Cary T. Grayson Diary

Cary T. Grayson Diary

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

WWP17201

1919 June 19

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

English

The President was forced to rise very early, and after a hasty breakfast the party entered automobiles for the trip to Charleroi. This trip had been arranged for the purpose of showing the President the ruined factories in that section which had been completely and systematically looted by the Germans. They had taken evenry piece of machinery out of all of these factories and had transferred them to German plants. Their work in looting was carried through with characteristic German thoroughness, the method being to card-index all of the machinery in all plants, and to send catalogues to German manufacturers showing that this machinery was available and asking what particular pieces were needed to equip their plants. A good part of the machinery actually was taken into Germany, while train-loads were stopped as a result of the armistice and were still on the sidings along the railroad.

The trip to Charleroi carried the President past the historic battleground of Waterloo, and the roads were taken so that he went down on one side and returned on the other side of the famous monument. However, the President had little chance to see anything, as the trip was made at an even greater speed than that of yesterday, there being seldom a time when the speedometer was not close upon the 50 mark, and sometimes 60 was exceeded.

At Charleroi the President was met by the Burgomaster and the city officials. Groups of children were around, all carrying flowers, which they presented to the President, the Queen and to Mrs. Wilson. Groups of children lined the road also on the way to Charleroi and tried to throw flowers at the President’s car, but so great was the speed that before the flowers landed it was the third and fourth car that was opposite the thrower.

The President got back to the Palace at twelve o’clock, in time to wash and change his clothes. He then proceeded to the American Legation, where he was the host at a luncheon given in honor of the King and Queen.The President made a brief but very effective address in proposing the health of the King and Queen. (SEE SPEECH).

As soon as the luncheon was over, the President received the members of the American colony in Belgium, and after them a delegation of Belgian newspaper proprietors and correspondents.

Leaving the Legation, we returned to the Palace and were driven in state to the Legislative Chamber, where the President was received by the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies in the Chamber Room. This was a most impressive function, probably the best of the entire trip. The Chamber itself is a high-ceilinged room, arranged in semi-circular form. To the left of the Speaker’s stand a temporary throne had been constructed, with a wonderful canopy of scarlet velvet trimmed with gold above it. Here Mrs. Wilson and Miss Margaret Wilson sat with the Belgian Queen. They were escorted to their seats before the entrance of the President and the King. The seats on the floor were occupied by the Senators and Deputies, while their families occupied the boxes which towered in tiers in the rear of the room.

The President and the King were preceded into the Chamber by thirty Belgian officers escorting the standards of fifteen fighting Belgian regiments. These standards were massed at the rear of the Speaker’s stand, with the escort standing at attention.

As the King and the President entered the room they were greeted with very warm applause. The address of welcome was made by the President of the Chamber of Deputies speaking in Flemish. Then M. Hyams addressed the President in English. The President responding made a speech that probably pleased the audience more than any speech that they had heard in sometime. Although the President spoke in English, it was apparent that two-thirds of the Legislative representatives understood what he was saying. This was demonstrated by the fact that they broke into applause time and time again in the middle of a sentence, which was filled with promise for Belgium’s interest. Had they waited for him to conclude his sentences and stop as is usual with a practiced speaker, it would have been plain that they did not understand, but the very fact that their applause punctuated his address in exactly the same proportion as he spoke of promise for Belgium’s future indicated that they knew just what he was saying to them. As soon as the President ended his speech he was escorted back through the building and across to the Senate Chamber. It was in this Senate Chamber that Edith Cavell, the British martyred nurse, was court-martialed and condemned to death by the German military authorities. The seat which she occupied during the trial had been covered with flowers and the national colors, and it was stated that these flowers would be kept their there perpetually as a memento of the heroism of the woman.

Leaving the Assembly Building the cars were reentered and the party proceeded to Malines, where Cardinal Mercier was in waiting to receive the President.The President had been very anxious to meet the Cardinal, whose action in defying the Germans during the entire period of German occupancy of Belgium had aroused the admiration of the entire world. The meeting between the two was touching in the extreme. Addressing the President, the Cardinal said that he was convinced that when the history of the war and the Peace Conference was finally written, it would be found that the peace arrived at would be referred to as the Wilsonian Peace. The President thanked the Cardinal for his complimentary reference. The President then made one of the most eloquent and touching speeches that I have ever heard, although it was only of about three minutes duration. He referred to the Cardinal as the shepherd who had watched over the welfare of his flock, despite the aggression and abuses at the hands of the Germans, and referred feelingly to the fact that the Cardinal at no time had denied deserted those who were looking to him for guidance. He declared that owing to his heroic sprit and for the things that he had stood, the enemy had not dared to lay a hand upon or molest the Cardinal in any way.

The President inspected the Cathedral and then had tea in the Cardinal’s apartment. During the time that the President was in Malines the wonderful chimes in the Cathedral tower were played by Jef Denyn. He had arranged a program which commenced with Hail Columbia and which concluded with Brabanconne. The program is as follows:

The cars were reentered and the party then proceeded to the Town Hall to at Louvain, where the Burgomaster and the officials of the city that was the scene of the first dastardly outrage of the Germans in the war were awaiting to welcome him. The President was given a very warm reception. It had been arranged by the University of Louvain to confer a degree upon the President while he was in the city. They had selected as the place to confer this degree the Library Building which the Germans had so ruthlessly burnt during the early days of the war in 1914. The President, accompanied by the Cardinal and by the King and other members of the party, walked from the Town Hall to the Library Building. Along the line were delegations of Belgian boy scouts, very picturesquely attired, while hundreds of children carrying bouquets of flowers crowded about the party and pelted the President and Mrs. Wilson with their flowers. Arriving at the Library Building the party went into the room which was known as the Manuscript Room, in the center of which an altar had been erected. Lined up around the room were the monks of Louvain University. The Cardinal conffered the degree upon the President. The scene was remarkable. There is no roof on the building at all, it having been burned off when the Germans fired the structure. The ruined, smoked walls were in sharp contrast to the new altar in the center of the room. In responding to the Cardinal’s remarks in conferring the degree, the Pearsident bitterly arraigned the Germans for their destructive policy, especially for the wanton destruction that they had wrought in this historic building. He paid the highest tribute to the education and declared that there had been absolutely no necessity for German ruthlessness in this particular case. He referred to the fact that the Germans had misused their education as a warning that education also could be abused when the occasion demanded if the person was unscrupulous enough to do so.

The automobiles were reentered and the party returned immediately to Brussels, where a reception had been arranged for. the President and the party at the Hotel de Ville. This reception was presided over by Burgomaster Max. In the square outsuide of the building an enormous crowd had gathered, made up chiefly of women and children, who cheered the President very loudly as he entered. The President was warmly received by the invited guests inside and Burgomaster Max feelingly referred to the part which America played in the war and paid a high tribute to the President’s efforts. The President responded in a brief address, in which he eulogized the Burgomaster as the highest type of competent official.

Leaving the Hotel de Ville the President passed out through a large crowd of young school girls, who sang “Liberty Bell”, and “America” in English.

Returning to the Palace the President took part as the guest of honor at a state dinner given by the King and Queen. The dinner was served in a most sumptuous apartment. The silver set used is one of the most costly ever made and was presented by the late Queen Victoria to the late King Leopold of Belgium. There were more than 150 guests present.

The list is as follows:

DINER AU PALAIS DE BRUXELLES

Le 19 juin 1919 à 20 h.15

1 LE ROI
2 LA REINE
3 M. WILSON, Président des Etat-Unis d’Amerique
4 Madame WILSON
5 Mademoiselle WILSON
6 Miss Benham, Secrétaire
7 L’Amiral Grayson, Aide de Camp du Président
8 Le Général Harts, Aide de Camp du Président
9 le Colonel Watson, Aide de Camp du Président
10 M. Hoover
11 M. Baruch, Président du War Industries Board
12 M. Mac Cormack, Président du War Trade Board
13 M. Davis, Délégué de la Trésorerie Américaine
14 M. Lamont
15 M. Close, Confidential Secretary to President
16 M. Baker
17 Le Capitaine Nightingale
18 le Capitaine Smith
19 Le Lieutenant Irving, Aide to Admiral Grayson
20 Le Baron Moncheur, Envoyé Extraordinare et Ministre Pénipotentiare
21 Le Lieutenant Général Joostens
22 Le Lieutenant Comte Renesse
23 Madame Emmanuel de Weuters d’Oplinter
24 S.E. le Cardinal Mercier, Archevêque de Malines
25 Monseigneur
26 S.E.M. Brand Whitlock, Envoyé Estraordinaire et Ministre Plénipotentiare des Etats-Unis d’Amerique
27 Madame Brand Whitlock
28 M. Armour, Premier Secrétaire de la Légation des Etats-Unis d’Amerique
29 Madame Armour
30 Le Capitaine Rand, Attaché Militaire à la Légation des Etats-Unis d’Amerique
31 Le Major Hoffman, Attaché Militaire à la Légation des Etats-Unis d’Amerique
32 Le Lieutenant Stearns
33 Le Lieutenant Meert, Attaché Militaire à la Légation des Etats-Unis d’Amerique
34 Le Major Tinant
35 Le Colonel Sewell, Commandant la Base Navale Américaine à Anvers
36 La Capitaine Hellery Williams
37 Le Baron de Favereau, Président du Sénat
38 la Baronne de Favereau
39 Le Comte t’Kint de Roodenbeke, Ier.Vice Président du Sénat
40 Le Comte Goblet d’Alviella, Ministre d’Etat, 2 e Vice Président du Sénat
41 M. Colleaux, Ministre d’Etat, 3e Vice-Président du Sénat
42 M. Poullet, Président de la Chambre des Représentants
43 Madame Poullet
44 M. Mechelynck, 1er Vice-Président de la Chambre des Représentants
45 M. Tibbaut, 2 e Vice-Président de la Chambre des Représentants
46 M. Bertrand, 3 e Vice-Président id. id. Ministre d’Etat
47 M. Delacroix, Premier Ministre
48 Madame Delacroix
49 M. Vandervelde, Ministre de la Justice
50 Madame Vandervelde
51 M. Hymans, Ministre des Affaires Etrangères
52 Madame Hymans
53 le Baron de Broqueville, Ministre de l’Intérieur
54 la Baronnde de Broqueville
55 M. Harmingie, Ministre des Sciences et des Arts
56 Madame Harmignie
57 le Baron Ruzette, Ministre de l'Agriculture
58 la Baronne Ruzette
59 M. Anseele, Ministre des Travaux Publics
60 Madame Anseele
61 M. Wauters, Ministre de l’Industrie du Travail et du Ravitaillement
62 Madame Wauters
63 M. Renkin, Ministre des Chemins de fer, Marine Postes et Télégraphenes
64 Madame Renkin
65 M. Franck, Ministre des Colonies
66 Madame Franck
67 M. Masson, Ministre de la Guerre
68 Madame Masson
69 M. Jaspar, Ministre des Affaires Economiques
70 Madame Jaspar
71 M. Van den Heuvel, Ministre d’Etat
72 M. Franqui
73 M. Max
74 M. de Sadeleer
75 M. de Cartier de Marchienne, Ministre de Belgique
76 M. Van Iseghem, Premier Président de la Cour de Cassation
77 M. Terlinden, Procureur Géneral de la Cour de Cassation
78 M. Janssens, Premier Avocat Général près la Cour de Cassation
79 M. Demarteau, Président de la Cour des Comptes
80 M. Servais, Procureur Général de la Cour d’Appel
81 M. Wellens, Président de la Cour Militaire
82 M. Beneidt, Président du Tribunal de Première Intance
83 Le Baron van Zuylen, Auditeur Général de la Cour Militaire
84 M. Dupont Président du Conseil des Mines
85 M. Beco, Gouverneur du Brabant
86 M. Edouard Gilmont, Commissaire d’Arrondissement
87 M. van der Rest, Gouverneur de la Banque Nationale
88 M. Buisseret, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Finances
89 M. Rombouts, Administrateur au Ministère des Finances
90 Le Chevalier Ernst de Bunswyck, Secrétaire Général du Ministrère de la Justice
91 M. Dom, Directeur Général au Ministère de la Justice
92 le Baron de Borchgrave, Chef du Cabinet du Ministre des Affaires Etrangères
93 M. Orts, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
94 M. Costermans, Directeur Général au Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
95 M. De Ridder, Directeur Général au Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
96 M. Sauveur, Secrétaire Général du Ministère de l’Intérieur
97 M.ahiels, Directeur Général du Ministère de l’Intérieur
98 M. la Vallée Poussin, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Sciences et des Arts
99 M. Verlant, Directeur Général du Ministère des Sciences et des Arts
100 M. Manneback, Secrétaire Général du Ministère de l’Agriculture
101 M. Van Gansberghe, Directeur Général du Ministère des Travaux Publics
102 M. Arnold, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Colonies
103 M. Thys, Directeur Général au Ministère des Affaires Economiques
104 M. Blount, Directeur Général du service d’Information
105 M. Colens, Secrétaire Général du Ministère des Chemins de fer
106 M. Hanrez, Administrateur au Ministère des Chemins de fer
107 M. Stevens, Directeur Général du Ministère de l’Industrie et du Travail
108 M. Caufriez, Directeur Général de la Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Vicinaux
109 M. Bréart, Bourgmestre de St. Gilles
110 M. Cocq, Bourgmestre d’Ixelles
111 M. Leclère, Recteur de l’Université de Bruxelles
112 M. Pirenne, Recteur de l’Université de Gand
113 Monseigneur Ladeuze, Recteur de l’Université de Loùvain
114 M. Hubert, Recteur de l’Université de Liège
115 Le Lt. Général Gillain, Chef d’Etat-Major Général de l’Armée
116 Le Général Leclercq, commandant le Corps de Genadarmerie
117 Le Général Maglinse
118 Le Lt. Colonel Herremerre
119 le Lt. Colonel Notebaert
120 Le Colonel Galet
121 M. J. Carlier, Président du Comité Central Industriel de Belgique
122 M. Simonis
123 M. Casteleyn, Président de la Chambre de Commerce d’Anvers
124 M. E. Wiener, Administrateur du Credit Général Liègeois
125 M. Pierre de Hemptinne
126 M. de Laveley, Président de la Banque de Bruxelles
127 Le Chevalier de Weuters d’Oplinter, Administrateur Délégué de la Banque Belge pour l’Etranger
128 M. Bordet, Professeur à l’Université de Bruxelles
129 Le Docteur Héger, de l’Académie de Médecine
130 Le Comte de MERODE, Grand Maréchal de la Cour
131 Le Lieutenant Général Jungbluth, Adjudant Général Chef de la Maison Militaire du Roi
132 Le Comte d’Arschot Schoenheven, Chef du Cabinet du Roi
133 Le Baron Goffinet, Grand Maitre de la Maison de l’Impératrice Charlotte
134 M. Godefroid, Secrétaire des Commandements du Roi
135 M. Besmans, Conseiller de la Cour
136 M. Max-Lée Gérard, Secrétaire du Roi
137 M. Ingenbleek, Administrateur de la Liste Civile
138 Monseigneur Pieraerts, Aumônier de la Cour
139 M. le Docteur Le Boeuf, Médecin du Roi
140 M. Greyson, Administrateur des Biens du Roi
141 Le Major Comte d’Oultremont, Adjudant de la Cour
142 Le Lt. Général Naneteau, Aide de Camp du Roi
143 Le Général Comte de Jonghe d’Ardoye id.
144 le Colonel Tilkens
145 la Colonel Baron de Meer
146 Le Major de Hennin de Boussu Walcourt, Officier d’Ordonnance du Roi
147 Le Major Dujardin 148 Le Commandant Van Overstraeten
149 Le Lieutenant Goffinet
150 Le Lieutenant Général Mélis, Attaché à la Maison Militaire du
151 Le Colonel Menschaert
152 La Chevalier M. de Pateul, Chancelier
153 Le Comte de Lanney, Grand Maitre de la Maison de S.M. la Reine
154 La Comtesse de Hemricourt de Grunne, Grande Maitresse de la Maison de S.M. la Reine
155 La Comtesse d’Oultrement, Dame d’Honneur
156 M. Charles Graux, Secrétaire de S.M. la Reine

The table was set in the form of a horse-shoe and the decorations were elaborate in the extreme. The guests for the most part were in diplomatic costume, with their breasts covered with glittering decorations of every sort. Just before the dinner, the King sent for me and conferred upon me the decoration of the . He told me that he would esteem it as a high honor if I would wear it during the dinner, and as there was nothing left for me to do but accept, I did so in as gracious a manner as possible.

Leaving the Palace we were escorted to the station by the King and Queen and their suites. The President told the King that he would like very much to invite him to visit the United States, and he hoped that he would be able to come. He explained, however, that when Roosevelt was President, the latter had invited so many people to come to the United States in an official capacity that Congress objected to it paying the bills and as a result passed a law that no one should be invited without their knowledge and consent. Therefore, the President explained he had to make his invitation more or less an informal one. The King told the President that he hoped that he would be able to come to the United States, as he has been very anxious to visit there.

We left Brussels at eleven o’clock. The President retired almost as soon as the train passed out of the station. Just before I left him, I asked him what his impressions were of the King and he said: “He is every inch a man and a true Democrat.”

Diary