Cary T. Grayson Diary

Cary T. Grayson Diary

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

WWP17187

1919 June 5

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

English

After breakfast the President worked in his study until the time came for the meeting of the Big Four. The question of Upper Silesia and the German demands in that connection was uppermost at todays session. M. Paderewski, the Polish Premier, was called in and asked his opinion regarding the situation. He declared that any modification of the original terms of the treaty, insofar as the return of the Upper Silesian territory to Germany was concerned, would be a very serious mistake. It would weaken Poland to such an extent, he said, that instead of being a buffer state between Bolshevist Russia and Military Prussia she would be in a position where she could be reduced to vassalage very quickly. Paderewski, said that they were perfectly willing to make certain changes in the original territory so that Germany would be protected in her rights, and they also were willing that Germany should have a stated quantity of coal from Upper Silesia without question and without charge, to make up for the coal taken from her in the Saar Valley, but that this was as far as the Polish government thought it could go. Lloyd George cross-examined Paderewski, at length, it being very apparent that he was anxious to restore Upper Silesia to Germany. Asked whether the Poles would not be satisfied with a plebiscite in Upper Silesia, Paderewski said: Yes, if they could be assured that a fair vote could be taken. He declared, however, that this was an impossibility inasmuch as the Germans were actually military masters of all of that territory, and that they would manipulate any election that might be held to their own advantage. No decision was reached on the matter by the Big Four, it being determined to leave the matter again to the experts for a final opinion on the objections raised by Paderewski.

At luncheon the President and Mrs. Wilson had as guests Ambassador and Mrs. John W. Davis, who were here from London for a few days; Ambassador and Mrs Hugh C. Wallace, and Dr. Stockton Axson, and myself. The luncheon was entirely devoid of any serious business talk, but after it was over the the President and the two Ambassadors conferred privately for some few moments on the general aspects of the international situation.

At the afternoon session of the the Council of Four the Polish question was further discussed, and a commission of seven members was authorized to carry on the discussion of the revision of the Treaty of 1839 between Holland and Belgium. This matter was to be settled later on by the League of Nations.

The President passed a quiet evening after dinner, working for a time in his study, and later on he and Mrs. Wilson played Canfield and chatted about light topics.

Diary