Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP16994
Date
1918 December 4
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
WEDNESDAY.
The train arrived at Hoboken at seven o’clock. It backed through the streets to the Army wharves, the tracks being lined with men and women enroute to work who had stopped to cheer the President and to wish him God-speed on his momentous voyage.
At the entrance to the large Army pier, formerly the home of the North German Lloyd Line, the President was greeted by a guard of honor of marines, blue-jackets and regular troops. Following the arrival of the train General McManus, Commandant of the Port, entered the President’s car and presenting his compliments notified him that the Army Transport GEORGE WASHINGTON was in readiness and that he (McManus) was prepared to escort the President and Mrs. Wilson on board at their convenience. The President told the General that he would have breakfast first in the car, and the train waited outside of the dock until shortly after 7:45, when the President and Mrs. Wilson left the car and passed between lines of soldiers with their rifles at the “present” into the dock area. The approach to the dock and the upper story of the dock building was wonderfully festooned in flags and bunting. Escorted by the Army chiefs and by Captain McCauley of the GEORGE WASHINGTON, the President and Mrs. Wilson and myself passed through and went immediately on board the steamer.
The President went at once to his office, where he gave an interview to RJ Bender, of the United Press; JE Nevin, of the International News Service; and RC Probert, of the Associated Press,—the three correspondents whom he had invited to accompany him to Europe. The President’s voice was husky and it was suggested that he was suffering from a cold. He replied: “Yes, I have a cold in my throat. Grayson says he will get rid of it for me by the time we get over there. You know I will have to do some plain talking when we get on the other side. I will need my voice there. I was surprised at Colonel Roosevelt’s statement in this morning’s papers. He virtually says that England won the war and should have everything she wants. I don’t believe our boys who fought over there will be inclined to feel just that way about it. We won the war at Chateau Thierry. A single half-hour’s delay there in our coming up that day would have made a vast difference. We have the Allies’ admission of this fact. We have it in affidavits. We took no chances.”
“Militarism is equally as dangerous when applied to sea forces as to land forces. This move just suggested, to have the American and British navies act as the sea patrol of the world is only a new kind of militaristic propaganda. No one power, no two powers, should be supreme. The whole world must be in on all measures designed to end wars for all time.”
In reply to a question on the subject, the President expressed the belief that if it came to a point of England refusing to reduce naval armaments, “the United States should show her how to build a navy.” “We would be in a position to meet any program England or any other power might set forth” he pointed out “we have now greater navy yards, thousands more shipbuilders than we ever had before, and an abundance of raw materials such as would make it possible for us to have the greatest navy in the world.”
It was just 10:15 when the GEORGE WASHINGTON backed out of her pier. As her stern swung north, pandemonium broke loose. Every whistle vale in New York City and on every craft in the harbor was tied down and the din was terrific. Tug boats and launches of every description were about the big liner as she steamed majestically down the harbor, passed the Statue of Liberty and out through the Ambrose Channel. Above in the air circled army aeroplanes and naval sea-planes. South of the Statue of Liberty a number of destroyers were waiting, and after we got into the lower bay the Battleship PENNSYLVANIA, flying the four-starred flag of Admiral Mayo, was sighted. The PENNSYLVANIA took up a position one thousand yards ahead of the GEORGE WASHINGTON and acted as pilot ship across the Atlantic to Brest. As we passed down the lower bay a big naval dirigible swung out and sailed directly over the top of the GEORGE WASHINGTON. One or two of the more venturesome of the army aviators endeavored to see how close they could come to the President’s ship with the result that they caused a little nervousness to Mrs. Wilson and some of the others in the party. The weather was perfect, clear and cold, as we left New York Harbor. The sun shone brightly and altogether the elements were in our favor. In fact, no person could have wished for a more auspicious commencement of an eventful trip.
The train arrived at Hoboken at seven o’clock. It backed through the streets to the Army wharves, the tracks being lined with men and women enroute to work who had stopped to cheer the President and to wish him God-speed on his momentous voyage.
At the entrance to the large Army pier, formerly the home of the North German Lloyd Line, the President was greeted by a guard of honor of marines, blue-jackets and regular troops. Following the arrival of the train General McManus, Commandant of the Port, entered the President’s car and presenting his compliments notified him that the Army Transport GEORGE WASHINGTON was in readiness and that he (McManus) was prepared to escort the President and Mrs. Wilson on board at their convenience. The President told the General that he would have breakfast first in the car, and the train waited outside of the dock until shortly after 7:45, when the President and Mrs. Wilson left the car and passed between lines of soldiers with their rifles at the “present” into the dock area. The approach to the dock and the upper story of the dock building was wonderfully festooned in flags and bunting. Escorted by the Army chiefs and by Captain McCauley of the GEORGE WASHINGTON, the President and Mrs. Wilson and myself passed through and went immediately on board the steamer.
The President went at once to his office, where he gave an interview to RJ Bender, of the United Press; JE Nevin, of the International News Service; and RC Probert, of the Associated Press,—the three correspondents whom he had invited to accompany him to Europe. The President’s voice was husky and it was suggested that he was suffering from a cold. He replied: “Yes, I have a cold in my throat. Grayson says he will get rid of it for me by the time we get over there. You know I will have to do some plain talking when we get on the other side. I will need my voice there. I was surprised at Colonel Roosevelt’s statement in this morning’s papers. He virtually says that England won the war and should have everything she wants. I don’t believe our boys who fought over there will be inclined to feel just that way about it. We won the war at Chateau Thierry. A single half-hour’s delay there in our coming up that day would have made a vast difference. We have the Allies’ admission of this fact. We have it in affidavits. We took no chances.”
“Militarism is equally as dangerous when applied to sea forces as to land forces. This move just suggested, to have the American and British navies act as the sea patrol of the world is only a new kind of militaristic propaganda. No one power, no two powers, should be supreme. The whole world must be in on all measures designed to end wars for all time.”
In reply to a question on the subject, the President expressed the belief that if it came to a point of England refusing to reduce naval armaments, “the United States should show her how to build a navy.” “We would be in a position to meet any program England or any other power might set forth” he pointed out “we have now greater navy yards, thousands more shipbuilders than we ever had before, and an abundance of raw materials such as would make it possible for us to have the greatest navy in the world.”
It was just 10:15 when the GEORGE WASHINGTON backed out of her pier. As her stern swung north, pandemonium broke loose. Every whistle vale in New York City and on every craft in the harbor was tied down and the din was terrific. Tug boats and launches of every description were about the big liner as she steamed majestically down the harbor, passed the Statue of Liberty and out through the Ambrose Channel. Above in the air circled army aeroplanes and naval sea-planes. South of the Statue of Liberty a number of destroyers were waiting, and after we got into the lower bay the Battleship PENNSYLVANIA, flying the four-starred flag of Admiral Mayo, was sighted. The PENNSYLVANIA took up a position one thousand yards ahead of the GEORGE WASHINGTON and acted as pilot ship across the Atlantic to Brest. As we passed down the lower bay a big naval dirigible swung out and sailed directly over the top of the GEORGE WASHINGTON. One or two of the more venturesome of the army aviators endeavored to see how close they could come to the President’s ship with the result that they caused a little nervousness to Mrs. Wilson and some of the others in the party. The weather was perfect, clear and cold, as we left New York Harbor. The sun shone brightly and altogether the elements were in our favor. In fact, no person could have wished for a more auspicious commencement of an eventful trip.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1918 December 4, WWP16994, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.