The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-18
FAMOUS TEXAS DIPLOMAT
OPTIMISTIC IN VIEWS OF
EUROPEAN SITUATION
German Power Slowly
Crunbling
Military and Naval Plans of Far
Reaching Importance Endorsed
by General Bliss and Admiral
Benson Presented.
John Edwin Nevin,

q. n. S. Staff Correspondent
- WASHINGTON. Dec 1S.-The in
nermost secrets of the war. those in
volving momentous questions on which |
hinge the fate of all of the nations !
engaged, were uncovered here today. |
The immediate result admittedly will
be a general tightening up in all mat
ters of American participation. The
ultimate object will be naval and mil
itary changes of policy which will be
far reaching Additional emphasis also
will be put on the win the war at
any COST" slogan here in the United
States.
From Immediately after dinner last
night until we'll into the early morn
ing hours the lights burned full blast
in President Wilson's study in the
White House. Closeted only with Col
onel e. M. House, the president re-
ceived a complete report on the dOings
of the American mission abroad both
for hours last night and again today.
Secrets which could not be put on
paper were revealed in cold. sharp
language that left little to the imag
ination.
Spades" were called spades" by
the dimunitive Texan whose powers of
observation are second to none.
CHASTITY mistakes of policy which have
been taken advantage of by Germany
were explained. But through his en-
tire report, it was later learned from
an unimpeachable source, ran a note
of extreme optimism. Confidential
documents were displayed and ex-
planned, showing exactly what is
transpiring behind the Teutonic from
tiers. Even the general plan which
He forthcoming peace offer of the
Kaiser will follow was revealed.
The fruits of the work of the secret
service of the allies and of the United
States were produced to balance the
effect of the admitted mistakes of mill
itary and naval men and entente
statesmen.
The result was satisfying. The Ger
man military power was shown to be
rumbling-slowly it is true,-but
nonetheless crumbling and that in ev
s>ery part of the empire The disaffec
Non in Turkey and Bulgaria is ex-
treme and the president was told just
what has been done towards forcing a
separate peace by those countries and
what can be expected within the next
six months.
The conference between the presi-
dent and his closest personal adviser
and counsellor was resumed imme-
diately after breakfast today. For
hours the entire situation was can
vassed Colonel House is understood
to have emphasized to the president
his conviction that there is no real
weakness anywhere in the allied
ranks. He explained all that has been
done to meet the Russian situation.
In this connection it is understood
that Colonel House explained the steps
that he has taken to prevent the en-
tente driving the Russian present gov
ernmental control into the camp of the
enemy He is understood to have COM
PEELED the allies to reconsider a de-
cisiOn whereby they were to withdraw
all of their diplomatic and consular
representatives from Russia when the
BOlshevild took over control in Petro-
grad. This action made the best of
an ugly situation and prevented an
immediate peace which would have re-
leased for immediate service on the
,'estern front all of the Austro-Hun-
/barian and German prisoners who are
held in Russia. Now, even though the
Bolshevili does make peace it is un-
derstood that an agreement will be
reached which will prevent any of
these men taking any active part in
the war.
Following his conferences with
Colonel House the president met with
the members of the mission who ac-
NSompanied him. He already had be-
fo>e him the written reports of the
representatives of the war and navy
departments, the treasury, the ship
ping board and the war trade board
All contained important recommends
tions. General Bliss and Admiral
Benson have recommended certain
matters of great military and naval
Importance. Under the naval program
the American fleet, which through its
destroyers has done a wonderful work
in combating the German submarine
will also undertake new and danger
GUS duties the exact nature of which
may not now be hinted at.
1t was expected that as a result OF
todays conference an announcement
soon would be made of the personnel
of the representatives of the United
States on the supreme war council oi
entente and also of the military anC
naval counsel. But although the Sc
lections are likely to be made imme
diately it is within the bounds of pos
Sibility that the names will not BIZ
|made public until the officers select
ed actually are on the job.
The president also had explained t