Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-10

at Paris, and the President relied heav-
ily upon his advice, not only in military
but often in other matters" according
to this observer Describing Gen. Bliss
as he appeared at the historic confer
ference, the writer continued:
tHe was q strongly built man, not
tall, and just little STOPPING at the
shoulders. In conference he was the
very personification of the gruff, silent,
honest soldier. Nature intended him to
be a hairy man; gave him thick eye
browS and bristling mustache. ana
then changed its mind and made him
bald. His deep-set eyes appeared at
first rather sleepy, but when he warmed
up they opened wide and glowed with
feeling He was an intensely shy man,
hating publicity above everything else,
and often asked profanely why the
ideas were not enough without tagging
them with name-his name above
ALL"
Gen. Bliss was born at LewiSburg,
Pa, December 81, 1858, and was edu-
Gated at the University of Lewisburg,
now Bucknell University. In 1871 he
entered West Point, from which he
was graduated and commissioned in
1875. His first appointment was to the
Artillery Corps, and in five years he
had earned the stripes of o first
lieutenant and an appointment to the
Artillery School. Upon his graduat ton
he was made adjutant of the school,
serving in that capacity until 1885.
Aide to SChOheld.
He acted as recorder of a special
presidential board to report on the mill
tary value of interior waterways, and
later served three years as professor
Of military science in the United States
Naval War College. He also served as
aide de camp to Lieut.. Gen. Schofield,
commanding general of the Army, and
later as inspector of rife practice. In
1892 he was promoted to a captaincy,
and after three years of routine duty,
was placed on special work at the war
Department.
In 1897 Gen. Bliss went to Madrid
as military >attache of the legation
there, and left with the American
Minister in 1898 when all represent
atives of the United States were handed
preemptory passports by the Spanish
authorities.
He was appointed major, then lieu
tenant colonel and chief commissary of
subsistence of Volunteers when the
Spanish-American War broke out, and
served through the Porto Rican CAM
paign as chief of staff to Maj. Gen.
Wilson, who commanded the 1st Divi-
sion of the 1st Army Corps there. Later
he was a member of the board of OFF,
GERS which selected camp sites for the
American troops in Cuba. From 1898
until 1902 ne served as collector of Gus
toms in Havana, and as chief of the
Cuban Customs Service, rising to the
rank of brigadier general of Volunteers.
Upon leaving that service, he was
made brigadier general in the Reg
ular Army and attached to the Army
War College Board. After this he was
appointed special envoy to Cuba to
negotiate the treaty of reciprocity be-
tween the Island Republic and the
United States, and returned from that
duty to assume the presidency Of the
War College.
From 1908 until 1905 he was men,
Der of the general staff and Of the
Joint Army and Navy board, completing
a second course in military science
ment was to the Philippine service,
where he remained until 1909. The fol-
lowing year he went to California to
take over command of that department.
Was Border Commander.
During the Mexican troubles in 1911
he commanded the provisional brigade
on the border in Southern California,
and when this guard was demobiliZed
he was given in turn command of the
Western Department, the Eastern De-
partment, the Southern Department and
the Cavalry Division. Completing the
last command, he was third time as-I
signed to the general STAFF and served
again as assistant chief.
IN 1915 he was promoted to the rank