Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17001
Date
1918 December 11
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
WEDNESDAY.
The President again talked with the newspaper men on deck. He was asked his personal views on the guilt of the Kaiser. He had just stated that in New Jersey the corporation laws made it very definite that guilt was personal. Wasn’t it a fair analogy that the same ratio of personal guilt would prevail in the case of the Kaiser the President was asked by Nevin. “Exactly,” he replied, “but this also would prevail. You can’t always find out actually who is the guilty party. I am not wholly convinced that the Kaiser himself was entirely responsible for the war and the results of it. There were a good many evidences from time to time that he was coerced, and there also exist plenty of evidence that the war in reality was the product of the system of the great German General Staff that surrounded and dominated the Kaiser. Within the year before the war started Germany, after a really great attempt to conquer the world commercially, was on the verge of realizing her object. Although, about to do so, the German military party thought they saw a short cut by employing military power instead of the peaceful means theretofore used. They thus showed that they were very stupid. They figured that they could dispose of their opponents one by one, and they plainly did not dream that England would come into the war. They should have known, if they had any sense at all, that England was the very nation that must come in.”
Speaking about government and about our own system of government in particular, the President classed it as really a government of committees rather than a government of party leadership. He said he believed sooner or later we would come to a cabinet form of government. Great Britain now has such a government. He believed it would be a process of evolution. The President pointed out that in this cabinet form of government a man rises to his position of leadership upon his proven ability, by what he does. In the English parliament he proves his ability to put through measures for the government, and his ability in debate, and he goes through this period of probation, as it were, at the end of which he has proved his worth and established his own level among other men. He naturally winds up as a party leader and takes charge of party measures. The President said that that form of government has a greater responsibility to the people than our own government. He added however that he thought our present form of government was the best in time of war. This was indicated by the fluidity of the situations developing and overturning the cabinets on the other side; whereas, ours was compact all the time.
Talking about whether it was fair to assume that the average Congressman was fairly representative of his constituency, the President thought on the whole he was, but there were some very startling examples. He did not believe that Senator Sherman of Illinois was fairly representative of the sentiments of the people of Illinois; nor was Medill McCormick.
The President again talked with the newspaper men on deck. He was asked his personal views on the guilt of the Kaiser. He had just stated that in New Jersey the corporation laws made it very definite that guilt was personal. Wasn’t it a fair analogy that the same ratio of personal guilt would prevail in the case of the Kaiser the President was asked by Nevin. “Exactly,” he replied, “but this also would prevail. You can’t always find out actually who is the guilty party. I am not wholly convinced that the Kaiser himself was entirely responsible for the war and the results of it. There were a good many evidences from time to time that he was coerced, and there also exist plenty of evidence that the war in reality was the product of the system of the great German General Staff that surrounded and dominated the Kaiser. Within the year before the war started Germany, after a really great attempt to conquer the world commercially, was on the verge of realizing her object. Although, about to do so, the German military party thought they saw a short cut by employing military power instead of the peaceful means theretofore used. They thus showed that they were very stupid. They figured that they could dispose of their opponents one by one, and they plainly did not dream that England would come into the war. They should have known, if they had any sense at all, that England was the very nation that must come in.”
Speaking about government and about our own system of government in particular, the President classed it as really a government of committees rather than a government of party leadership. He said he believed sooner or later we would come to a cabinet form of government. Great Britain now has such a government. He believed it would be a process of evolution. The President pointed out that in this cabinet form of government a man rises to his position of leadership upon his proven ability, by what he does. In the English parliament he proves his ability to put through measures for the government, and his ability in debate, and he goes through this period of probation, as it were, at the end of which he has proved his worth and established his own level among other men. He naturally winds up as a party leader and takes charge of party measures. The President said that that form of government has a greater responsibility to the people than our own government. He added however that he thought our present form of government was the best in time of war. This was indicated by the fluidity of the situations developing and overturning the cabinets on the other side; whereas, ours was compact all the time.
Talking about whether it was fair to assume that the average Congressman was fairly representative of his constituency, the President thought on the whole he was, but there were some very startling examples. He did not believe that Senator Sherman of Illinois was fairly representative of the sentiments of the people of Illinois; nor was Medill McCormick.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1918 December 11, WWP17001, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.