Cary T. Grayson Diary

Cary T. Grayson Diary

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

WWP17140

1919 April 19

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

English

The President had breakfast at 8:30. After breakfast he worked in his study. Colonel House dropped into suggest that Mr. Balfour had proposed that notes should be taken of the Big Four meeting. Colonel House told the President that he thought he should have an American to take these notes, and he suggested that in the person of his son-in-law, Gordon Auchincloss, the President would find a very desirable vehicle and that he would be ready any minute he wanted him. The President said: “I thank you for the suggestion.” Later on the Colonel called the President on the telephone and wanted to know what time Auchincloss would be required to come up. The President replied that when he wanted him he would let him know. He then notified arranged with one of his secretaries to come in to take the notes of the meeting.

The Italian claims dealing with the Dalmatian case were presented by Baron Sonnino, the Italian Foreign Minister. They were exactly as had been expected - an attempt on the part of Italy absolutely to grab the entire Adriatic and to sacrifice the new Jugo-Slav Republic. - before it was actually born.

After the morning session adjourned, I asked the President what luck they had had with the problems, and he said that so far as he (the President) was concerned he was adhering to principle. He said that he hated very much to disappoint a man whom he thought so much of as he did of Premier Orlando, but that it was impossible for him to accept the Italian claims which were entirely at variance with the principles that the President had enunic enunciated and which Italy had accepted at the time of the armistice. Although the Italians were pressing their point very strongly, no complete decision had been reached, and the question was put over for a Sunday morning meeting. The President was doing everything he possibly could to force action by the Peace Commissioners, and he himself asked for the Sunday meeting. Lloyd-George had made arrangements to spend Sunday in the devastated regions, but the President told him that he believed in the present state of world-wide unrest there was no excuse for not going ahead with the work and completing the peace program and utilizing every possible minute to do so.

Luncheon was delayed until two o’clock because the President had insisted that the morning session continue until everything possible was cleared up. And this was done. There were no luncheon guests.

After lunch the President, Mrs. Wilson and I went out for a drive to St. Cloud. We were able to make this drive in an open car - the first one since we came to France.

Following the drive, the President went to the Hotel Crillon, where he had directed the American Commissioners to meet with him in the room of Secretary of State Lansing. Following this conference the Presdident went to the War Office, where he, Lloyd-George and Clemenceau considered various matters.

Enroute from Crillon to the War Office I asked the President if he had made any progress at his conference with his associated Commissioners, and he said: “No, there was a great deal of talking. I went there to get some ideas but I found no one there who had any to suggest.”

The President had dinner with Mrs. Wilson and myself. After dinner he played Canfield, while Mrs. Wilson and I chatted with him. The President retired early as he had mapped out a full Sunday.

Diary