Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17202
Date
1919 June 20
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
There were no incidents on the trip and Paris was reached at nine o’clock. The President and our party left the train, and we proceeded to the temporary White House, where we breakfasted.
At 11:00 o’clock the President came to the Hotel Crillon, where the American Commissioners were in waiting. For more than an hour the President discussed with the Commissioners the various developments, and especially the situation in Germany, which had become extremely serious as a result of the differences of opinion between the various parties as to whether or not the treaty should be signed. The Scheidemann government was almost a unit in opposition to signing and there were many indications at this particular time that the war might have to be resumed. However, the President told the other Commissioners that he was satisfied that Germany would not resume the war, and that when the matter had finally been concluded it would be found that the peace terms would be accepted. The President spoke very frankly to his fellow-Commissioners and made it very plain to them that the slightest evidence of worry on their part at this particular crisis would very materially complicate the general situation.
After his conference with the American Commissioners, the President received reports from the Reparations experts, who had been working out the problems affecting Austria. He left the Crillon at 12:30 and returned to the temporary White House.
The President had lunch as usual, there being no guests, and after luncheon he devoted some time to working on a number of matters that had been sent to him.
During the entire time that the President had been in Belgium, he kept in close personal touch with everything that was developing in Paris, and he had the very latest word on the situation inside of Germany.
Today he sent the following message of appreciation of their hospitality to the King and Queen of Belgium:
Mrs. Wilson and I join in expressing to you and the Queen our very deep appreciation of your kindness to us, our great pleasure in having such an opportunity to know you, our admiration, and our cordial good wishes gratitude and good wishes.
It had been planned to hold a meeting of the Council of Three during the afternoon, but Lloyd George was confined to his bed as the result of a chill sustained during his visit to Verdun and the French front while we were in Belgium, so Clemenceau and the President held a brief conference with the economic experts.
In the late afternoon the President and Mrs. Wilson went for a ride through the Bois. There were no guests at dinner and the President retired early to recover as speedily as possible from the fatigue incurred through his strenuous Begian experiences.
At 11:00 o’clock the President came to the Hotel Crillon, where the American Commissioners were in waiting. For more than an hour the President discussed with the Commissioners the various developments, and especially the situation in Germany, which had become extremely serious as a result of the differences of opinion between the various parties as to whether or not the treaty should be signed. The Scheidemann government was almost a unit in opposition to signing and there were many indications at this particular time that the war might have to be resumed. However, the President told the other Commissioners that he was satisfied that Germany would not resume the war, and that when the matter had finally been concluded it would be found that the peace terms would be accepted. The President spoke very frankly to his fellow-Commissioners and made it very plain to them that the slightest evidence of worry on their part at this particular crisis would very materially complicate the general situation.
After his conference with the American Commissioners, the President received reports from the Reparations experts, who had been working out the problems affecting Austria. He left the Crillon at 12:30 and returned to the temporary White House.
The President had lunch as usual, there being no guests, and after luncheon he devoted some time to working on a number of matters that had been sent to him.
During the entire time that the President had been in Belgium, he kept in close personal touch with everything that was developing in Paris, and he had the very latest word on the situation inside of Germany.
Today he sent the following message of appreciation of their hospitality to the King and Queen of Belgium:
Mrs. Wilson and I join in expressing to you and the Queen our very deep appreciation of your kindness to us, our great pleasure in having such an opportunity to know you, our admiration, and our cordial good wishes gratitude and good wishes.
It had been planned to hold a meeting of the Council of Three during the afternoon, but Lloyd George was confined to his bed as the result of a chill sustained during his visit to Verdun and the French front while we were in Belgium, so Clemenceau and the President held a brief conference with the economic experts.
In the late afternoon the President and Mrs. Wilson went for a ride through the Bois. There were no guests at dinner and the President retired early to recover as speedily as possible from the fatigue incurred through his strenuous Begian experiences.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 June 20, WWP17202, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.