Cary T. Grayson to
Title
Cary T. Grayson to
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP16824
Date
1936 March 13
Description
This note, possibly from Cary Grayson to Edwin Watson, criticizes FDR’s Military Aide as not alert.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
The Chairman wishes me to say that he doesn’t not care to talk to you himself but will, instead, send you this message through his secretary.
He had notified his hosts in Virginia that he would be down Saturday accompanied by Col Watson, the President’s Military Aide, in his new car. (He prefers not to send you a note about this as Mr. Black may get hold of it.) His Virginia hosts sent word back last night that they had cancelled plans to return to Lexington and would, instead await the coming of Colonel Watson and himself. Your refusal, at the last moment, has put him in a difficult attitude.
Military Aides should be alert and on the job, but evidently when he accepts an invitation, he is not on the job, but instead he is enveloped in fog. The last time he took you on a trip you had to leave on account of a message you had that you and your wife were supposed to be giving a dinner to one of the ‘under people’ in the War Department. He does not intend to ask you for any more functions. The next invitation issued to the Watson family will be to Mrs. Watson.
He has embarrassed me very much with my constituents in Virginia and as I was looking forward to doing my best toward making him popular politically as a candidate for the next Governor of Virginia. I had laid careful plans in the following counties: Orange, Albermarle, Farquier, and Louden, and we were scheduled for breakfast, luncheon, tea, and dinner in these places. Furthermore, the same kind of a thing happened in South Carolina, after he found that he was out-shot and could not prevaricate any more without being shot he said he had to hurry back to Washington because Frances was giving a dinner to some under person in the War Department.
I do not see what excuse I can make to my friends, and I think I shall just simply have to check him off my list. I shall have to go down by myself and while I am there I shall pick out another candidate for Governor.
Being a man of compassion I hope this report may not reach the ears of the President as it may effect the chances of the Military Aide for the proposed sea trip. I should not care to have this a happen as I have a strong suspicion that he is going to be very seasick on this trip since he has become so soft physically and mentally.
He had notified his hosts in Virginia that he would be down Saturday accompanied by Col Watson, the President’s Military Aide, in his new car. (He prefers not to send you a note about this as Mr. Black may get hold of it.) His Virginia hosts sent word back last night that they had cancelled plans to return to Lexington and would, instead await the coming of Colonel Watson and himself. Your refusal, at the last moment, has put him in a difficult attitude.
Military Aides should be alert and on the job, but evidently when he accepts an invitation, he is not on the job, but instead he is enveloped in fog. The last time he took you on a trip you had to leave on account of a message you had that you and your wife were supposed to be giving a dinner to one of the ‘under people’ in the War Department. He does not intend to ask you for any more functions. The next invitation issued to the Watson family will be to Mrs. Watson.
He has embarrassed me very much with my constituents in Virginia and as I was looking forward to doing my best toward making him popular politically as a candidate for the next Governor of Virginia. I had laid careful plans in the following counties: Orange, Albermarle, Farquier, and Louden, and we were scheduled for breakfast, luncheon, tea, and dinner in these places. Furthermore, the same kind of a thing happened in South Carolina, after he found that he was out-shot and could not prevaricate any more without being shot he said he had to hurry back to Washington because Frances was giving a dinner to some under person in the War Department.
I do not see what excuse I can make to my friends, and I think I shall just simply have to check him off my list. I shall have to go down by myself and while I am there I shall pick out another candidate for Governor.
Being a man of compassion I hope this report may not reach the ears of the President as it may effect the chances of the Military Aide for the proposed sea trip. I should not care to have this a happen as I have a strong suspicion that he is going to be very seasick on this trip since he has become so soft physically and mentally.
Original Format
Letter
To
Watson, Edwin M. (Edwin Martin), 1883-1945
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson to ,” 1936 March 13, WWP16824, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.