Evening star., 1920-01-06
PRESIDENT RETAINS
FIRM FRIENDSHIP
FOR COL. HOUSE
Intimates of Both Men Con-
firm This Fact-Dr. Gray
son Is Factor.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Nothing is more difficult than to at
tempt to analyze the delicate and en-
barrassing question of personal
friendship or estrangement between
public men. And the so-called break
between President Wilson and Col.
House, which has been the subject of
SO much speculation and gossip in re-
cent weeks, is no exception.
After an inquiry among the inti-
mate friends of the colonel who have
broached the matter to him and con-
versatione with persons at the White
Mouse who have the ear of the Presi-
dent and are familiar with what has
occurred not only in Paris but since
Mr.. twilsoh got home, have not the
slightest hesitation in saying that the
affection and friendship between the
two men, which has been one OF the
most extraordinary incidents Of the
Wilson administration, is still un-
broken. On the other hand, in the
oppressive atmosphere of Paris, Where
problems literally staggered the peace
commissioners and kept them In a
constant fever of nervous excitement,
it was natural that pronounced diner
ences of opinion should occur.
Col. House had his own ideas of
how the President should deal with
the European statesmen, based on mis-
own close intercourse with them on
previous journeys to Europe as an un-
official envoy, and Mr.. Wilson, who
had set himself a definite program
of fourteen principles, presented fire.
ouently an uncomprOmiSing attitude
which the conciliatory disposition OF
the colonel was often employed to
break in the interest of agreement.
Historians Must Calculate.
Whether the suggestions of the col
onel were wise or those of the Presi-
dent were better, whether to have fol-
lowed the one or the other lines of
thought on speciaf questions that
came up would have made a more
or less liberal peace is something
which historians with full knowl- :
edge of what transpired in Paris Will
have to figure out in the future. Mr..
wilson has differed with his advisers
before. He has differed with Col.
House before. He has upon occasion
rejected the advice of the colonel. as
well as other close personal friends
and adyisers-and no hard feelings
have resulted.
Rut what lent color to the story OF
a break was the fact that Col. House
didn't visit the White House after ne
came back from Europe. The truth
is the colonel himself doesn't know
where he stands at the White House.
had any word from the President ana
has simply had before him newspaper
stories telling Of supposed break.
He has been represented. moreover, as
intending to organize a separate ana
diettnct faction inside the democratic
party in connection with the presi-
dential race and to throw his influence
rainst the Wilson selection. who
ever that happens to be. But the
colonel himself within a week has
told one Of his friends that while he
didn't know why he wasn't invited
to come to Washington-and he said
he had never gone to the White house
unless reuuested-he wasn't In the
slightest degree disturbed about that.
He reiterated his desire to work for
Woodrow Wilson on any mission that
the President might designate and in
any work that he might wish done
political international or otherwise.
He insisted that his esteem for the
President had not diminished.
Responsibility In DR.. Graysen's.
Now, as to the White House. The
most emphatic statements are made
to the effect that the President would
be ungrateful indeed and most
thoughtless if he permitted any argu-
ments or debates over questions in
Paris to affect the admiration and
l..
The latter may not knew it, but the
reason why he has not been invited to
the White House since his return from
Europe is a simple one, and the re-
sponsibility for keeping not only Col.
House but everybody else away from
he President lodges on the shoulders
of Admiral Cary T. Grayson. the Presi-
dents physician. Secretary Lansing
has not seen the President. Under
Secretary Polk, who just got back
from Paris, where he was head of
the American mission in connection
with the Austrian. Bulgarian and
Turkish treaties, has not seen the
President. In fact, the policy pur-
sued has been this: unless the mat
ter was urgent, it has not been pre-
Information brought back by Col.
House, or any other individuals who
have been busy on foreign questions
is of avail until the Senate acts on
the German peace treaty. Mr.. Wilson
suffered nervous breakdown as q
result of his labors on the peace
treaty, and the desire of the physi-
clans in attendance has been to give
IContinued on Second PageD