Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17075
Date
1919 February 22
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
SATURDAY.
At noon a salute of twenty-one guns fired in honor of Washington’s birthday and the President wrote a letter to “The Hatchet”, the ship’s paper commemorating the first anniversary of the publication and paying tribute to the soldiers. This will be run over the editorial column of every issue hereafter. The President had at luncheon, Ambassador Francis, Assistant Secretary and Mrs. FT Roosevelt, Captain Macauley, Miss Benham and me. As usual the President entertained the company with many interesting stories and anecdotes of the conference. Ambassador Francis said that he believed the people of the United States would support the League of Nations and the President said it would be a great pity if the people of the United States did not do so. “The failure of the United States to back it,” he said, “would break the heart of the world, for the world considers the United States as the only nation represented in this great conference whose motives are entirely unselfish.”
When told that Senator Borah was going on a forty-day tour of the country, to oppose the League, the President said that Borah was an able man, but he has not had international experience and did not have an international viewpoint—in fact, he was too provincial to analyze the influence and get the effect he desires.
The President said that last summer, representatives of the League to Enforce Peace, an organization headed by Ex-President Taft, called upon him at the White House, to urge him to support the programme of the League. As a strange coincidence, while this delegation, was talking with him in the Blue Room, there was a loud crash in the hall and an investigation revealed that the huge picture hung there of Ex-President Taft had fallen from its hanging. Fortunately, the magnificent painting, by Zahn, was uninjured.
At noon a salute of twenty-one guns fired in honor of Washington’s birthday and the President wrote a letter to “The Hatchet”, the ship’s paper commemorating the first anniversary of the publication and paying tribute to the soldiers. This will be run over the editorial column of every issue hereafter. The President had at luncheon, Ambassador Francis, Assistant Secretary and Mrs. FT Roosevelt, Captain Macauley, Miss Benham and me. As usual the President entertained the company with many interesting stories and anecdotes of the conference. Ambassador Francis said that he believed the people of the United States would support the League of Nations and the President said it would be a great pity if the people of the United States did not do so. “The failure of the United States to back it,” he said, “would break the heart of the world, for the world considers the United States as the only nation represented in this great conference whose motives are entirely unselfish.”
When told that Senator Borah was going on a forty-day tour of the country, to oppose the League, the President said that Borah was an able man, but he has not had international experience and did not have an international viewpoint—in fact, he was too provincial to analyze the influence and get the effect he desires.
The President said that last summer, representatives of the League to Enforce Peace, an organization headed by Ex-President Taft, called upon him at the White House, to urge him to support the programme of the League. As a strange coincidence, while this delegation, was talking with him in the Blue Room, there was a loud crash in the hall and an investigation revealed that the huge picture hung there of Ex-President Taft had fallen from its hanging. Fortunately, the magnificent painting, by Zahn, was uninjured.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 February 22, WWP17075, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.