Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-03


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CHAPTER XVI
ELECTION of the cabinet Of
y President Wilson was unique
process probably without parallel
in American history. 1t is doubtful
whether anyone played a greater
part in the making of the cabinet
than Colonel House.
The development Of the friendship
between the quiet man from Texas
and Woodrow Wilson was as remark
able as their subsequent separation
under circumstances all the more
amazing to relate when the full story
of their association is told.
Colonel House was first of all a
man of independent means, a liberal
in politics and Of influential personal
ity. His tact and diplomacy, his
progressiveness and unselfishness
captured Mr.. Wilson's imagination.
What like about Colonel House."
explained Governor Wilson one day
to a group of neWspapermen who dis
played curiosity about the growing
friendship, lis that he holds things
at arms length - effectively. He
seems able to penetrate PROPOSE
<Ron and get to its very essence quick
ly. He wants nothing for himself.
He will not hold office, and is a
truly disinterested friend-the most
valuable possession man could
have"
In those weeks preceding the in
auguration Of Mr.. Wilson, Colonel
House did an extraordinary thing
which, from that day to this, has not
been disclosed in print, but it shows
the remarkable influence he pos
sessed. AS will be remembered by
those who follow the stock market,
the uncertainty over what the new
Democratic administration might do
had an unsettling effect in the finan-
cial district-at least SO claimed the
leading financiers, some Of whom
kept limiting that unless the uncer-
tainty was allayed a panic even
might follow the inauguration of the
president. Wall Street professed to
be alarmed over the radicalism of the
newly elected chief executive, and
what he might do to business gen.
orally.
AIlayed Financiers' Fears
Some Of the bankers asked Colonel
House to attend a dinner and ex-
plain what was likely to happen I'm.
der the new administration. He did
not consent until he had Mr.. Will
sons sanction. According to some
of those who were present, the
amount Of money represented at that
gathering was at least five billions
Of dollars in actual wealth, and many
billions more in potential credit. All
the important financierS in America
were there or sent representatives
The colonel erased the notion that
Woodrow Wilson was q wild radi-
cal" who would turn things upside
down and instead gave q general
sketch of what Mr.. Wilson hoped to
accomplish by way Of currency re-
form. What the bankers wanted was
something straight from headquar-
ters about the Wilson intentions
not the details, but his general atti-
tude toward business and finance.
Whether the talk Colonel House gave
that night to all the important finan-
ciers Of the country had any sequel
in the confidence thereafter display
ed by the markets is too intangible to
prove, but there was a noticeable let
up in the predictions Of disaster and
calamity which had been spread
about the metropolitan district.
Again and again Governor Will
son went to the apartments of
Colonel House In New York, seeing
many important visitors there. Later
on, after Mr.. Wilson was inaugural
ed, the home Of Colonel House was
a sort of New York branch Of the
White House.
There were frequent converse
tions over the long distance tele
phone and a regular series Of letters
day by day. These communications
were private in every sense and
were not opened by any intervening
officials. Naturally there was often
disposition on the part Of other
advisers of the president to wonder
what subjects were being discussed
or taken up between Colonel House
and Mr.. Wilson. The colonel was
reticent-he earned a reputation Of
silent partner" and he kept Mr..
Wilson's confidence faithfully.
Had Page Appointed
Many Of the matters which /
Colonel House dealt related to APP
pontments to Office. II the presi- {.
dent wished to conduct an investiga-
ton as to the fitness of an individual /
for an important place, he would |
ask Colonel House to make such an
investigation tactfully. st was
Colonel House who suggested the
name of Walter Hines Page to be .
American ambassador to Great Brit /
ain: I rode from New York to Wash I
ton with him on the day before he /
took this matter up with Mr.. Will /
sen and he told me Of the pros /
pective appointment feeling abso-
lutely sure he could persua;3~ Nh
Wilson to make it. And he did. It
was with considerable amusement, I
therefore, that the colonel read later
on of reports that friction had de-
veloped between Ambassador Page
and President Wilson because
Colonel House had been sent to Eu-
rope as an unofficial envoy.
In the weeks Immediately preced-
ing the inauguration Colonel House
was especially valuable to Mr.. Will
son in deciding political questions re-
lating to the personnel of the cabi- I
net. After the Inauguration the
coloney kept on dealing with patron
age matters for Mr.. Wilson and
keeping the latter informed on the
impressions the administration was
in the large centers OF tl1z
east. But the colonel brought most