Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17003
Date
1918 December 13
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
FRIDAY.
It was three o’clock in the afternoon when the GEORGE WASHINGTON swung into her anchorage outside of the breakwater in the harbor of Brest. The lucky 13, which has figured so much in the President’s career, was still in evidence. For weeks it had been raining hard in Brest. The town was a veritable mud-hole. Yet today when the GEORGE WASHINGTON steamed into the harbor, the sun was shining brightly, and the sea was as tranquil as the proverbial mill-pond. A tender from ashore steamed alongside the GEORGE WASHINGTON as soon as she anchored, and M. Pichon, the French Minister, accompanied by an escort of French Admirals and Generals, General John J. Pershing, Admiral Sims, Admiral Benson, and numerous others came on board to greet the President. The greetings on the GEORGE WASHINGTON were entirely informal, as a program had been prepared which was to be carried out as soon as the President stepped on French soil. A converted channel steamer had been fixed up by the American port authorities as a tender and the President and party were escorted on board and the vessel steamed to the main dock, which had been wonderfully decorated in honor of the occasion, French and American colors blending and garlands of flowers being festooned about the pier and the structure thereon.
The President was greeted as he stepped from the tender by the Mayor of Brest, who delivered an address of welcome. The speech was a tribute to the President and expressed the great satisfaction of the people of France that he had seen fit to personally aid in restoring peace to the world. The President responded briefly, after which M. Pichon said to the President: “We are so thankful that you have come over to give us the right kind of a peace.” The President declined to be led into any trap, and in reply he simply said: “I think you mean that we all will cooperate to bring about a just peace,”—which seemed to please the French Minister.
Motor cars which had been sent down from Paris were in waiting to convey the President and the majority of the members of his party from the dock to the railroad station. Double lines of American soldiers in field uniforms were along the street, and behind them the people of Brest were gathered to cheer the President on his way. The crowd admittedly was the largest that had ever assmbled in the picturesque old Brittany city, and its enthusiasm was characteristic of the Gallic history. Men, women and children cheered the President, wished him God-speed, and threw bouquets of flowers in front of his automobile. Brest is the chief city of Brittany, and it was remarkable the number of its inhabitants who came to greet the President in their gorgeous native costumes. Many of these costumes actually were priceless; of hand-worked lace, some of them even centuries old. They are handed down from mother to daughter and are guarded with the greatest of care at all times. That they were donned in honor of the President was a remarkable tribute to the individual and the head of the world’s greatest Republic. The colors of some of the costumes were most bizarre, but all were picturesque, and the flowing headgear added a touch to the ruddy faces of the women folk that lent itself very much to the picture. Many of the older men were playing musical instruments, apparently a modification of the Scottish bag-pipe. If they were a modification in appearance, they were none the less shrill, and the music was hardly of a kind to soothe a musical ear. “Vive l’America” was the cry of all.
A special train had been prepared for the President’s use, and it was one of the best of its kind in France. Scenes along the road were duplications of what was experienced in Brest. Men, women and children had gathered to see the train go by, although they could only hope to catch the briefest of glimpses of the Presidential figure in the special car. As a matter of fact, the demonstrations continued all through the night. Even at three o’clock in the morning when I looked through the window of my drawing-room, I saw not only men and women but little children standing with uncovered head to cheer the passage of the special train.
It was three o’clock in the afternoon when the GEORGE WASHINGTON swung into her anchorage outside of the breakwater in the harbor of Brest. The lucky 13, which has figured so much in the President’s career, was still in evidence. For weeks it had been raining hard in Brest. The town was a veritable mud-hole. Yet today when the GEORGE WASHINGTON steamed into the harbor, the sun was shining brightly, and the sea was as tranquil as the proverbial mill-pond. A tender from ashore steamed alongside the GEORGE WASHINGTON as soon as she anchored, and M. Pichon, the French Minister, accompanied by an escort of French Admirals and Generals, General John J. Pershing, Admiral Sims, Admiral Benson, and numerous others came on board to greet the President. The greetings on the GEORGE WASHINGTON were entirely informal, as a program had been prepared which was to be carried out as soon as the President stepped on French soil. A converted channel steamer had been fixed up by the American port authorities as a tender and the President and party were escorted on board and the vessel steamed to the main dock, which had been wonderfully decorated in honor of the occasion, French and American colors blending and garlands of flowers being festooned about the pier and the structure thereon.
The President was greeted as he stepped from the tender by the Mayor of Brest, who delivered an address of welcome. The speech was a tribute to the President and expressed the great satisfaction of the people of France that he had seen fit to personally aid in restoring peace to the world. The President responded briefly, after which M. Pichon said to the President: “We are so thankful that you have come over to give us the right kind of a peace.” The President declined to be led into any trap, and in reply he simply said: “I think you mean that we all will cooperate to bring about a just peace,”—which seemed to please the French Minister.
Motor cars which had been sent down from Paris were in waiting to convey the President and the majority of the members of his party from the dock to the railroad station. Double lines of American soldiers in field uniforms were along the street, and behind them the people of Brest were gathered to cheer the President on his way. The crowd admittedly was the largest that had ever assmbled in the picturesque old Brittany city, and its enthusiasm was characteristic of the Gallic history. Men, women and children cheered the President, wished him God-speed, and threw bouquets of flowers in front of his automobile. Brest is the chief city of Brittany, and it was remarkable the number of its inhabitants who came to greet the President in their gorgeous native costumes. Many of these costumes actually were priceless; of hand-worked lace, some of them even centuries old. They are handed down from mother to daughter and are guarded with the greatest of care at all times. That they were donned in honor of the President was a remarkable tribute to the individual and the head of the world’s greatest Republic. The colors of some of the costumes were most bizarre, but all were picturesque, and the flowing headgear added a touch to the ruddy faces of the women folk that lent itself very much to the picture. Many of the older men were playing musical instruments, apparently a modification of the Scottish bag-pipe. If they were a modification in appearance, they were none the less shrill, and the music was hardly of a kind to soothe a musical ear. “Vive l’America” was the cry of all.
A special train had been prepared for the President’s use, and it was one of the best of its kind in France. Scenes along the road were duplications of what was experienced in Brest. Men, women and children had gathered to see the train go by, although they could only hope to catch the briefest of glimpses of the Presidential figure in the special car. As a matter of fact, the demonstrations continued all through the night. Even at three o’clock in the morning when I looked through the window of my drawing-room, I saw not only men and women but little children standing with uncovered head to cheer the passage of the special train.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1918 December 13, WWP17003, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.