The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-07
WILSON AND AIDE
OFTENDIFFER, BUT
NREMAIN FRIENDS
Inquiry Among Persons Close
to Both Men Indicates That
Their Affection Is Still Un-
broken.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent Of The News


Especial Correspondent Of The News
SclmRar.l
WASHINGTON, Jan 7.-Nothing is
more difficult than TO attempt to an
alyze the delicate and embarrassing
question of personal friendship or es-
arrangement between public men. And
the so-called break between President
Wilson and Col. House, which has been
the subject OF so much speculat ton and
gossip in recent weeks. is no excep-
ton.
After an inquiry among the intimate
friends aof the colonel, who have
preached the matter to him, and CONVEX
Satlons with persons at the White
Rouse who have the ear Of she presi-
dent and are familiar with what has
occurred not ONLY I'm Paris but since
Nj Wilson got home. | haven't the
slgntest hesitation in saying that the
aIlection ana friendship between the
two men, which has been one of the
most extraordinary incidents of the
Wilson administration, is stin un-
broken.
On the other hand, in the oppressive
atmosphere Of Paris, where problems
literally staggered the peace commits
sloners, and kept them in a constant
| IeVer OF nervous excitement, it was
| natural that pronounced differences OF
opinion should occur.
Col. House had his own ideas of how
the president should deal with the Eu-
ropean statesmen, based on his own
close intercourse with them on previous
Journeys to Europe as an unofficial en-
voy, ana Mr.. Wilson, who had SET
| himself definite program of IA prin-
clples' presented frequently an uncom-
promising attitude, which the concilia-
tory disposition of the colonel was
often employed to break in the interest
| Of agreement.
Matter for Historians.
Whether the suggestions of the col
onek We're wise or those of the presi-
dent were better, whether TO have fol
lowed the one or the other line OF
thought on special questions that came
up would have made a more or less
liberal peace, is something which his
torians, with a full knowledge of what
transpired in Paris, win have to figure
out in the future.
Mr.. Wilson has differed with his adj
vlsors before. He has differed with Col
House before. He has upon occasion
| rejected the advice of the colonel as
well as that of other close personal
friends and advisers-and no hard feel
| ings have resulted.
But what lent color to the story of a
| break was the fact that Col House
didn't visit the White House when he
came back from Europe The truth is
the colonel himself doesn't know where
he stands at the White House, for the
| simple reason that he hasn't had an.
other word from the president, and ha:
simply mad before him newspaper sto.
RES telling of supposed break.
| He has been represented, moreover
as intending to organize separate ant
| distinct faction inside the Democratic
party in connection with the presiden
tial race and to throw his influenc
against the Wilson selection, whoeve
that happens to be.
But the colonel himself within
week has told one Of his friends tina
while he didn't know why he WASH
invited to come to Washington--an
he said he had never gone to TIL
White House unless requested-h
wasn't in the slightest degree disturbe,
about that. He reiterated his desir
to work for Woodrow Wilson on an
mission that the president might desig
nate and in any work that he Nigh
wish done, political, International G
otherwise. He insisted that his esteer
| for the president had not diminished
White House Situation.
Now, as to the White House. Til
most emphatic statements are made t
the effect that the president would b
ungrateful, indeed and most thought
less, II he permitted any arguments q
debates over questions in Paris to al
feet the admiration and friendship h
has had for the colonel
The latter may not know it, but tn
reason why he hasn't been invited
the White House since his return fror
Europe is simple one, and the re
sponsibility for keeping, not only Co
House, but everybody else, away froI
the president, lodges on the shoulder
of Admiral Cary T. Grayson, the presi
dents physician.
Secretary Lansing hasn't seen tn
president. Secretary Polk, who just &c
back from Paris, where he was hea
of the American mission in connectio
with Austrian, Bulgarian and Turks
treaties, hasn't seen the president.
In fact, the policy pursued has bee
this: Unless the matter was urgent,
hasn't been presented to Mr.. Wilson.
None of the information brought bac
by Col House or any other individual
who have been busy on foreign ques
tons is of avail until the senate act
on the German peace treaty. Mr.. Viii
son suffered a nervous breakdown a
result of his labors on the peac
treaty, and the desire of the physician
in attendance has been to give him
complete mental and physical rest
To permit Col. House, or Secretar
Lansing or Mr.. Polk, or anybody else
who has been dealing with the ques
tions at Paris, to come to the presi
Dents chamber would only reopen tn
whole subject, and would not forwar
the fight in the senate on which tn
entire foreign policy of the government
is for the moment dependent.
As the president tends toward com
plete recovery, however, there will b
change. Col. House has gone t
Texas for visit. It is quite probahl
that, on his way north. he will be in
vited TO stop at the White House. DC
cular proof will be given the skeptica
that the man who served Mr.. Wiso
unselfishly IN the past has not bee
thrown overheard by the president, bu
is stil one of his trusted friends.
! Copyright, 1920, by David Lawrence.