Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP16232
Date
1920 March 31
Description
Cary T. Grayson reports on President Woodrow Wilson’s comments about the League of Nations and Herbert Hoover’s candidacy for president.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
WEDNESDAY.
The President still shows signs of depression as a result of the defeat of the Treaty in the Senate. Another day When I said to him: “Good morning; it is a beautiful Spring day and warm”, he replied: “I don’t know whether it is warm or cold. I feel so weak and useless. I feel that I would like to go back to bed and stay there until I either get well or die. I cannot make a move to do my work except by making a definite resolve to do so.” He said further that the League of Nations “is the birth of the spirit of the times”, and that “those who oppose it will be gibbeted and occupy an unenviable position in history along with Benedict Arnold and Gates.”
In speaking about the things that you do he said: “Confession is suicide and suicide is confession.” (Speak to Dr. Axson about this quotation).
He referred today to Mr. Hoover’s candidacy for the Presidency and said: “Hoover’s strength is due to the fact that the people are tired of both parties. Hoover has no party and has assumed the attitude of an independent. I do not think he will last long. He is a fellow who, politically, will travel along the line of least resistance. He lacks courage. He owes his present position to the Democratic party. I believe that his ideals and his heart are inclined towards the Democratic party but he thinks that the Democrats haven’t a good chance to win, and, therefore, he hasn’t the courage to stand by the Democratic party but he goes to the line of least resistance - the Republican party.”
The President still shows signs of depression as a result of the defeat of the Treaty in the Senate. Another day When I said to him: “Good morning; it is a beautiful Spring day and warm”, he replied: “I don’t know whether it is warm or cold. I feel so weak and useless. I feel that I would like to go back to bed and stay there until I either get well or die. I cannot make a move to do my work except by making a definite resolve to do so.” He said further that the League of Nations “is the birth of the spirit of the times”, and that “those who oppose it will be gibbeted and occupy an unenviable position in history along with Benedict Arnold and Gates.”
In speaking about the things that you do he said: “Confession is suicide and suicide is confession.” (Speak to Dr. Axson about this quotation).
He referred today to Mr. Hoover’s candidacy for the Presidency and said: “Hoover’s strength is due to the fact that the people are tired of both parties. Hoover has no party and has assumed the attitude of an independent. I do not think he will last long. He is a fellow who, politically, will travel along the line of least resistance. He lacks courage. He owes his present position to the Democratic party. I believe that his ideals and his heart are inclined towards the Democratic party but he thinks that the Democrats haven’t a good chance to win, and, therefore, he hasn’t the courage to stand by the Democratic party but he goes to the line of least resistance - the Republican party.”
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1920 March 31, WWP16232, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.