Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17127
Date
1919 April 6
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
The President had a good night’s rest. His temperature was one degree above normal, and he continued to show signs of improvement. He expectorated very freely, which gave him considerable relief in his throat. With a merry twinkle in his eyes he said: “I suppose you are going to cause me to set a bad example to the world today and not consent to my going to church.” I told him that I would shoulder the heavy responsibility.
The President said: “While you have me on my back I have been doing a lot of thinking, thinking what would be the outcome on the world if these French politicians were given a free-hand and allowed to have their way and secure all that they claim France is entitled to. My opinion is that if they had their way the world would go to pieces in a very short while. I hope that I can get things in hand and that we can work them out when I get up. But if we don’t within a specified time, I am going to tell all of the Peace Commissioners plainly what I am going to do. And when I make this statement I do not intend it as a bluff. I am trying to forumulate in my mind the exact procedure of I am going to take.” He added: “I wish you would communicate with Admiral Benson and find out what the movements are of the U. S. S. GEORGE WASHINGTON. If she is in an American port, order her to proceed to Brest, France, at once.” “When I decide, doctor”, he said, “to carry this thing through I do not want to say that I am going as soon as I can get a boat; I want the boat to be here.”
The President said: “If you don’t think it would hurt me, I would like to have the members of the American Peace Commissione here for a conference. I can lie in bed and talk to them.” I impressed upon him the necessity of not fatiguing or over-exerting himself. He said: “I have got some steam inside of me that if I could let off I think you would find it would help me physically.” He turned to Mrs. Wilson and said: “My dear, will you be good enough to call the various members over the telephone and tell them I wish them to come here at five o’clock?” She replied: “Can’t I tell Colonel House to do it?” He said: “No”, (emphatically), “because that would mean that he would detail it to Auchincloss, and he (Auchincloss) has such an exalted opinion of himself these days that I don’t care to have him do any business in my name.” The conference lasted for an hour, at the conclusion of which Mrs. Wilson served tea to them. When the members of the Commission got back to the Hotel Crillon they were distinctly serious in their demeanor and declined to make any statements to the newspaper men regarding what transpired at the conference.
After the conference had adjourned I went in to see the President and asked him how he felt. He made this brief reply, rolling his eyes at me: “Better - the steam’s off.” Thereupon I proceeded with my professional business with him.
The President asked me to have dinner with him and Mrs. Wilson, and I had dinner on a table by his bed. He was in good spirits and acted as if he had not a care in the world. After dinner: I said: “I hope you will have a good night’s sleep”; to which the President replied: “It is difficult to put things off your mind when you cannot personally handle them. To lie in bed and think of problems that you cannot pitch into and dispose of naturally makes the mind more active and prevents sleeping. When you can handle them in person it is easy enough to dismiss them after you go to bed.” To know that I am responsible for them and cannot take part in the proceedings makes me restless.”
The President said to me: “I wonder if you can locate Baruch”. I reached him over the telephone by the President’s bed. Baruch came in and stood at the foot of his bed and talked with the President over the international situation and the latest crisies which has enveloped it. The President asked Mr. Baruch whether he thought he (the President) was right in the stand which he has taken on the Saar Valley problem and on the French demand for the creation of a buffer state to be known as a Rhinish Republic, located between Alsace and Lorraine and the Rhine River. The President was opposed to both projects. Mr. Baruch endorsed the President’s position and said: “If you stand by your principles as laid down in the 14 points and the right and justice which you stand for for all, and which you have explained to me in the various matters which you have put up to me for investigation, I am absolutely convinced that the whole world will endorse your stand regardless of what the other countries’ peace commissioners may do or say.”
The President said to Mr. Baruch: “I wish you would study the controversy between the Railroad Department and the Commerce Department. They have laid the matter before me and I wish you would take it and give me your advice as to what I should do.
I gave the President his treatment before leaving him for the night. I found that the excitement had had no very serious after-effect, which demonstrated to mey mind that he was coming back fast.
The President said: “While you have me on my back I have been doing a lot of thinking, thinking what would be the outcome on the world if these French politicians were given a free-hand and allowed to have their way and secure all that they claim France is entitled to. My opinion is that if they had their way the world would go to pieces in a very short while. I hope that I can get things in hand and that we can work them out when I get up. But if we don’t within a specified time, I am going to tell all of the Peace Commissioners plainly what I am going to do. And when I make this statement I do not intend it as a bluff. I am trying to forumulate in my mind the exact procedure of I am going to take.” He added: “I wish you would communicate with Admiral Benson and find out what the movements are of the U. S. S. GEORGE WASHINGTON. If she is in an American port, order her to proceed to Brest, France, at once.” “When I decide, doctor”, he said, “to carry this thing through I do not want to say that I am going as soon as I can get a boat; I want the boat to be here.”
The President said: “If you don’t think it would hurt me, I would like to have the members of the American Peace Commissione here for a conference. I can lie in bed and talk to them.” I impressed upon him the necessity of not fatiguing or over-exerting himself. He said: “I have got some steam inside of me that if I could let off I think you would find it would help me physically.” He turned to Mrs. Wilson and said: “My dear, will you be good enough to call the various members over the telephone and tell them I wish them to come here at five o’clock?” She replied: “Can’t I tell Colonel House to do it?” He said: “No”, (emphatically), “because that would mean that he would detail it to Auchincloss, and he (Auchincloss) has such an exalted opinion of himself these days that I don’t care to have him do any business in my name.” The conference lasted for an hour, at the conclusion of which Mrs. Wilson served tea to them. When the members of the Commission got back to the Hotel Crillon they were distinctly serious in their demeanor and declined to make any statements to the newspaper men regarding what transpired at the conference.
After the conference had adjourned I went in to see the President and asked him how he felt. He made this brief reply, rolling his eyes at me: “Better - the steam’s off.” Thereupon I proceeded with my professional business with him.
The President asked me to have dinner with him and Mrs. Wilson, and I had dinner on a table by his bed. He was in good spirits and acted as if he had not a care in the world. After dinner: I said: “I hope you will have a good night’s sleep”; to which the President replied: “It is difficult to put things off your mind when you cannot personally handle them. To lie in bed and think of problems that you cannot pitch into and dispose of naturally makes the mind more active and prevents sleeping. When you can handle them in person it is easy enough to dismiss them after you go to bed.” To know that I am responsible for them and cannot take part in the proceedings makes me restless.”
The President said to me: “I wonder if you can locate Baruch”. I reached him over the telephone by the President’s bed. Baruch came in and stood at the foot of his bed and talked with the President over the international situation and the latest crisies which has enveloped it. The President asked Mr. Baruch whether he thought he (the President) was right in the stand which he has taken on the Saar Valley problem and on the French demand for the creation of a buffer state to be known as a Rhinish Republic, located between Alsace and Lorraine and the Rhine River. The President was opposed to both projects. Mr. Baruch endorsed the President’s position and said: “If you stand by your principles as laid down in the 14 points and the right and justice which you stand for for all, and which you have explained to me in the various matters which you have put up to me for investigation, I am absolutely convinced that the whole world will endorse your stand regardless of what the other countries’ peace commissioners may do or say.”
The President said to Mr. Baruch: “I wish you would study the controversy between the Railroad Department and the Commerce Department. They have laid the matter before me and I wish you would take it and give me your advice as to what I should do.
I gave the President his treatment before leaving him for the night. I found that the excitement had had no very serious after-effect, which demonstrated to mey mind that he was coming back fast.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 April 6, WWP17127, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.