The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-03-29
COLONEL HOUSE

Another outstanding war time figure is taken by death in the passing of Col. E. M. House often referred to as Wilson's man of mystery" House confidential adviser the late President Wilson dur ing his eight years in office and played no small part in determining the Wilson policies
 His friends urged him to enter the Presidents cabinet but he said he felt he could be more useful if not tied down by the routine of departmental job He credited, however. with selection of several members of the cabinet
 In the early days of the Wilson administration Colonel House took deep interest in the currency reform bill and Federal Reserve bank legislation.
 Three months before broke out Wilson secret ly sent House to Europe to endeavor to convince the governments of Germany, Great Britain and France of the danger of the situation.
 House believed the Kaiser was the one man. if any, who could control the destines of Europe, and he determined to make his greatest efforts with him. Before he started for Europe he read everything he could find about the German emperor and talked with every person in this country who knew him at all we'll
 What the slim, md-nannered gentleman from Texas said to the Potsdam potentate never dis closed but House later indicated he convinced the Kaiser less potent figure than of his mili- tary leaders
 German British and French statesmen declined to take seriously Colonel Houses warning of the immin- of war. Later he himself was amazed at the rapidity with which it came.
 This the first of many trips made by House a special envoy of President Wilson Through him the President kept intimately informed on the trend of events behind the scenes in Europe.
 When the armistce was proposed House went to Versailles the personal representative of Wilson and there opened the series of conferences with Lloyd George. Clemenceau and other allied statesmen Later designated by the President as one of the American delegates to the conference House because of his close intimacy with Wilson and his familiarity with the terms of the armisce to a large extent the medium of communicating the American viewpoint Although Wilson present in person at Paris much of the detail of personal conference proceeded through House. The peace conference the first occasion upo which House worked with the President in an official eapacty. There for the first time ob- servers noted Slight break in the apparently perfect confidence that had always existed between them
 There signs of friction, however, when they parted at Paris June 29 1919 never to meet again. In August newspapers published story about personal breach between Wilson and House On August 26, Colonel House cabled the President from London:
 Our annual falling out to have occurred The foreign office received cable the other day say ing no longer good terms and asking the prime minister and Balfour be informed am wondering where this particular story originated"
 President Wilson cabled this reply: Am deeply distressed by malicious story about break us and thank you for message about it. Best way is to treat it with silent contempt"
 Four days after sending his last cable to House the President left tour in support of the League Of Nations which ended in his collapse. Warned by cable of the Presidents breakdown House planned to and testify before the senate foreign rea- tions committee in behalf of the peace treaty He too