Edward Mandell House (1858-1938) was an American diplomat, politician, and presidential advisor. He was commonly known by the purely honorific title of Colonel House, although he had no military experience. In 1912, House published anonymously a novel called Philip Dru: Administrator. He became active in Texas politics and served as an advisor to President Woodrow Wilson, particularly in the area of foreign affairs. House functioned as Wilson's chief negotiator in Europe during the negotiations for peace (1917-1919), and as chief deputy for Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference. He played a major role in shaping wartime diplomacy. Wilson had House assemble the "Inquiry" - a team of academic experts to devise efficient postwar solutions to all the world's problems. In the 1920s, House strongly supported U. S. membership in the League of Nations and the World Court, the Permanent Court of International Justice.