Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-16

at the start of the ad administration-Al-
bert 5. Burleson, postmaster-gene ;
| Franklin X. Lane, secretary of the in-
terror, and David S. Houston, secretary
| of agriculture. The truth is that Colonel
| House was acquainted with every MEM
Der of the Cabinet before the sdministra-
ton went into office, except Lindley Nj.
| Garrison, President Wilson's first score
| tary of war.
| II is further truth, though not set
forth by the Colonel's biographer, that
| Democratic politicians have credited Cox
| onei House with inspiring the selection of
| Mr.. McReynolds, the first attorney-gen-
eral of Mr.. Wilson's administration, AMI
with having brought about the selection
| of MIR. Gregory (of Texas, who succeeded
him
HIS CHoyCEs CRITICIZED.
A good deal of the criticism of sozne of
President Wilson's appointments has been
attributed to the fact that the men whose
fitness is questioned were proposed by
Colonel House.
Rival party lenders of States sought
to involve him 10 disputes over patronage
and while he is known to have used his
influence, which was lnconce'vably tre-
ulendous Mt times, to promote the political
fortunes of personal friends, the colenei,
as rule, has succeeded IN side stepping
most of the troubles connected with dis
putes over them.
His frequent trips abroad, even before
the United States was involved IN the war,
perhaps saved him from a good deal OF
embarrassment of this character. Up TO
the time the colonel's vised biography ap-
peared ne WAS uniformly successful IN his
A IL. xxrt.sa oh
fact strengthened the impression he OBJ
vio,lsly sought to create that he was not
only concerned In serving q President to
his fullest extent but WAS without au1-
hition to share IN effulgcnt glories which
invested his distinguished patron.
Up to the time that he was designated
as a member of the mission to represent
the United States at the Paris Peace Con
ference the colonel never held any pubiic
Office. There il no doubt but that he could
have at one time obtained any appoint
mnt in the gift of the President, even
Cabinet position or an amhassadorship.
NEW YoRk "roHsroN ovFTcK
The colonel spent but little time IN
Washington He said he didn't like the
climate. In the fall Of 1912 he closed h'B
home in AUSTIN, Texas, and took an apart
ment IN New York City The coioneis
bIographer Describes IT "a ''tho Amcrcan
No 10 Downing street, whlchl the
London designation Of the British Foreign
Office
Until The United States became IN
volved III the European war the colonel
was credited with performing All sorts OF
tasks for the President, largely OF \ TerHon-
Al nature, the investigation and analysis
of economic. financial and other domestic
conditions, the sizing up ct individuals
that the President had IN mind for office
Regarding this aspect Of his undertaking
the hiographer Of Colonel House says.
Consider for n moment the troubles
MIR. Wilson confronted III the first year at
his term. At home he had nn untried
Cabinet and unruiy Congress, treusand-
ous legislative prograu-the most radical
which had ever hecn proposed and dia-
united party Abroad he could ace The
preliminary signs Of the most horrible /
in the worlds history In |
Mexico rcd anarchy reigned unchecked, |
with every horror Of raplne, arson, aFsas-
sInatIon and theft.
When Germany broke bounds snd 1
made war on the world in 1914, Colonel /
House went abroad NJ the request of the
President and tried Ia bring the tc!l'g
rent leaders 70 an agreement lie waf
.ccordcd honors surprising those granted
. ambassadors.
He conferred with the British King,
he German KAISER, the President and
'rcrnier of France and the Italian King.
Ie made his reports concerning these
interviews directly to the President and
has ALWAYS been generally assumed that
hcv provided the basis for many import
Mt international activities Of the AmeTl-
an President
BUYER FOR THE PRESIDENT.
The colonel did not figure conspicuouslv
n the Presidential campaign Of 1916
yhlch resulted IN the reelection ot MIR
wilson hV . narrow margin lie devoted
.imself almost entirely 10 the promotion
i ventures designed by the President to
,rotect the interests Of the United Ststes
N the one hand and bringing about an
greement between the warring nations on
ID other Of his undertakings IN -hiS
Erection Mr. House vised biography
ayy
Indeed In war matters IS IN political
nd Legislative matters Colonel House
lsvs the part Of buffer for the President.
That clves fairly accurate idea OF the
haracter of service rendered President
wilson up to the assembling of the Paris
'esce Conference.
The prominence gwen Colonel House
realty offended the Republicans Of the
ountrv. mainly because the colonel hIm-
Elf l. represented as having blocked the
lovc Of the representatives. OF that party
l Congress 10 induce President Wilson 70
reate a coalition Cabinet for the manage
lent of the war The colonel has always
cen target for Republican attscks N
debates. He has been rldI-
llled. his ability questioned, chiefly be-
ause Of the favor shown him by Mr. VII
Oh and has conspicuous activities IN
,reign undertakings.
The colonel was probably at the height
his career when President Wilson, IN
az. designated HIM to head the American
Ilssiou 70 the inter-allied war conference
hich was created In Paris to coordinate
le different military and economic re-
,Qrces az the nations at war with Ger
anv. He was regarded by European
abesmen ae the most powerful man OF
le world next to the President OF the
nIted States.
Rulers and government leaders paid
m the most fatterIng attention and list
ed with unalloyed respect TO his state
entS and conclusions. There Sas no
lestion but shat the President hsd ac-
pted both without reservation up 70 the
,nvcnIng of the Peace Conference at
arls nor had there been any reason to
)ubt the sincerity Of their personal rela-
0ns