The Washington herald., 1918-11-18
PERSONNEL OF
PEACE BODY UP
Wilson May Select Mem
bers Same as Mckinley,
Says Holland.

i'Sluent wilson VIII, IL is pre-
sumed by those who are speaking
with great interest about his selec-
tion OF the American peace commits
sion, turn to the record which tells
of President McKinley's action when
the terms of peace with Spain were
TO be arranged or written in Paris in
the fall of 1898
1t was known at the time that Me
"kinley's first choice as a member Of
the peace commission was his Secre-
tary of State, Judge Day, now
member of the supreme Court bench.
Mckinley felt that as the Senate
would be called upon to ratify any
treaty which was written in Paris il
was especially expedient that he
should name as commissioners two or
three Senators. His first thought
was of George f. Hoar, Senator from
Massachusetts.
He gave. however. Senator Hoar's
name as brief consideration as he did
two and half years earlier. when
for few days he contemplated nomi-
mating Senator Hoar az Secretary Of
the Treasury. He selected from the
Senate William =. Frye, Senator from
Maine. with whom his personal asso-
Citations had been most intimate for
years; Cushman Davis. Senator from
Minnesota. for whom Mckinley had
high regard both personally and for
his abilities in the field of interna-
tional law, and George Gray. Sena-
tor from Delaware For Judge GRAY.
Mckinley's esteem was great, and
when he decided that 1t was inevit-
able that he should appoint one
Democrat at least upon the peace
commission his first and only thought
was OF senator Gray
Reid Fifth Member.
As Nick kinlcy deemed it advisable
to make choice of one member Of the
commission who was not in public
life he accepted the suggestion Of
/ friends by naming WhiteIaw Reid as
the fifth member of the commission.
He also made choice Of John Ras-
sett Moore as Secretary of the com
mission. Mckinley knew Doctor
Moore well. because when he was
serving in an important post in the
state department when Thomas 7.
Bayard was Secretary of State. Nc
Kin1ev was thrown at times into
somewhat close personal and even po-
litical relations. not partisan. with
DR.. Moore.
Z
really consisted of six members-four
Republicans, and two Democrats: for.
while nominally DR. Moore was not
member OF the commission yet 1t
was expected that the greater part
Of the detailed work. and much of
the authoritative information neces-
sary for the commission would be
carried on by DR. Moore
NJ
There arose a question involving
the -proPriety, or even Legality OF
paying the members of this COM
mission any salary or remuneration.
OF course the expenses actual. and
not personal or incidental. incurred
by the commission would be paid in
one way or another by the govern
ment. and the presumption was that
Mckinley would draw upon his
private contingent fund in order to
meet these charges.
As was expected. much the greater
part of the actual work perform I'd
by the commissioners after the
members met at Paris was done by
Dr. Moore. and it has always been
the hclicf that the actual :iL.v OF
preparing the treaty was placed in
his hands.
The commission undoubtedly re-
ceived instructions from President
Mckinley which caused that body
- spring a surprise and a Welcome
one uVon the Sranish COmmissr IN
prs The commission was instructed
to offer $2O,OOOOO0 in gold. nomin-
ally to provide for the purchase Of
friars lands in the Philippines. but
really to place i'm the hands of
Spain a sum of money sufic.cnt to
email BILE Spain to regain, in part at