Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP16318
Date
1920 December 6
Description
Cary T. Grayson reports on President Woodrow Wilson’s meeting with Congressional leaders following his stroke.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
MONDAY.
On Monday afternoon, December 6th, Senator Lodge, Senator Underwood, the Democratic Senate leader, Representative Mondell, the Republican House leader, Chairman Fordney of the House Ways and Means Committee, and former Speaker Champ Clark called at the White House to notify the President formally that Congres was in session. They were escorted into the Blue Room. The President shortly thereafter walked into the room with the use of his cane, and said: “Gentlemen, I hope you will excuse me from going through the formality of shaking hands with you individually, but, as you see, I cannot yet dispense with my third leg.” Thereupon Senator Lodge went through the usual formality of notifying the President that Congress had met; and the President replied that he would communicate a message to Congress on the following day (Tuesday).
The President was standing quite close to Senator Underwood and whispered to the Senator: “I used the excuse of this “third leg”, as I did not want to shake hands with Lodge.” And Underwood and the President both chuckled.
The President told me afterwards: “Can you imagine what kind of a hide Lodge has got, coming up here in these circumstances and wanting to appear familiar and talk with me. His hide has a different anatomical arrangement than any I have ever heard of.”
On Monday afternoon, December 6th, Senator Lodge, Senator Underwood, the Democratic Senate leader, Representative Mondell, the Republican House leader, Chairman Fordney of the House Ways and Means Committee, and former Speaker Champ Clark called at the White House to notify the President formally that Congres was in session. They were escorted into the Blue Room. The President shortly thereafter walked into the room with the use of his cane, and said: “Gentlemen, I hope you will excuse me from going through the formality of shaking hands with you individually, but, as you see, I cannot yet dispense with my third leg.” Thereupon Senator Lodge went through the usual formality of notifying the President that Congress had met; and the President replied that he would communicate a message to Congress on the following day (Tuesday).
The President was standing quite close to Senator Underwood and whispered to the Senator: “I used the excuse of this “third leg”, as I did not want to shake hands with Lodge.” And Underwood and the President both chuckled.
The President told me afterwards: “Can you imagine what kind of a hide Lodge has got, coming up here in these circumstances and wanting to appear familiar and talk with me. His hide has a different anatomical arrangement than any I have ever heard of.”
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1920 December 6, WWP16318, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.