Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-04
EQU|PS j. S. PEACE
! MENTOR BIG TASK
Col. Houses Remarkable
Preliminary Work Is Now
Disclosed.

Back in 1917 Col. E. NJ. House was
designated by President Wilson to
make a special study Of material to
be used at the peace conference.
The appointment created some COM
ment. and then seemingly passed out
Of the public mind. With customary
reticence Col. House never referred to
his commission. and, 50 far as any
publication of the progress Of what he
was doing was concerned. this coun-
try seemed to be going on its way
without giving a thought to the mo-
mentous questions which would con-
front its representatives at the peace
table.
Today, for the first time, was dis
closed the remarkable and extensive
work Col. House organized in order
delegates with an understanding of
the complicated problems which a re-
adjustment of the map Of Europe en-
tails. These problems form maze
of ethnic, geographic, religious, polit-
ical and Industrial issues.
Emergency Fund Used.
with expenses provided from the
special emergency fund placed at the
Presidents disposal by Congress Col.
House set about his task. He held
E. Mezes. president Of the City Col
lege of New York. who is going
abroad as an adviser to the Ameri-
can delegates; Prof. James 7. Shot
well of Columbia University. and
haJ n Cno1idpn nf a
University, about the broad lines of the
work.
The Inquiry" as it became known.
1t soon developed, would demand not
high quality, but headquarters where
safety from enemy activity might be
assured. This problem was solved
when the American Geographical So
street and Broadway. New York city,
and a part of it's staff. including its
director, DR.. Isaiah Bowman, at the
disposal of the inquiry. without cost.
From November 10. 1917. the work
progressed steadily, but it was con-
sidered vital that no publication Of
any sort be made of its course.
large part of the material gathered
has been sent to Europe. and by the
time the President arrives it will be
ready, as will twenty-three members
of the inquiry.
Huge Mass Of Material.
It took three Army trucks to trans
port the material from headquarters
TO the dock. The American inquiry
has conferred with similar bodies
abroad among allied nations.
Taking part in the inquiry have
been scores of specialists. In addi-
tion to those mentioned there were
Allyn A. Young of Cornell, specialist
on economic resources: Charles n.
Haskins, dean of the Harvard Grad
uate School. specialist on ANsace-
Yale, specialist on the Balkans: w. E.
Lunt of Haverford, specialist on
Italy; r. H. Lord. professor at Har-
ward, specialist on Russia and Po-
tria-Hungary. Turkey. geographers
and many more.
Commissioned officers OF the military
intelligence division were assigned for
special problems such as strategy
economy and ethnography. Every i'm
portant nationality of Europe and west
ern Asia had representatives here for
conference with the inquiry.
Broadly speaking. the inquiry dealt
with political history, diplomatic history,
international law, economics, geogra ply,
photography, cartography, education
and irrigation.
Base Maps Prepared.
A series Of base maps and block dia-
grams. the most nearly complete now
existing. has been prepared by the
American Geographical Society. bearing
upon all the geographical problems, both
of the war and of peace. This series
has been adopted by the War Depart
ment.
Upon these base maps the peace COM
missioners by use Of colored lines may
Immediately have map showing new
State lines, ethnic boundaries, a recti-
fled frontier. or distribution of any
sort. and at the signing of the peace
treaty a complete record of the new map
of Europe.
The library Of the commissioners also
will include hundreds Of volumes from
the American Geographical Society,
Harvard. Princeton, Haverford. the Ii
brary Of Congress and the New York
Public Library.
President Wilson. Secretary Lansing
and other high officials have visited the
headquarters Of this work.