Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17006
Date
1918 December 16
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
MONDAY.
The President and Mrs. Wilson today had their first sight of Versailles. They motored out and rode around through the grounds, inspecting the golf links. The officer in command invited them to enter and be shown through the palace, but the President did not have the time and returned to Paris.
In the afternoon at 2:30 the President and Madame Poincare called for the President and Mrs. Wilson and escorted them to the Hotel de Ville. Here the formal ceremony of making the President a citizen of Paris took place. The reception was most elaborate. A double guard of French soldiers surrounded the entire building, and invitation to the ceremony was by card. All officers of the Army and Navy were in uniform, while the diplomats wore court dress. The spectacle was very impressive and picturesque. So great was the demand for tickets to this ceremony, which marked an epoch in the history of the municipality of Paris, that a number of smaller diplomatic representatives were unable to secure cards. The President was presented with a gold medal, while Mrs. Wilson was given a jeweled dress ornament. Responding to the address extending him the formal freedom of the city of Paris, the President made a speech which was the subject of very warm newspaper approval. The procession to and from the Hotel de Ville was in every respect a duplicate of that which marked the formal entry of the President into the city of Paris. The same formal equipment in the line of carriages and escort was utilized.
Following the return to the Hotel de Ville, the President returned the formal call of Premier Clemenceau. The President’s call on Clemenceau was made at the latter’s office in the War Office. Clemenceau met him at the door and held out both hands to greet him, saying: “I am so glad to see you Mr. President; it is so good of you to come to see me, and I want to say right here that I am going to swear eternal friendship to you.” The President and the Premier sat down in the office and discussed a few plans leading up to the formation of the Peace Conference, Clemenceau making reference to the fact that the people of France had their heart in the tribute which they had paid the President this afternoon and on the day of the President’s arrival. The President introduced me to Clemenceau. It was my first meeting with him.
The President returned to the Villa Murat in time to receive General Pershing, who had come to Paris to pay his respects. General Pershing told the President that the great desire of the AEF was to get home as rapidly as possible. The President explained to the Commanding General that this was the one thing which he had been and would insist on. Everything was to be done to send the men home with the same expedition that marked their being brought overseas. General Pershing invited the President to spend Christmas with the AEF and to be his guest at GHQ at Chaumont on Christmas Day. The President said that that was what he wanted to do, but he emphasized to General Pershing that he did not want to become a guest at a formal function confined to officers of the Army. Instead, the President explained, he wanted to have his dinner with the American soldiers in the field, to be served from the field kitchen in the manner that they were served and to eat from their regular mess kit. General Pershing promised that this would be done. However, as later events developed the General did nothing of the kind.
The President and Mrs. Wilson today had their first sight of Versailles. They motored out and rode around through the grounds, inspecting the golf links. The officer in command invited them to enter and be shown through the palace, but the President did not have the time and returned to Paris.
In the afternoon at 2:30 the President and Madame Poincare called for the President and Mrs. Wilson and escorted them to the Hotel de Ville. Here the formal ceremony of making the President a citizen of Paris took place. The reception was most elaborate. A double guard of French soldiers surrounded the entire building, and invitation to the ceremony was by card. All officers of the Army and Navy were in uniform, while the diplomats wore court dress. The spectacle was very impressive and picturesque. So great was the demand for tickets to this ceremony, which marked an epoch in the history of the municipality of Paris, that a number of smaller diplomatic representatives were unable to secure cards. The President was presented with a gold medal, while Mrs. Wilson was given a jeweled dress ornament. Responding to the address extending him the formal freedom of the city of Paris, the President made a speech which was the subject of very warm newspaper approval. The procession to and from the Hotel de Ville was in every respect a duplicate of that which marked the formal entry of the President into the city of Paris. The same formal equipment in the line of carriages and escort was utilized.
Following the return to the Hotel de Ville, the President returned the formal call of Premier Clemenceau. The President’s call on Clemenceau was made at the latter’s office in the War Office. Clemenceau met him at the door and held out both hands to greet him, saying: “I am so glad to see you Mr. President; it is so good of you to come to see me, and I want to say right here that I am going to swear eternal friendship to you.” The President and the Premier sat down in the office and discussed a few plans leading up to the formation of the Peace Conference, Clemenceau making reference to the fact that the people of France had their heart in the tribute which they had paid the President this afternoon and on the day of the President’s arrival. The President introduced me to Clemenceau. It was my first meeting with him.
The President returned to the Villa Murat in time to receive General Pershing, who had come to Paris to pay his respects. General Pershing told the President that the great desire of the AEF was to get home as rapidly as possible. The President explained to the Commanding General that this was the one thing which he had been and would insist on. Everything was to be done to send the men home with the same expedition that marked their being brought overseas. General Pershing invited the President to spend Christmas with the AEF and to be his guest at GHQ at Chaumont on Christmas Day. The President said that that was what he wanted to do, but he emphasized to General Pershing that he did not want to become a guest at a formal function confined to officers of the Army. Instead, the President explained, he wanted to have his dinner with the American soldiers in the field, to be served from the field kitchen in the manner that they were served and to eat from their regular mess kit. General Pershing promised that this would be done. However, as later events developed the General did nothing of the kind.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1918 December 16, WWP17006, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.