New-York tribune., 1918-04-26
Shall Col. House Arrange the World?

when they met for a private talk in
Sweden. that he no longer the ruler
OF Germany; that he would lose his
throne if he attempted TO thwart the
military party. ("Evening Post" April 81
And yet until April, 1917, as
Colonel House puts it: "The President
was scrupuious to do nothing which could
be interpreted by either side as indicax-
ing an intention to abandon neutrality.
1t was for this reason that he refused
resolutely TO make advance military
preparations, although many of his ad-
visers urged him to take some steps to
put the army on footing. He
thought that if he did anything like this
1t might be interpreted in Germany as a
threat Of aggression and would tend to
undermine the German belief in the dis
interestedness of this country's stand"
("Evening Post" April 13.)
And yet every neutral in Europe mob
ilized to protect it's neutrality
Colonel House works for the
winning of peace for war-weary world.
("Evenlng Post" April 49,
Under Colonel Houses advice the Ad-
minstrations policy was to do nothing
that might perhaps weaken his ability to
hoped for up to the very morning that the
United States was dragged into the war
("Evening Post" April 81
Other results of Colonel Houses ad-
vice and counsel upon the diplomacy of
the world war, together with some of
Colonel Houses views as to peace terms:
They (the Germans) gave him (House)
fair words, but TO satisfaction, until he
extended, fisherman casts his bait
certain phrase of five words-The free
dom of the seas. So far as can be deter
mined Colonel House was the originator
OF this much debated doctrine, at least in
ITS connection with the problems raised
by the present war. No previous mention
of 1t has been found. 1t met with prompt
response. Colonel House meant
literal, unlimited freedom of
the seas, which would imply the safety
OF merchantmen in enemy ports on the
declaration of war; the safety not only
of food cargoes, but cargoes of actual
contraband; the uninterrupted progress
OF the worlds ocean-borne commerce in
the midst of the most widely dispersed
war. CEvening Post" April 11.)
The effect of the adoption of the free
dom of the seas doctrine would be to
abolish the maritime blockade of Ger
many and it's allies, while not prevent
ing the Germans and their allies from
waging absolute war on land.
The biographer continues:
A vista opened before the eyes of the
leaders at Berlin. Perhaps they
thought only of the notification of the
preponderating naval power of Great
Britain and the abolition of the block
ade which was cutting off Germany from
her sources of raw material.
At any rate, the immediate effect of his
suggestion of the doctrine in Berlin was
to obtain the prompt and enthusiastic
assent of Germany. ("Evening Post"
April 11.)
In the winter of 1914-'15 the Entente
believed they could compel Germany to
make full reparation and restoration and
break up the menace of Mitteleuropa
forever. Colonel House arrived in
London; did what he could to
convince them of the dangers inherent
in it and the advisability of meeting Ger
many part way. But all through the
first two years Of the war Britain was
asleep ("Evening Post" April 1O.)
Early in 1916 House "suggested the
possibility of relaxing the food blockade