Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-11-16
i. S. IN WAR MEET
COMMISSION NOW IN EUROPE
FOR COUNCIL HEADED BY
COL. e. M. HOUSE.
NOT TO BE PEACE C0NCLAvE
Secretary of State Lansing Emphasizes
Fact That Session Is to Be
Essentially War
Conference.

Washington. = An American war
board, headed by Col. E. M. House.
chief unofficial counselor OF president
Wilson, and including in its personnei
those at the head of various var ac-
tivities of the United States, is now IN
Europe ready for participation IN the
conference of all the allies.
News Of the safe arrival of the Amer
lean commission abroad was followed
by the issuance of statement Dy sec
rotary of State Lansing, making puDlc
the makeup of the commission and the
policies which will DE followed by the
representatives of the United States
government when they participate for
the first time in a general war councll
of the allies.
Personnel of Commission.
The American war commission con-
sists of the following members:
Col. e. M. House, chairman, who Will
act as the spokesman of President VIII
son on questions pertaining to the gem
eral policies of the conduct of the war;
Admiral w. S. Benson, chief of naval
operations, u. S. N, who will partlcl-
pate in the formation of plans Tor the
employment of the combined naval
forces of the allies.
Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, chief of staff,
y. S. A., who will give detailed int0r-
nation on the extent of military sup
port the United States will be able to
give next year.
Oscar T. Crosby, assistant secretary
of the treasury, who will speak for the
United States on questions OF inter-
allied war financing.
Vance c.. Mccormick, chairman of the
war trade board, who will assist in
planning uniform policy in admins
tering embargoes on exports and pro-
visions against trading with the enemy
cambridge Colby, member of the
shipping board, who will report the
amount of tonnage building and the
amount that can be turned out next
year.
DR.. AlOnZo E. Taylor, who, as rep
resentative of Food Administrator Hoo
yer, will cooperate with the commits
siOners of the allies in working out a
uniform policy of food conservation
and appOrtiOnment of American sup
plies to the European co-belligerents
Thomas Nelson Perkins of the pri-
Ority board, who will negotiate an
agreement on plan Of giving prefer
ence to the shipment of vital necessi-
ties to the allies Of the United States.
Gordon Auchincloss, son-in-law of
Colonel House and assistant to COun-
selor Polk of the state department,
who will serve as chief secretary of the
commission.
Realize Lack of Unity.
Secretary Lansing's statement re-
garding the mission indicates conc1u-
sively that the nations fighting Ger
many realize that lack of team work
accounts for the reverses they have
sustained and for the failure to cope
effectively at all times with the we'll
organized German military machine.
Until the combined resources of the
allies can be employed against Ger
many by single directing agency, it
is contended, there will continue to be
waste of human lives and material, re-
verses at weak points and other mis-
fortunes. all serving to postpone a de-
cisive victory over the enemy.
Mr.. Lansing stresses the fact that
the conference is to be war and not
n peace conclave. He does not wish
anyone to get the impression that the
United States is thinking of peace
while preparing to exert its utmost to
defeat Germany or the field of battle.
The secretary's anxiety on this score
Is due to the speculation aroused by
the announcement before American
troops reached the firing line that
Colonel House had been selected to
prepare for the peace conference. I'M
mediately reports gained circulation
that President Wilson was expecting
peace this winter and that he did not
intend TO send the American troops
into action until all hope of a suspen-
sion of hostilities had disappeared.
Is "War Conference"
Secretary Lanshg's statement fol-
lows:
1.-THE conference is essentially
war conference with the object of
perfecting a more complete co-ordina-
tion of the activities of the various
nations engaged in the conflict and
more comprehensive understanding of
their respective needs In order that the
Joint efforts of the co-belligerents may
attain the highest war efficiency.
"While a definite program has not
been adopted, 1t may be assumed that
the subjects to be discussed will EN-
brace not only those pertaining to mill
tary and naval operations, but also
the financial, commercial, economic
Ones Career.