The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-10-11
COL. HOUSE HAS
EXALTED MISSION
Directed 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.

fully advised of the fact that the Eu-
ropean governments have for nearly
three years been gathering and collect
Ing data, which would be indlspensi-
Bile at the now unknOwable but yet In
eyltable date, when the warning ma
tions meet to settle peace terms, has
asked Col. Il. NJ. House, his intimate
friend and unofficial counselor, to as
sumo this complex and gigantic task.
Colonel House has accepted the un-
dertaking, and with characteristic
promptltude and thoroughness has al
ready made groundwork plans for as
semblng all pertinent information. his
torlcal, geographical, and chronological.
His initial move was the selection as
his chief lieutenant Of DR.. John ii. Fin
ley. New York state commissioner Of
education. who has just returned from
Europe, where he made an eShauS-
tive study of conditions.
The selection of Doctor Finley is In
dlcatlve OF the sort Of experts with
whom Colonel House will confer. No
man or woman with preconcelved
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 a
work where Open-mindedness Is pre-
requisite TO the arrival at conclusions
that will enable the government to de-
terrnlne upon correct policy.
Prejudice to Be Barred.
Emphasis is put upon the unalter-
able determination that neither pro-
fessional paclfsts nor confirmed mill
tarists can be In the slightest degree
useful in preparing statistics for gov
ernmental guidance, which must be
without faint Of bias.
In an interview Colonel House made
II 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 Sto'es to analyZe war cOndl-
tions and evolve plan Of procedure
when iostiliti,s end Is belated one,
tucf ac nur military nrano ro films
Jagged for q period But now II Is
'full steam ahead and dam the tor
pedoes" with our army and navy with
not q thought Of let-up in mind, so
from now on there will be urgent
prosecution Of search for material, his
t6rical and Informative, concerning the
world war. This quest Of data will
keep pace with an energetic prosecu-
In any way. To pause now In any
phase of belligerent endeavor might
make the prospect of peace even more
remote than II 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
belligcrents or the central powers, or
possible terms upon the basis of which
they might he willing to enter into ne
gotlations. He will remain In the Unit
ed States. II Is possible that the state
department will be able to afford him
hid In the work he has undertaken,
but he will not work with the depart
mcnt nor in diplomatic capacity, for
NAL or informal. He viii have no title
and will receive no salary.
The appointment of Colonel House
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 lnterna-
tional problems in which the United
States has taken direct interest. The
wnr has brought new problems and
projected this country into field OF
international activity which II has sell
Com entered before.
information Must Be Ready.
The questions which will come be-
fore the peace conference at the end
Of the war will be multltudlnOus. 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
ritoria 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 he at hand.
II will he Colonel Houses function to
gather n corps OF experts to get this
material in form for use Others, how
c,e will prepare the brief.
With exclusive European problems,
II Is not expected that the representa-
lives of the United States at the peace
council will be concerned. But in the
di, position Of general questions, relat-
ing 10 economic intercourse md po-
nllcal development which will infect
virtually all the nations of the world
the United States will have q potent
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