Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-02

|0JJSE, LITTLE MYSTERY MAN"
AGAIN CHIEF AID OF PRESIDENT
Washington Little Surprised When Wilson Tele-
graphed for Close-Mouthed Texas Colonel
to Help Meet Present Crisis

Colonel House has travelled much, and is
as much al home in London or Paris or Ber-
lin as he Is on the streets OF Austin Tex.
or New York.
"ORIGINAL WILSON MAN"
Right here we are coming to the Coloners
lrst real mixing into national politics.
When the Democrats got control Of the
House of Representatives In 1910 and the
Taft Administration was getting deeper and
deeper into the mire of politics, Colonel
House made up his mind that there was an
excellent chance for the Democrats to elect
n President. provided the right man was
nominated.
The Colonel turned his eyes toward Jer-
sey. where Governor Woodrow Wilson was
making Jim Smith, Democratic boss. and
other lesser bosses run for cover. He made
UP his mind that Wilson was the man who
could win, and before Wilson knew much
about II. the Colonels directing whisper"
was making friends for Wilson In various
parts OF the country. Later Wilson and
House met and discovered that they agreed
on almost everything in politics One OF the
men whom Wilson feared was Bryan, but
House proved the great fxer" and soon
Induced the Commoner not to don his war
paint and feathers and go after Wilson.
House. II is claimed was the man who
shooed of Colonel Harvey on the ground
that Harpers Weekly advocacy was hurt
ing Wilson's chances.
Those who were at the Baltimore con-
vention know that through all of the fighting
for the various candidates on the floor Of
the convention the forty Texas delegates
stood like stone wall for Wilson on every
ballot and fought with the same determi-
nation and pluck that the defenders of the
Alamo fought their assailants
AS A CABINET MAKER
Before the administration was well un-
der way 1t became plain that when Presi-
dent Wilson wanted an unprejudiced opin-
ion OF men or things he sent for Colonel
House. When il came to making the Will
son Cabinet House was right on the job
Before the makeup of the Cabinet was
announced n copy of II was given to Colo-
mel House and he went to Florida, where
Bryan was spending the early spring. The
Cabinet was satisfactory to the Nebraskan,
and II was surely satisfactory to the Texan,
for was not one of its members from
his State--Postmaster General Burleson--
while Secretary OF Agriculture Houston
had been university president in the same
big State?
Having piloted the Wilson Administration
into the White House. Colonel House has
been It's watchman in the belfry ever since
Taft moved out and Wilson moved In.
When the Administration wanted to fill
important offices in New England, Colonel
House was delegated to look over the field
of availables
VISIT TO WARRING EUROPE
When. in 1915. President Wilson wanted
to get a close viewpoint of the situation
in the war zone, he sent Colonel House
over to get that viewpoint and bring it
back to Washington. The Colonel. In his
usual plain, unobtrusive manner. talked with
Asquith. Lloyd George, Kitchener, Poincare,
Delcasse Viviani, Won Jagow. Bethmann-
Hollweg and many other notables who fig
ure in the worlds greatest war. He had
two interviews with King George of Eng
land. The findings of the little Texan were
never made public. He made his report to
the President upon his return. and the
matter ended right there as far as the
world was concerned. The Little Man of
Mystery did deny, however. that he had
gone to Europe as the Presidents peace
envoy.
SAW VANCE MCCORMICK
The "silent hand" Of the little Colonel
was evidenced plainly at the st. Louis Con-
vention in the election of the chairman. of
Democratic National Committee Two days
before the convention Colonel House glided
into Harrisburg and told Vance McCor-
mick that he was one of a number of men
being considered for chairman of the Demo-
cratic National Committee. At st. Louis
Colonel House was in constant communica-
tion by telephone with the President. Every
body knows that Vance Mccormick was
made chairman Of the committee.