The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-29
COL. HOUSE GUESSED
HIMSELF OUT OF JOB.
Lost Favor With Wilson Be-
cause Advice Proved Incor-
rect, Diplomats Believe.
LANSING sAGACITY SEEN
Secretary's Predictions Of
Rows to Follow Several
Actions Fulfilled.
Special DsspsscA 10 TEE suS.


WASHINGTON, Aus. 2s.--Onicisls and
diplomats refuse to comment on TIKI
suN's special cable despatch indicating
that Col. Edward NJ. House has been
unoficially relieved OF his off,ciai duties
az confidante and adviser to President
Wilson. But all signs here are cor
roborative Of the detsts contained in
the cable and there 10 much to indicate
the relations between the two men have
materially changed and that the end 81
Col Houses picturesque role is at hand.
Inquiry develops that Col House for
some time has been entirely out Of touch
with the Presidents aims and plans for
tho future, excepting through informa-
ton which he, as we'll az any one, might
CLEAN from the newspapers At the State
Department there IL necessarily silence.
but II 10 significant that officials do moi
even know precisely where Col. House
In or what ne 10 doing. There have been
no exchanges with him recently, 90 far
as known, and II IL pretty well estah-
lished that the President has not asked
his advice on any of the recent features
Of the peace treaty developments.
Reasons for Break.
The understanding in diplomatic cir
cles 10 that there has never been anv
Colonel over any specific matter. bu.
that whatever GOODNESS developed re.
suited from the fact that the Coloners
forecast OF coming events did not square
with the stern actualities when the time
came for the test.
Owing to the secrecy with which Col
House always worked In his capacity of
unofficial adviser" It Is naturally DIFF
hcult to understand just where his ad-
vice turned out moro or less unproflt-
able to the President. 1t is said hero
that the unfavorable aftermath to the
sending Of unofficial advisers to Russia
came as the result of agreements be-
tween Lloyd George and Col. House.
and that the inspiration came from the
latter. 1t Is likewise reported that the
Presidents open letter to the Italians,
which complicated matters, was upon
the suggestion of the Colonel, and there
Is good ground for believing that Col.
House was largely responsible for the
yielding TO Japan In the Shantung con-
troversy.
In shis latter case the testimony be-
fore tho Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee has shown that Secretary of
State Lansing and Col. House took dia-
metrically opposite Views regarding the
necessity OF yielding to Japan. Mr..
Lansing had the support OF Gen. Tasker
n. Bliss and Henry White, but Col
House had the sanction of Balfour, and
the result In known to all.
This victory Of Col House marked
the apogee Of his power at Paris, ac-
cording to diplomats here. But Mr..
Lansing did not yield without warming
the President of the consequences sure
to follow from depai ting from the vital
principle in this important case. As
developments have borne out Mr.. Lam
sings prediction the advice of Col.
House naturally suffered as a conse-
cueace.
Hard Fight by lansing.
II is understood here now that NJ
Lansing made a much harder fght on
the Shantung matter than is generally
known. Many of his conferees expected
him to resign. but II is apparently con-
trary to Mr.. LAnsing>s understanding OF
his duty to increase rather than mini
mise difhcuties by yielding to his own
views. In other words. he is reported
to have felt that his first duty, under the
circumstances. wGB to assist the Presi.
den' to the best Of his ability, ana this
assistance is said to have taken the
form OF sinking his own personal pride.
but warning the President that the road
mapped out by Col. House could not be
followed and Americas principles fol-
lowed too.
After the collapse OF principle re-
garding Shanturg and the immediate diff
nculties II created for the peace treaty.
Col. House naturally felt that his leader
ship had been put under a strain, ac-
cordinE to diplomats. Nothing definite
concerning exchanges OF views between
the President and his unofficial adviser
has since appeared, It 10 pointed out.
But meantime other forecasts made by
Col. House were being put to the test, It
Is explained. The Colonel. in his en-
thusissm for the League OF Nations, had.
predicted that the American people
would overwhelmingly indorse It, that
few Senators would dare oppose the
idealism 1t portrayed. that the Presi-
dents power was such that a word
from him would disstpste all opposition.
Other American delegates had told the
President very different story. They
had predicted battle royal and sought
to emphasize rather than minimize the
dinlculties. Hers again they have
proved right and Col. House wrong,
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