Cary T. Grayson Diary

Cary T. Grayson Diary

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

WWP17218

1919 July 6

An entry in Cary T. Grayson's diary from the Paris Peace Conference, dated 6 July 1919.

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

English

After the President had breakfast I read him the wireless despatches, which carried a statement that Holland had agreed to surrender the Kaiser to the British Government, and that he was to be conveyed to the Tower of London and there held a prisoner until the International Tribunal that was suggested under the Treaty could be assembled in order to try him for the “crimes” outlined in the Treaty. The President said that so far as he was concerned he thought it would be a great mistake to place the Kaiser on trial. He said that his position had been announced by him while he was in Paris, and that he had carefully explained to the Big Four that any action of this kind would be a great mistake inasmuch as it must naturally tend to the German people making a martyr of their former ruler. The President said that Lloyd George had promised during his campaign that the Kaiser would be placed upon trial and that as a result the English insisted that some arrangement must be made whereby this promise made to secure Lloyd George’s reelection should be carried out. The President said that in his opinion the worst punishment that could be meted out to the Kaiser would be to leave him alone in his isolation, where he would have only the memory of his former greatness and the realization of what Germany’s effort to conquer the world had resulted in.

The President was wondering whether Chief Justice White of the United States Supreme Court would be in good enough health to make the trip and be the American representative on the board that would try the Kaiser. If the Chief Justice’s health would permit, the President was thinking of asking him to assume the task.

The President discussed the problem which he had on his hands of selecting a new Ambassador to Germany and an Ambassador to Belgium, to replace Brand Whitlock, who is being transferred to Rome. The President said that the health of Mr. Frank Polk, Assistant Secretary of State, was giving him deep concern. He said that Mr. Polk was so valuable and he appreciated his services so much that he was loathe to lose him. However, he realized that his health was so precarious that Mr. Polk could no longer be held down to the duties in the State Department, and he was wondering whether an appointment as Ambassador to either of these positions might not be welcome in order to allow him to recuperate and get back into normal health. If not, the President was thinking that it might be advisable to transfer Mr. Polk to Paris to substitute for Mr. Lansing in the Peace Commission.

The President went on deck late in the afternoon in an effort to get a little fresh air, the weather being extremely warm. He had not much more than appeared on the deck when Mr. Lamont and his associates gathered around and endeavored to start a discussion of matters affecting the Treaty and the Peace Conference. The President was not in a mood for business that was to be forced upon him and he quickly changed the situation by telling a number of stories that apparently satisfied the economic experts.

The President, Mrs. Wilson, Dr. Axson and myself had dinner with Captain McCauley in his quarters behind the bridge. Later the President came down and attended the moving pictures.