Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-16
INFLUENCE OF us.
PARAMOUNT, SAYS
COLONEL HOUSE
Head of American Mission
to Interallied Conference
Returns Home.
HIGHLY PLEASED WITH
WORK ACCOMPLISHED
Reports Dispatched by Special
Messenger to State Depart
rnent at Washington.
THINGS BROUGHT TO A FOCUS
Declares Both I'm France and Eng
Land Morale OF Fighting Forces
and People Is Splendid.
HIGHLY PLEASED WITH
WORK ACCOMPLISHED
THINGS BROUGHT TO A FOCUS
tBy Associated Pressl

tBy Associated Press1
NEW YORK. December l5.-What the
American mission was sent to accom-
plish in tho interallied war conference
In Paris has been successfully and sat
isfactorily donc.' was the message
brought to. tho American people by
Colonel Z. II. House. head OF tho mis-
sion. who returned to the United States
to-day with four Of his colleagues.
Tho return OF tho party was void OF
ostentation. After advising the press
of the missions arrival. Colonel House
notorcd to his home. where no later
received newspaper men, and announced
that the missions reports already had
been dispatched by special messenger
TO tho State Department at Washing
ton. These reports. which included that
OF Colonel House. Will be supplemented
By the coloncrs personal report to
President Wilson. He said he would
so to Washington on Monday.
In England and Franco the innu-
ence OF the. United States is para
mount" said Colonel House. I'm both
countries the morale Is splendid-the
best l have observed on any OF my
three trips abroad since the beginning
OF tho war"
DIFFERENTIATION To WIN
HE SAYS IS ADMIRABLE
You mean the morale Of the fight
ing forcesT' Colonel House was asked.
NO, l mean the morale OF the men
in uniform and the people as WHOLE"
lie replied. Their determination to
win without thought OF the cost is ad-
mIrnble,'' J. . 5.s,s ..!gs,. .
Through the elimination or speech
mailing and entertainment .hpth- OF q
public and private mature. Colonel
House said the interallicd war confer
cnce accomplished its full purpose at
three sittinGs. At their termination.
he said. the supreme war council. an
outsrowth of these deliberations. COM
pleted its work in four weeks time
Two weeks bein: spent in London and
two weeks in Paris.
The Primo Ministers Of Great Britain.
France and Italy and Colonel House.
together with their military aids. were
The only ones participating in the su-
preme war council
ASSIGNED TO MEMBERSHIP
ON VARIOUS COMMITTEES
The others who had taken part in
tho first conference were assigned 20
membership on various committees. and
thus every one had specific task to
accomplish. These committees dealt
with food. embargo, finance and other
subjects
The council brought things to q
tocus--up to that time there was no
CO ordination and thinga were not going
well" said the colonei. Every one
worked we'll, hard and cordially"
In reply to questions as TO Hhat the
council decided to do with difference
TO various matters. Colonel House said
the deliberations were concerned pri-
marily with the economic situation. He
declared what had been decided upon
with reference to this situation would
not mean the introduction of any meas
ures radically different" from those
now operative in the United States.
DID NOT DISCUSS WAR
AIMS WHILE ABROAD
Colonel House said he did not discuss
war aims while abroad. In his esti-
nation, he declared. one PERSONS opin-
ion was as good as another's as TO
what Russia might be expected to do.
Gathering OF data in preparation for
the eventual peace conference was
purely Incidental and entirely aside
from the, main purpose OF the mis-
sion.
Asked regarding the progress OF
General Pershing's work. Colonel
House said:
"Iiis task Is really more difficult than
the people know, but he Is doing ad-
mirabiy. Our mep--our fighting men
and those who have been sent abroad
on other missions since our entry into
the war--have made highly favor
able Impression"
American representation at any fur
,hcr councils OF an interallied nature
was entirely a matter for President
Wilson'S decision. Colonel House stated,
and he knew. nothing Of the Presi-
dents Intentions respecting the re-
turn of himself or other delegates to
such conferences.
MEMBERS OF PARTY
RETURNING WITH HOUSE
Accompanying Colonel House on his
return to-day were General Tasker. II.
Bliss. Vance c. Mccormick, chairman
Of the war trade board; cambridge
Colby. of the United States Shipping
Board. and Thomas N. Perkins. of the
priority board. Oscar #. Crosby, as
sistant Secretary Of tho Treasurer; DR..
a. e. Taylor. representing the food
administration. and Paul D. crayath
remained in London. Colonel House
said, primarily to complete some de.
tails respecting priority matters"
Colonel House paid tribute to his
fellow members Of the mission in this
statement:
II wish to reeord my appreciation
!. Continued on Page Elcvcn.)