Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17065
Date
1919 February 12
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
WEDNESDAY.
The Supreme War Council met and took up the matter of the renewal of the armistice terms. The French were particularly emphatic in their demands that the armistice terms, as originally planned, be changed and made much more drastic, along strongly French lines. The President refused to accept these suggestions and a very lively controversy resulted. Meanwhile, it had been called to the President’s attention, that a special campaign of propaganda against his ideas was being carried on in the French newspapers. In this connection, it developed that the French newspaper proprietors had been tipped off by the Government that it would be a good thing for them to play up to the skies all of the Republican opposition in the United States to the President’s plans, to indicate, as much as possible, that he had a very serious opposition at home to overcome. As a result of this propaganda, the suggestion was put forth from American sources, that it might be necessary to move the conference from Paris to Geneva or to some other neutral point. It only required the suggestion of this to compel a change in the French attitude. As a result, the President was able to put through a motion, whereby there was added to the Supreme War Council two civilian economic experts from each of the five big nations and three additional to represent the smaller forces.
The Supreme War Council met and took up the matter of the renewal of the armistice terms. The French were particularly emphatic in their demands that the armistice terms, as originally planned, be changed and made much more drastic, along strongly French lines. The President refused to accept these suggestions and a very lively controversy resulted. Meanwhile, it had been called to the President’s attention, that a special campaign of propaganda against his ideas was being carried on in the French newspapers. In this connection, it developed that the French newspaper proprietors had been tipped off by the Government that it would be a good thing for them to play up to the skies all of the Republican opposition in the United States to the President’s plans, to indicate, as much as possible, that he had a very serious opposition at home to overcome. As a result of this propaganda, the suggestion was put forth from American sources, that it might be necessary to move the conference from Paris to Geneva or to some other neutral point. It only required the suggestion of this to compel a change in the French attitude. As a result, the President was able to put through a motion, whereby there was added to the Supreme War Council two civilian economic experts from each of the five big nations and three additional to represent the smaller forces.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 February 12, WWP17065, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.