763.72119/3315e: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
53. For Grew from Phillips. Merely for your information and strictly confidential. Various persons returning recently from Paris seem to be impressed by the fact that the organization of the Mission includes a good many Americans still in army who are prominent socially, although otherwise not of pronounced ability. Senators and Representatives are daily approaching the Department with requests to have their constituents, many of whom are men of ability, attached to our Mission and it might be somewhat embarrassing if the impression became general that a large number of men were being appointed because of their social prominence. I thoroughly appreciate your difficulty and the necessity of building up quickly an organization but am sure you will forgive me for this word of caution.