The Benson signal., 1917-10-13
TO PREPARE FOR
PEACE CONGRESS
Colonel House Undertakes Un-
usual Task at Request of
President Wilson.
DOES NOT aim TO END WAR
Work Is to Equip Government With
Data That Will Be Important
When the Hostilities Come
to a Close.

New YOrk.-COl. e. Nj. House, who
was asked by President Wilson to un-
dertake the task of preparing data for
the use Of the United States when the
warning nations gather about the con-
ference table to discuss peace terms,
has entered actively upon the perform
ance of his unusual duties. His first
move was to select DR.. John III. Finley,
commissioner Of education of the state
of New York, as his chief assistant.
Doctor Finley will bring to the work
all the information which he gathered
on a recent trip to Europe, where he
made an extensive study Of conditions.
Emphasis is laid upon the fact that
the appointment of the presidents in
innate friend and counselor to this pO-
sition is not indicative of any move for
peace at this time but is merely pre-
paratory to the peace conference
which must come inevitably at some
time in the future.
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 a
work where Open-mindedness is a 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-
tons and evolve 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 a 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-
tion of the contest, but will not halt it
in any way. To pause now in any
phase of belligerent endeavor might
make the prospect of peace even more
remote than it 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. It 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 a diplomatic capacity, for
NAL or informal. He will have no title
and 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-
States has taken a direct interest. The
war has brought new problems and
projected this country into a 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,
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