the right of Mr. Wilson to act as he bad done. Mr. Wilson therefore has probably been constitutionally correct in all his dealings with Mr. Lansing, and it is easy to understand that if the Minister took upon himself any great responsibility against the President's wishes or without consulting him—especially in respect to his great ideal the League of Nations—the President might be full}' justified in being annoyed and indignant. But in the workaday world of politics rigid adherence to strict constitutional right by one man in a position of great power may easily cause trouble. If a President is to work smoothly with his Cabinet and . get the best out of them he must consult Ministers, take their advice sometimes, and generally show a spirit of co-opera- ■ tion. The trouble with Mr. Wilson is that ' while in ideals he is quite a sincere democrat he is by nature anel training an autocrat. Under the British system a man destined for the highest post in the State undergoes a long political preparation, during which he mixes on terms of equality with his fellows, has some of , the angles rubbed off him, undergoes the • useful discipline of contradiction and failure, and learns the art of managing 1 men. But Mr. Wilson's preparation for public life was years of work as college t professor and president, -in which he had 1 continuously to instruct and discipline I young men -who were his intellectual inferiors. Such a training develops the ' autocratic habit of mind. Whatever ' legitimate grievances Mr. Wilson may have against Mr. Lansing there is no ■ doubt that he has behaved autocratically in his management of the nation's affairs, and unfortunately for himself he has ( combined this attitude with a deliberate ' preference for the opinions of the unofficial Colonel House over those of his official advisers. Mr. Lansing and -Mr. Lane may have acted unconstitutionally in calling a Cabinet nieeeting, but they may well retort that the continued seeluI sion of the. President had created an impossible situation. One result of the ' resignations will be increased unwillingness on the part of the ablest men to accept Cabinet positions'. .What this may mean is best realised by remember- • ing that even as things have been it has t been possible for a Josephus Daniels to 5 be called to the Cabinet.