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<add>to</add> <del>if he</del> put Houston in the State Department. I considered him a man of good judgment, but without diplomacy and that he would be very hard to work with. The President said he had never found Houston at all obstinate in taking ad- vice. My reply was that Houston's department was one in which the President had <del>not</del> taken <add>no</add> <del>any</del> active <add><gap reason=�illegible�></add> <del>supervision</del>, but he would find if he came in contact with him as often as it would be necessary if he were Secretary of State, a different story would have to be told. I thought, too, it would be impossi- ble for me to work with him, friends though we have always been. I thought if he took Baker, he should make Polk Secretary of War. The President seems to have a distaste for most of the State Department per- sonel. I argued strongly for Polk and also for Lansing, suggesting that he allow Lansing to remain until he fell ill again, and then use that as an ex- cuse, thus saving his sensibilities. The President suggested sending Lansing as Chairman of the Commission which is to go to Brazil. I did not consider this commensurate with his po- sition and urged an ambassadorship. He said there were none vacant. I re- plied "you could make a vacancy at London. That between hurting the sensibil- ities of Page and Lansing, there was less reason for sparing Page." I thought if he would promise Lansing a place on the peace commission he would be will- ing to accept London. The President demurred. He did not think him fit for a peace commissioner; what he would give out statements at that congress just as he does in Washington, thereby nullifying his, the President's, work. We left the subject with a tentative agreement that he would speak to Lansing when he returned to Washington and offer him London. I also suggested that he mention the work he had asked me to do regarding the peace congress. I think, however, I shall qualify this for if he asked for his re- signation, it would be better not to bring me in, directly or indirectly, be-
Title | ms_0466_s2_v5_269 |
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