The Washington herald., 1917-12-17
EstabIishins q New Profession.

EstsbIishing q New Profession.
1t was in some such intriguing
form that rumors of Col. Houses
existence and activities would oc-
casionally reach one in Washington
or New York. 1 say Intriguing"
because they suggested a new type
of American public man. The ordi-
nary Boss I had met and studied
to repletion. But no one that /
knew of. even today. has ever
spoken Of Col House as a Boss" OF
has suggested that he bears any re-
semblance to those strange products
of the American political system.
Men of means and education.
again, who were questionable
enough TO devote themselves to poll
tics, i had come across in plenty.
But they were always running for
office, thrusting themselves for
ward. making speeches. taking a
public part In the hurly-burly, do
ing all the prominent and popular
things expected of candidates.
Col. House. one gathered, was on
a different tack. He approached the
problem of influencing the mon
strous MECHANISM Of American gov
ernment and its legislative output
from q wholly novel angle. He
wanted nothing for himself. He
could hold. / suppose, at this mo-
ment any post he pleased in Presi-
dent Wilson's Cabinet. but he pre-
fers to remain a private citizen He
established a new professionalism
of Political Consultant: and the
conditions on which alone he could
make a success of IL were that he
should be absolutely disinterested
should owe nothing TO any man,
should never appear in public, and
shoud offer his advice and make his
recommendations with a single eye
to what was best for his party aSd
his State and his country.
Some things are very requisite in
man who would play such a part
He must be an honest man; and Col
House is honesty itself. Il can point
out to you a few men," said Presi-
dent Wilson at a public dinner
some is months ago, whom every
man ought to be afraid of because
I nothing but the truth resides in
, them. have one in particular in
mind whom / have never caught
thinking about himself. would
not dare to make a pretense in the
presence Of that man IL wanted to.
His eyes contain the penetrating
| light of truth before which all dis
guise falls away" No one had any
doubt as to whom the President was
referring, and no one who had met
Col House had any doubt either
| that the tribute was as just as it
was fine.
shrewd Judge of Men.
Another requisite is an eye for men
and the knowledge OF how TO handle
them. In both respects Col. House is
! quite first-rate. He Is one of thS
shrewdest Judges of character and
capacity / have ever encountered. He
sits and listens and appraises, say
ing next to nothing himself. never
giving himself away. drawing men
out and watching them as they
lengthen for the revealing trait, a
master of the art of sympathetic
| silence.
But Col. House has another quali-
fication for the position he holds
he is a rare judge OF a situation. A
! quick, pertinent disentaEling mind
helps him much: his knowledge Of
human nature, OF men as individuals
and in crowds. and his ready sense
Of the play of life OF events help
him still more.
In Col. House thess aptitudes meet
with singular completeness. and they
make him an ideal counsellor of n
man like President Wilson. The two
men have known one another for
hardly more than six years. but they
| took TO one another from the start.
and they have remained the closest
of friends and colleagues. i do not
know how far the colonel in
| fiuences" the President. When his