The Colorado statesman., 1917-10-06

Wilson, has assumed an unusual and
complex task in accepting the commits
sion of the president to gather infor-
nation which will be greatly needed
by the United States government
when 1t enters the peace conference
which will end the present great war.
President Wilson, in making this move,
was cognizant of the fact that for
nearly three years the European gov
ernments have been making similar
preparations for the inevitable peace
conference.
Colonel House already has begun to
carry out the wishes of the president.
As his chief assistant in the work he
has selected DIR. John II. Finley, New
York state commissioner of education,
who recently returned to this country
from Europe after making an exten-
sive investigation of conditions in sew
erdl countries.
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 preconceived
opinion which might tempt one to color
circumstances so as to prove the cor
rectness of a personal point of view
will be permitted to participate In
work where open-mindedness is pre-
requisite to the arrival at conclusions
that will enable the government to de-
termine upon a correct policy.
Emphasis is put upon the unalter-
able determination that neither pro-
fessional pacifists nor confirmed mill
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
1t 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
ers' 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 a plan of procedure
when hostilities end is belated one,
just as our military preparations
Jagged for a period. But now it is
full steam ahead and damn 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-
ton 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 1t 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
belligerents 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. 1t 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
pnd will receive no salary.
The appointment of Colonel House
affords another illustration of the ex-
panding 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 a direct interest. The
war has brought new problems and
projected this country into field of
international activity which it has sell
dom entered before.
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 many subjects to
be considered, and the information
upon which conclusions may be based
and policies decided must be at hand.
With exclusive European problems,
1t 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 will have a potent
Difference In Insignia.