Cary T. Grayson Diary

Cary T. Grayson Diary

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

WWP17194

1919 June 12

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

English

As a result of the necessity of practically making over the entire treaty so that it would be a substitute document rather than an amended one, although the amendments in no way changed the general principles of the original terms, it became evident today that it would be impossible to present the reply to the Germans tomorrow as had been anticipated. In order that there would be unanimity of purpose, the Big Four brought in the Japanese representative, and recreated the original Council of Five, which took up item by item the various sections of the substitute treaty. Orlando was leaving for Italy tomorrow, and it was necessary that a general approval of all of the problems should be secured before he started; consequently, the morning and a good part of the afternoon session was devoted to going over the rough drafts of the various paragraphs. There was much disappointment in American circles because of this delay, which, as a matter of fact, was entirely due to the stubbornness of Clemenceau and Lloyd George during the last ten days. However, it was accepted that it was much better to re-draft the certain portions of the treaty demands rather than to send amended paragraphs to the Germans, which would give them an opportunity to make comparisons as they chose rather than to make comparisons of the document in its entirety.

I went down-stairs during the morning session when there was a lull period to get the pictures of the Big Four which had been taken at my suggestion autographed. I found that Clemenceau was fully as excitable as ever as an instance showed. I had handed him a pen to write his name, and he turned towards Lloyd George to answer a question. He kept gesticulating freely with the point of the pen, and I became really afraid that he would prick Lloyd George with it. As a result, I stepped in and saved Lloyd George from having his eye put out!

There were no guests at luncheon. After luncheon I chatted with the President, and he told me that the action of the United States Senate in adopting a resolution demanding that the Peace Conference Delegates from the United States insist on the British government granting a hearing to DeVelera and the so-called representatives of the Irish Republic, was an infringement upon the sovereignty of Great Britain and was an unfriendly act. The President felt rather strongly about the action of the Irish representatives and propagandists in endeavoring to place the administration in a false light before the people of the United States.

At the afternoon session of the Big Four the reply of the Council of Five to Admiral Koltchak’s government was approved. It said:

The support promised was a full line of foodstuffs and military supplies for the benefit of the Koltchak Army and for the starving population of European Russia.

After dinner, the President, Mrs. Wilsonand myself again went for a long automobile ride, returning late.

Diary