The Green Forest tribune., 1917-10-12
COL. HOUSE HAS
 EXALTED MISSION
Nrected by President to Collect Material to Be Used at
 Peace Conference.
WARS END NOT IN SIGHT
United States to Be Equipped With Full Information on All Matters That Are Vital to
 Its Interests.

New York-President Wilson, being fully advised of the fact that the Eu ropean governments have for nearly three years been gathering and collect Ing data, which would be indiSpensi ble at the now unknowable but yet in evitable date, when the warning na- tions meet to settle peace terms, has friend and unofficial counselor, to as sume this complex anu gigantic task.
 Colonel House has accepted the un- dertaking. and with characteristic promptitude and thoroughness has al- ready made groundwork plans for as Senbling all pertinent information. his torical, geographical, and ethnol0sical, His initial move was the selection as his chief lieutenant of Dr. J ohn H. Fin ley. New York state commissioner of education, who has just returned from Europe where he made an eXhauS- tive study of conditions.
 The selection of Doctor Finley is in dicative of the sort of experts with whom Colonel House will confer. No man or woman with a preconcefVed opinion which might tempt one to color circumstances so as to prove the cor rectnesS of personal point of view will be permitted to participate In q work where manufactures is pre- requisite to the arrival at conclusions that will enable the government to de- ternine upon q correct policy.
 Prejudice to Be Barred.
 Emphasis is put upon the unalter- able determination that neither pro fessiOnal pacifists nor confirmed mili- taristS can be in the slightest degree useful in preparing statistics for gov ernmental guidance, which must be without taint of bias.
 In an interview Colonel House made it plain that his appointment does not indicate any thought of immediate peace Is now being entertained by the United States government. He agrees with Lord Northcliffe in his message delivered before the American Bank CTS association in Atlantic City that peace seems far off and America should beware the trickery and treach- cry of such propaganda. The truth is that this effort on the part of the United States to analyze war condi- tions and evolve plan of procedure when hostilitieS end is a belated one, just as our military preparations Jagged for period. But now it is full steam ahead and dam the tor pedoes" with our army and navy with not thought of let-up in mind, so from now on there will be urgent prosecution of search for material, his tOrical and informative, concerning the world war. This quest of data will keep pace with an energetic prosecu- tion of the contest, but will not halt 1t in any way. To pause now in any phase of belligerent endeavor might make the prospect of peace even more remote than it seems at present.
 No Sign of Early Peace.
 The government sees nothing what ever to indicate the early approach of peace, nor will Colonel House have anything to do with ascertaining the point of view of either the Entente bellieerents or the central powers, or possible terms upon the basis of which they might be willing to enter into ne- gotiations. He will remain in the Unit ed States. It is possible that the state department will be able to afford him aid in the work he has undertaken. but he will not work with the depart ment nor in diplomatic capacity, for nal or informal. He will have no title and will receive no salary.
 The appointment of Colonel House affords another illustration of the ex- banding position of the United States in world affairs. Heretofore the state department has been equipped with virtually all the information that was necessary to the solution of interna- tional problems in which the United States has taken direct interest. The war has brought new problems and projected this country into a field of international activity which it has sell dom entered before.
 Information Must Be Ready.
 The questions which will come be- fore the peace conference at the end of the war will be multitudinous. The freedom of the seas. the naturalization of seaways. the political homeogeneity of peoples who claim the right of self government and the disposition of ter ritorial possessions involving economic. historical and political questions will be some of the 2 many subjects to be considered, and the information upon which conclusions may be based and policies decided must be at hand. It will be Colonel Houses function to gather a corps of experts to get this material in form for use. Others, how ever. will prepare the brief.
 With exclusive European problems, it is not expected that the representa- tives of the United States at the peace council will be concerned. But in the disposition of general questions, relat- ing to economic intercourse and po- litical development which will affect virtually all the nations of the world. the United States vii have potent
 Three Notable Physical Features.
 The surface of North America pre- sents three great physical features n. n Al