Edward House

Edward House (1858-1938), American diplomat, who was one of the chief advisers to President Woodrow Wilson, especially on foreign affairs. Born in Houston, Texas, Edward Mandell House became known as “Colonel” House when he was a colonel on the staff of the governor of Texas. He entered national politics by helping secure the presidential nomination for Wilson in 1912. Although House held no cabinet position during Wilson's presidency, he had great influence with cabinet members and members of Congress and was instrumental in promoting Wilson's legislative programs. In 1914-1916 House represented the president in European diplomatic missions, and when the United States entered World War I in 1917, he headed the U.S. delegation to the interallied conference for coordination of war activities. In 1918-1919, he helped draft the Treaty of Versailles, which concluded the war, and he also helped frame the covenant of the League of Nations. The close friendship between House and Wilson ended abruptly in 1919 because of differences of opinion at the Versailles Peace Conference. House retired from public life shortly thereafter.