Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-27
Ambassadors to See Presi-
dents Personal Agent Abroad
on His Route of Travel.
DINNERS TO GIVE CHANGE
TO OBTAIN GERMAN VIEW
Function Tonight in Berlin to Be At
tended by Party of Neutral
Diplomats.

BERLIN, January -. via London,
1:15 p.m.-American diplomatic repre-
sentatives in capitals other than Lon
don. Paris and Berlin planning
trips to confer with Col. f. NJ House,
personal representative of President
Wilson, at points along his route of
travel on the continent Ambassador
Penfeld will come from Vienna to Ber-
lin this week for a conference with Col
House Ambassador Page from Rome
will meet the colonel in Switzerland
and Ambassador Morgenthau. the far
thest removed of any of the ambassa-
doris from the route Travelled by Col.
House, will make the long trip from
Constantinople. if possible, to meet the
Presidents representative before the
latter's return to France and England.
Col. House, therefore. will he able
to convex TO the President fairly COM
plete reports on the situation as seen
through the eyes of American repre-
sentatiVes in the capitals or the pei
ligerents. He also will have the fuilest
opportunity of learning the German
view of the situation direct from lead
ing German statesmen at dinners when
Ambassador Gerard has arranGed.
These dinner engagements VIII put MN
in contact among others, with DIT. Won
cellor; Foreign Secretary Won JaSoW'
Undersecretary Zimmerman OF the TOR
eign office, and such prominent leaders
of German industry as Dr. waiter
Rathenau, the head of large electrical
interests.
Confers With Mr.. Gerard.
Col. House with his party. arrived
in Berlin yesterday morning. and was
escorted to the American embassy by
Secretary l.. l.. Winslow. taking quar-
tiers there as the guest of Amba ssador
and Mrs. Gerard. Pleading indisposi-
ton, he received only two visitors dur
ing the day, one from Count Won
.noltke, a descendant of the field mar
shall, and the other DR.. Benjamin Bat
tin, unofficial peace propagandlSt,
spending the greater part of the day
in conference with Amba ssador Gerard
To newspaper men Col. House was
exceedingly reticent regarding his mis-
sion, declaring merely that he had come
to Berlin as to other belligerent capt
tails to consult the American -ambas-
sailors and inform himself and them
more fully and clearly upon condi-
lions than was possible through cor
respondence He had nothing to say
regarding the result of his investi-
cations in London nor in Paris, nor as
to prospects of peace.
Asked whether the United States
would take the initiative in this direc-
ton, Col. House replied by referring
to President Wilson's repeated an
nouncements that he would wait for
intimations from belligerents that a
tender of good offices would have a
chance of bearing fruit before taking
any steps.
To Study German View.
So far as is to be learned from other
sources, the principal aim of Col House
in his visit to Berlin is to study the
war atmosphere in Germany" and OBJ
tain for President Wilson's benefit as
complete an idea as is possible of con-
ditions here and of the attitude and
tendencies of the imperial government.
Col. House will dine tonight at the
embassy with a party of neutral diplo-
mats, including the Spanish amba ssa-
dor. Chancellor Won Bethma mn Holl-
veg. according to arrangements made
earlier. was to have been Ambassador
Gerards dinner guest, with Col House,
tonight, but he was called to head
quarters for a conference with the en-
peror and left this morning. He will
dine at the embassy tomorrow.