The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-16
(contLnued from First PACED

Germany, FRANCE anu GTctlI Dt1edAAl
OF the danger in the situation, and
to ask them to take preliminary
steps to form some tribunal or con-
ference table where the coming
Misunderstanding inevitable to Eu-
rope as it seemed that summer.
might be considered, arbitrated. and
settled without war.
Colonel House, indeed, for nearly
seven years, before the war, during
the war, and after rhe armistice
was travelling between the capitals
OF Europe and washington as the
Presidents representative, eagerly
urging upon the responsible rulers
Of England and the continent the
principles of international anlity az
the President was prDdain1ine
them, and trying to establish these
principles as the basis for q work
ing agreement in the interests 81
& peaceful world.
So. when the President went to
Europe on his first peace missions
December, 1918. on the George
Washington, he took as his high
commissioners ColoneI House. his
right hand man, Secretary Of State
Lansing, Henry White, former am
bassador to France. and Genera
Tasker H. Bliss.
During their sojourn In Europe
House and the President were
friendly, as always, and Wilson
could always depend on q stanch
ally in the Texan during theil
many battles for American democ'
racy.
But when the President returned
to paris for the second time his
real troubles in Europe began.
Here possibly Is where the Presi.
dents first distrust OF Colonel
the other members Of the peace
commission, met the President when
he disenbarlked from the George
washington at Bresl During the
trim across, wireless messages had
come to the George washington in
dicakfnr q status in Paris which
save Wilson anxiety. He felt that
our commissioners were surrender
ing too much. When the Presiden-
tai party was on the train, taking
IL from Brest TO Paris, Colonel
House and the President were clos
eted for nearly an hour, It II prob
able that then the President voiced
his anxiety; and possibly he put
some petulance in his voice, but
not enough to alarm Colonel House.
During eight years they had been
dear. affectionate friend On every
frip which the President had sent
his friend as messenger across
seas infested with submarines, ne
hrd been more than sbrotherly IN
hts loving care Of him They had
been through dozen hot Gam.
paigns In Congress and out. They
saw eye to eye along the bright
vista which ended In the Presi-
dents high vision.
Took His Friends.
But we must also back.stitch e
little and take up some hanging
threads to understand this cofniu<
break Colonel House had taken
with him to Paris number OF
Texan friends, relatives and rela-
tivesin-law. The reporters in Paris
used 10 refer sportively to this
group as the Austin delegation. A
book had appeared In the autumn
Of 1913. called THE Real Colonel
House, which naturally made the
colonel its hero. IT was d good
book or its sort, but II might
easily have annoyed q map VINO
wanted no supers on the stag ,
when he was doing his big act.
Colonel Houses talent in politics
was as 4 compromised. He could
file off the jagged ends Of self
interest in two opposing planks
and Join them in workmanlike
fashion. The President. in Paris,
was In no compromising mood.
When he found that the commits.
sion under the leadership OF Colonel
House had separated the treaty OF
peace from the covenant Of the
league, and when he suspected that
Colonel House. had made certain
concessions to France in the Saar
valley. and when he realized the
import of certain compromises
around Dantzic. the President was
annoyed.
The Scrap Heap.
Colonel House in his relation
with Wilson epitomized Houses
whole relation to men in politics.
For Colonel House came up through
politics. He tarried but few
hundred years. in the academic
world. so he felt with Wilson
rather than thought with him.
Probably at base. although House
was q liberal to the core. and al
though he greatly liberalized Will
sons attitude during the Wilson
first term, after all, House had
Wilson's personal. interest at heart
more deeply then he had Wilson's
policies. even though some of these
policies came to Wilson through
Colonel House himself. That. il the
way of politicians in their relations
with one another. They are
emotional. personal concrete; the
affection of Colonel House for VIII
son made him marvellous mes
senger.
Not long after the Presidents re-
turn to Paris, the Fiume episode
came UP. and then the Shantung
compromise came. In each OF these
incidents, Colonel House, who was
master compromised, tried bis
hand earnestly at resolving the diff
ferences between the President and
the diplomats of Italy and OF China
into their lowest component parts.
Al few days afterWard he received
instructions asking him to go to
London to take charge Of some
matter before the British govern
nlenf, He went. In due time
further instructions came which
kept him Gin London. He was not
called TO Paris until the President
had left. He never saw his friend
again!
On Final Tour.
After Wilson had unnecessarily
COPIED with the Senate back In this
country, he set out on his last
k.,,., THE fnax1ifa Ilo Troa U n oVtyva