Cary T. Grayson Diary

Title

Cary T. Grayson Diary

Creator

Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938

Identifier

WWP17033

Date

1919 January 12

Source

Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia

Language

English

Text

SUNDAY.

I persuaded the President to stay at home and rest during the morning as he had been working about ten hours a day since his arrival in Paris. This I had found had been far too great a strain, considering the highly concentrated nature of his application. At 2.30, the President attended the first meeting of the Supreme War Council, at the Quai D’Orsay. It lasted until 6.45. This first gathering of the leaders of the civilized world, greatly monopolized the attention of all Paris. They came across the historic Place de la Concorde, under the shadows of the site of Old Mother Guillotine and over the very ground of the bloodiest days in the revolution, to the historic old building on the banks of the Seine, where so much world history had been made in the last hundred years. Lloyd George, Balfour, Poincaire, Clemenceau, Orlando, Sonnino, the Japanese and Chinese in their native way, looking wise and saying nothing; the Arabians, represented by Prince Hedjez Emil Fuisal, in picturesque costume; the Indian princes in their British uniform, but with flowing native turban, all presented a wonderful sight as they drove up in their motor cars and entered the building. The President and Mrs. Wilson drove in their motor to the Quai D’Orsay, where Mrs. Wilson left the President and went for a drive. The leaders gathered in the great conference room, where there was a large table for them and side tables for the secretaries. In the midst of the conference, an amusing incident occurred, which exemplified the exotic atmosphere in which the President was working all the way through. While they were in the midst of discussion on some important point, servants and footmen entered and began clearing away the tables to prepare the room for afternooon tea. The President remarked to me afterward that it was with a little difficulty that he restrained himself from voicing his surprise, that with the great affairs and future of the world under discussion, this conference should be interrupted by what he considered a tea party. He realized, however, that it was a foreign custom and he was among foreigners so he gracefully accepted and took part in it.

I suppose the Quai D’Orsay had not had a breath of fresh air for a hundred years. The atmosphere was stifling so I opened one of the windows. Lloyd George remarked that it was probably the first fresh air let into the place since the reign of Louis XIV. Clemenceau, Pichon and some of the others however immediately showed their disapproval, waving their hands and making motions to have the window closed. Just at this point, a discussion took place between Clemenceau and Sonnino and Sonnino lost his temper and showed great anger. The two went at it hammer and tongs. They reminded me of a couple of dogs, barking at each other. It was the first display of fireworks in the conference, but it passed off easily. I was hoping the fresh air would help carry off a little of the hot temper. Someone then complained it was getting too cold and we closed the window, but I had created a precedent and when we went to the Quai D’Orsay in the future, I always managed to open the window and get a little fresh air into the place. I rather think I shall have these Europeans used to fresh air by the time peace arrives.

At eight o’clock, we attended the Palais de Glace, where there was a meeting of the Comrades in Arms, at which the principal speakers were Rabbi Wise, Bishop Brent, Senior Chaplain of the Army, and Chaplain Jones of the Salvation Army. It was a non-sectarian meeting and about five thousand soldiers attended. It was one of the most enthusiastic and delightful meetings I have ever attended. It was also the first gathering of such a great number of soldiers indoors, that I ever saw and I was struck by the number of coughs and colds, which I afterward learned seemed to be characteristic of Paris in Winter. Bishop Brent’s speech was of a serious nature; a straight-forward, patriotic and religious talk. It was soon apparent how popular the Salvation Army was with the soldiers. When Chaplain Jones was introduced, he was greeted with a burst of cheers, which almost raised the roof. Jones has a remarkable personality. He held his audience with a speech which was filled with the humane and material, as well as the religious. It was obvious this was the sort of thing the soldiers enjoyed and very evidently an exemplification of the attitude of the Salvation Army toward the soldiers, which had endeared them so much and I think, placed them far above all other organizations in the esteem of our troops. Jones told a number of incidents and related stories from his own personal experiences, as well as explaining the work of the Salvation Army lassies at the front. He closed his address with a reference to the President in which he said:

“Three weeks ago, I was at a convention of the Elks, at Atlantic City and a Republican Congressman, referring to President Wilson, said: ‘Woodrow Wilson was not elected by the American people; he was selected by God’.”

Rabbi Wise made a great speech and I recall one of his stories, which made a great hit with the soldiers. He said: “First, I must tell you what a rabbi is, because not everyone knows. I recall a young man, who invited me home to dinner and telephoned his wife, saying: ‘My dear, I am bringing a rabbi home for dinner’ and his wife replied: ‘All right, my dear, I will do anything you say, but you will have to tell me how to cook it’.” The other story he told the boys went this way:

“An Irishman was dying with the smallpox and he said to his wife: ‘Bridget, send for a rabbi: I am dying’. The wife said ‘No, Mike, you mean you want me to send for a priest’. ‘No, Bridget, send for a rabbi; I don’t want to give the priest smallpox’.”

DIARY ENTRY:W.W. remained in bed until 11—oclock by persuasion of C.T.G to rest—He is going at high Speed too much & long.
At 2.30 first meeting (Key Dorsa’y) of Peace Conference—remained until 6.45, old womans sewing club—stopped for Tea—Sonneno lost his temper—Bliss more of a statesman than member of U.S. Commission. 8 o’clock—went to Comrades in service, Speakers—Bishop Brent, Chaplain Jones Salvation Army. Rabbi Stephen Wise & 7000 soldiers.

Original Format

Diary

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/PCFT19190112.pdf
PCFT19190112A.pdf

Citation

Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 January 12, WWP17033, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.