The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-11-16
U. S. IN WAR MEET
COMMISSION NOW IN EUROPE
FOR COUNCIL HEADED BY
COL. {. M. HOUSE.
NOT TO BE PEACE CoNCLAVE
Secretary Of State Lansing Emphasizes
Fact That Session Is to Be
Essentially a War
Conference.

Washington. - An American wal
bonrd headed by Col. Il, NJ. House
chief unofficial counselor of President
Wilson, and including in its perSonneI
those nj the head of various war ac'
tivltes 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 by See
Tetary of State Lansing, making public
the makeup of the commission and the
policies which will be followed by the
representatives of the United States
government when they participate for
the first time In general war council
of the allies.
Personnel Of Commission.
The American war commission con-
siSts of the following members:
Col Il. NJ. House, chairman, who Will
act as the spokesman of President VIII
son on questions pertaining to the gem
ernl policies of the conduct of the war.
Admiral w. S. Benson, chief of naval
operations, Y. s. n, who will partici-
pate In the formation of plans for the
employment of the combined naval
forces of the allies.
Gen. Tasker IL. Bliss, chief of staff,
L. s. A., who will give detailed infor-
nation on the extent of military sup
pWt the Uaited 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
trrlng embargOes on exports and pro-
visions against trading with the enemy.
Bainbridge 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 Il. Taylor, who, as a rep
resentative of Food Administrator Hoo
Yer, Will cooperate with the commits
SiOnerS of the allies in working out Il
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-
Eelor Polk of the state department,
who Vill serve as chief secretary of the
commission.
Realize Lack of Unity.
Secretary Lansings statement re-
gardIng the mission indicates cOnclu-
,Eively 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 a 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 de-
ciSlve victory over the enemy.
Mr.. Lansing stresses the fact that {
the conference is to be a 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
defect Germany on the field of battle.
Tho secretary's anxiety on this score l
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 {
medately reports gained circulation !
that President Wilson was expecting
peace this winter and that he did not G
intend to send the American troops g
into action until all hope Of a suspen- c
sion Of hostilities had disappeared.
Is "War Conference" q
Secretary Lansing's statement fol-
lows
"The conference is essentially a
war conference with the object of S
,erfecting a more complete co-ordina-
ion Of the activities of the various h
nations engaged in the conflict and g
more comprehensive understanding Of
heir respective needs in order that the n
oint efforts of the co-belligerents may G
,ttaln the highest war efficiency. RI
"While Il definite program has not II
,een adopted, it may be assumed that
he subjects to be discussed will en- W
,race not only those pertaining to mill 81
ary and naval operations, but also W
he financial, commercial, economic Il