Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17027
Date
1919 January 6
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
MONDAY.
We arrived at Turin at nine o’clock. A general holiday had been declared and the streets were black with people. The party proceeded to the City Hall, where the President was made a citizen of the municipality in a big reception room crowded with notables. The President was also made a citizen of the various municipalities comprising this state. Fourteen mayors had congregated to aid in the ceremony and all were personally presented. Many of these officials never had been in Turin before, some of them having had to ride horse back many miles down the mountain side to reach the city. Following the formal ceremony each mayor was presented individually while the President shook hands with them as they passed along the line. One of these officials greeted the President in English saying he had been a resident of the United States for twenty-five years. Another broke through the line and insisted upon shaking hands with me because I was in uniform and he thought I must be the President. From the City Hall the President went to the Philharmonic Club, formerly a royal palace. The President was very tired so I persuaded him to rest for a brief period although there were neither sofas nor beds in the building. However, I placed two chairs together and formed a fairly comfortable couch. Having no wraps I asked the American Consul, Morgan Havens, whether he could get me a blanket. He said he would try and immeidately returned with a heavy table cloth, which he asked me to use until he could secure more adequate covering. Later he returned with a blanket. Havens was the most efficient American official we met in Italy. Lunch was served at the club by the local committee and the President responded to the Mayor’s toast. (See speech). We left at four for Paris. We reached Modain [note -?] about nine in the evening, and here the President received the sad word of the death of Theodore Roosevelt. He at once sent a message of condolence to Mrs. Roosevelt.
En route from Turin to Paristhe President had a conference with Nevin, Probert and Bender, at which he said, by way of opening, that he wished to match minds with them as to the impressions he got from the receptions on his Italian trip. The President said that he felt the people of the country were primarily interested in bringing about a peace which would insure them against another war, such as they had just gone through. He felt that they had hit upon the league of nations idea as the means to the end desired. Discussing the question of Italian territorial designs in Dalmatia, Fiume and elsewhere along the Adriatic the President mentioned his conference in Rome with Sonnino, saying the latter seemed determined to abide by the pact of London. He then told a little anecdote of his conversation with Sonnino, in which he informed the Italian Foreign Minister that if the right of possession he (Sonnino), advanced, prevailed, New York City had an Italian population which exceeded in number any city in Italy, but of course the United States could scarcely be expected to cede New York to Italy. It was called to the President’s attention that during his trips through Genoa, Milan and Turin large numbers of propaganda leaflets demanding Dalmatia, Fiume, etc., were dropped on his carriage. The President said he had noticed this and was interested in it, but that he thought, regardless of the attitude of the statesmen, his talks with the common people indicated they were willing to make sacrifices if they felt it would insure a lasting peace.
Speaking of the pact of London, the President said that England and France were anxious to abrogate the agreement they had made and were “sort of looking to him” to help them. He declared that they were expecting him to haul their chestnuts out of the fire, which, he said, “I will not do”.
Questioned as to the League of Nations plans he said he had a definite program already formulated, but was at that time reading a League of Nations plan formulated by General Smutz of the British War Cabinet, who he said was one of the most able minded of British statesmen. The President thought it would be good politics to play the British game “more or less” in formulating the league covenant in order that England might feel her views were chiefly to be embodied in the final draft, thus gaining British support that would be withheld from a personal program.
Concerning the admission of Germany into the League, the President for the first time indicated that he did not believe Germany could be admitted at once but should participate in the league program during a period of probation.
DIARY ENTRY: Arrived Turin at 9. am. Large crowd. Speech made a citizen.
Shook hands with a thousand mayors.Rest, lunch—speech—Reception—University degree—train for Paris at 5 P.M
We arrived at Turin at nine o’clock. A general holiday had been declared and the streets were black with people. The party proceeded to the City Hall, where the President was made a citizen of the municipality in a big reception room crowded with notables. The President was also made a citizen of the various municipalities comprising this state. Fourteen mayors had congregated to aid in the ceremony and all were personally presented. Many of these officials never had been in Turin before, some of them having had to ride horse back many miles down the mountain side to reach the city. Following the formal ceremony each mayor was presented individually while the President shook hands with them as they passed along the line. One of these officials greeted the President in English saying he had been a resident of the United States for twenty-five years. Another broke through the line and insisted upon shaking hands with me because I was in uniform and he thought I must be the President. From the City Hall the President went to the Philharmonic Club, formerly a royal palace. The President was very tired so I persuaded him to rest for a brief period although there were neither sofas nor beds in the building. However, I placed two chairs together and formed a fairly comfortable couch. Having no wraps I asked the American Consul, Morgan Havens, whether he could get me a blanket. He said he would try and immeidately returned with a heavy table cloth, which he asked me to use until he could secure more adequate covering. Later he returned with a blanket. Havens was the most efficient American official we met in Italy. Lunch was served at the club by the local committee and the President responded to the Mayor’s toast. (See speech). We left at four for Paris. We reached Modain [note -?] about nine in the evening, and here the President received the sad word of the death of Theodore Roosevelt. He at once sent a message of condolence to Mrs. Roosevelt.
En route from Turin to Paristhe President had a conference with Nevin, Probert and Bender, at which he said, by way of opening, that he wished to match minds with them as to the impressions he got from the receptions on his Italian trip. The President said that he felt the people of the country were primarily interested in bringing about a peace which would insure them against another war, such as they had just gone through. He felt that they had hit upon the league of nations idea as the means to the end desired. Discussing the question of Italian territorial designs in Dalmatia, Fiume and elsewhere along the Adriatic the President mentioned his conference in Rome with Sonnino, saying the latter seemed determined to abide by the pact of London. He then told a little anecdote of his conversation with Sonnino, in which he informed the Italian Foreign Minister that if the right of possession he (Sonnino), advanced, prevailed, New York City had an Italian population which exceeded in number any city in Italy, but of course the United States could scarcely be expected to cede New York to Italy. It was called to the President’s attention that during his trips through Genoa, Milan and Turin large numbers of propaganda leaflets demanding Dalmatia, Fiume, etc., were dropped on his carriage. The President said he had noticed this and was interested in it, but that he thought, regardless of the attitude of the statesmen, his talks with the common people indicated they were willing to make sacrifices if they felt it would insure a lasting peace.
Speaking of the pact of London, the President said that England and France were anxious to abrogate the agreement they had made and were “sort of looking to him” to help them. He declared that they were expecting him to haul their chestnuts out of the fire, which, he said, “I will not do”.
Questioned as to the League of Nations plans he said he had a definite program already formulated, but was at that time reading a League of Nations plan formulated by General Smutz of the British War Cabinet, who he said was one of the most able minded of British statesmen. The President thought it would be good politics to play the British game “more or less” in formulating the league covenant in order that England might feel her views were chiefly to be embodied in the final draft, thus gaining British support that would be withheld from a personal program.
Concerning the admission of Germany into the League, the President for the first time indicated that he did not believe Germany could be admitted at once but should participate in the league program during a period of probation.
DIARY ENTRY: Arrived Turin at 9. am. Large crowd. Speech made a citizen.
Shook hands with a thousand mayors.Rest, lunch—speech—Reception—University degree—train for Paris at 5 P.M
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 January 6, WWP17027, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.