Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-11-18
UNIQUE POSITION
 OCCUPIED BY COL.
 EDWARD N. HOUSE
Mysterious Texan Who Is Wilson's Friend Called
 Assistant President.

Washington, Nov. 17.-Colonel Edward M. House, assistant president of the United States! Such is the 1 unique place occupied at Woodrow Wilson's right hand by the mysteri- Ous Texan who is now in Europe as the presonal representative of the president at the allied conference. There are certain features of the war program and certain plans, chief ly of an economic nature, which the United States desires to impress upon her allies. If Colonel House suc- ceeds in his mission, he may be rat ed as one of the greatest of all liv- ing diplomats, in the opinion of the inner circle, which is fully acquaint- ed with the long list of assignments which President Wilson has given him.
 Next to the chief magistrate of the nation, it is safe to say that Edward Mandell House is the most influen- tial citizen of the United States to- day. Although he holds no official position and never has held any, he far outweighs cabinet officers and bureau chiefs in Washington affairs. He may not be the power behind the presidential chair, but he Is the pow alongside of it.
 He is figure without parallel in the political history of the United States.
 E Other presidents have had their intimate advisers. But Colonel House is unlike any of them.
 The so-caIled kitchen cabinets" of past administrations have bekn composed of officeholders or seekers after presidential favors.
 Colonel House asks nothing for himself. He has more money than man of his simple tastes could ever spend. He hates the limelight with an intensity that bars him from pub lie office. He is neither philanthro- pist nor reformer. He represents no interests, either political or finan- cial.
 This is the third time the colonel has been called upon to cross the ocean since Europe became enveloped in war. After his first mission abroad he gave the president just what he wanted-a clear-cut view of the tangled situation in wa1-swept Europe. He came back with no dreams or enthusiasm on the subject of peace. Some months later he again visited Europe to find out the general political atmosphere in the various capitals, particularly in Ber- lin, and to straighten out some deli cate diplomatic tangles. Now he has gone back again, this time as the head of the American war commis- sion. At the head of this commission Colonel House speaks, officially. for the government and may be regarded as the personal representative of the president as commander-inchief of the army and navy.
 The position in which Colonel House has been placed by this latest eommission from the president is unique. No other man in the polit- ical history of the country has ever occupied just this place. When he embarked on his first mission abroad he denied the president had asked his services. Now there is no at tempt to conceal the fact that he is an official envoy.
 Though occupying no official office, Colonel House may be regarded as virtually President Wilson's chief as- sistant in the conduct of American af- fairs.
 His place as assistant president" is not of recent development. Wash. ington first received intimation of his remarkable abilities and influence soon after Mr. Wilson took office, when the Mexican reign of terror was creasing the presidential brow. It was then that President Wilson de- veloped the habit of dropping in on Colonel House in New York.
 Slowly but surely since then the l country has come to realize that an absolutely new and unique figure has | rarisen in American politics.
 There have been political "bosses" at the side of presidents in the past. l But Colonel House is no boss. He | controls no votes, he can swing no | district, county or state. He wouldn't ] If he could. ! He. cannot be classified because there has never been any one quite | like him. Therefore. he has been l called assistant president"-a new | name for new and puzzling figure. ! k. HAVE TT UANDV FOR CROTrp