House was recommended to. the Ger
man Foreign Office by Count Von
Bernstbrff then" German . ambassa
dor in Washington when the "former
made his second trip to Europe early
in 1916 as President Wilson's per
sonal representative, according to let
ter from the ambassador to Gottlieb
Von Jagow, at that time foreign sec
retary. These letters have been pub
lished here with other documents pre
sented before the parliamentary in
vestigation committee which recent
ly inquired into President Wilson's
peace proposals during the war.
"Viewed from the local standpoint"
Count Von Bernstorff wrote on No
vember 23, 1915, on the eye of the
colonel's departure, "the mission of
Colonel House appears to me desir
able, especially as the United States
is so poorly represented in Berlin.
Colonel House is wholly neutral, very
discreet and deserving. Confidences
could contribute much to the better
ment of mutual relations..
Count Von Bernstorff informed his
superior in the same letter that Amer
icans were at that time chiefly in
terested in "the restoration -at peace
and the abolition of militarism and
navalism." He added that Germany
would be "able to compel England to
recognize the freedom of . the seas
only if supported by the United States
and if Germainy consented to end
militarism." ,
"If I receive no reply to Ibis point
from your excellency," he concluded,
"I will continue to treat Colonel
House in a dilatory manner; Up to
now he has been very useful to me."
A letter from Dr. Solf, Minister of
Colonies, to Dr. Von Jagow- report
ed the former's conversation with Col
onel House at the American embassy
in Berlin late in January, M916". -In
it Colonel House was credited with
statements relative to the political
situation in England.
