Cables to Wilson Report Sentiment
Title
Cables to Wilson Report Sentiment
Creator
Unknown
Identifier
WWP16393
Date
1921 November 2
Description
An excerpt from Joseph P. Tumulty's memoir "Woodrow Wilson As I Know Him," reprinted in the Boston Post.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Mr. Tumulty, in his story of “Woodrow Wilson As I Know Him,” has taken the Post’s readers to the point where the President was at Paris attending the Peace Conference. Today’s installment of these reminiscences starts with an exchange of cablegrams between Mr. Tumulty at Washington and the President at Paris.
For Nearly Eleven Years Secretary to Woodrow Wilson as Governor and President
Mr. Tumulty at this point includes in his book a number of cablegrams from himself at the White House to President Wilson in Paris at the peace conference. They report the sentiment in this country at the time as Secretary Tumulty saw it. One such cablegram from the White House here follows, with messages following from the President:)
CABLEGRAM.The White House,
Washington, 16 January, 1919
.Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson,
Care of President Wilson, Paris:
American newspapers filled with stories this morning of critical character about rule of secrecy adopted for Peace Conference, claiming that the first of the Fourteen Points has been violated. In my opinion, if President has consented to this, it will be fatal. The matter is so important to the people of the world that he could have afforded to go any length even to leaving the conference than to submit to this ruling. His attitude in this matter will lose a great deal of the confidence and support of the people of the world which he has had up to this time.
TUMULTY.____CABLEGRAM—PARIS.
Received at White House,
Washington, January 16, 1919.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
Your cable about misunderstandings concerning my attitude toward problems created by the newspaper cablegrams concerns a matter which I admit I do not know how to handle. Every one of the things you mention is a fable. I have not only yielded nothing, but have been asked to yield nothing. These maneuvres which the cablegram speaks of are purely imaginary. I cannot check them from this end because the men who sent them insist on having something to talk about, whether they know what the facts are or not. I will do my best with the three press associations.
WOODROW WILSON.____CABLEGRAM—PARIS.
Received at White House,
Washington, January 17, 1919.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
Distressed to hear of your illness. Beg that you will make it your chief duty to take care of yourself and get well. All unite in most affectionate messages. Everything going well here. Very few of the troubles spoken of by the newspapers are visible to me on the spot.
WOODROW WILSON.____CABLEGRAM—PARIS.
Received at White House,
Washington, January 21, 1919.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
The issue of publicity is being obscured by the newspaper men and we have won for the press all that is possible or wise to win, namely, complete publicity for real conferences. Publicity for the conversations I am holding with the small group of the great powers will invariably break up the whole thing, whereas the prospects for agreement are now, I should say, very good indeed. Delighted that you are up and beg that you will not expose yourself or exert yourself too soon. Affectionate messages from us all.
WOODROW WILSON.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
The Plenary Council has positively decided that the League of Nations is to be part of the Peace Treaty. There is absolutely no truth in report to the contrary.
WOODROW WILSON.
____(CABLE FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AT PARIS.)
Paris, March 27, 1919.
President Wilson today issued the following statement:
“In view of the very surprising impression which seems to exist in some quarters, that it is the discussions of the commission on the League of Nations that are delaying the final formulation of peace, I am very glad to take the opportunity of reporting that the conclusions of this commission were the first to be laid before the plenary conference.
“They were reported on Feb. 14, and the world has had a full month in which to discuss every feature of the draft covenant then submitted.
“During the last few days the commission has been engaged in an effort to take advantage of the criticisms which the publication of the covenant has fortunately drawn out. A committee of the commission has also had the advantage of a conference with representatives of the neutral States, who are evidencing a very deep interest and a practically unanimous desire to align themselves with the League.
“The revised convenant is now practically finished. It is in the hands of a committee for the final process of drafting, and will almost immediately be presented a second time to the public.
“The conferences of the commission have invariably been held at times when they could not interfere with the consultation of those who have undertaken to formulate the general conclusions of the conference with regard to the many other complicated problems of peace, so that the members of the commissions congratulate themselves on the fact that no part of their conferences has ever interposed any form of delay.”
For Nearly Eleven Years Secretary to Woodrow Wilson as Governor and President
Mr. Tumulty at this point includes in his book a number of cablegrams from himself at the White House to President Wilson in Paris at the peace conference. They report the sentiment in this country at the time as Secretary Tumulty saw it. One such cablegram from the White House here follows, with messages following from the President:)
CABLEGRAM.The White House,
Washington, 16 January, 1919
.Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson,
Care of President Wilson, Paris:
American newspapers filled with stories this morning of critical character about rule of secrecy adopted for Peace Conference, claiming that the first of the Fourteen Points has been violated. In my opinion, if President has consented to this, it will be fatal. The matter is so important to the people of the world that he could have afforded to go any length even to leaving the conference than to submit to this ruling. His attitude in this matter will lose a great deal of the confidence and support of the people of the world which he has had up to this time.
TUMULTY.____CABLEGRAM—PARIS.
Received at White House,
Washington, January 16, 1919.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
Your cable about misunderstandings concerning my attitude toward problems created by the newspaper cablegrams concerns a matter which I admit I do not know how to handle. Every one of the things you mention is a fable. I have not only yielded nothing, but have been asked to yield nothing. These maneuvres which the cablegram speaks of are purely imaginary. I cannot check them from this end because the men who sent them insist on having something to talk about, whether they know what the facts are or not. I will do my best with the three press associations.
WOODROW WILSON.____CABLEGRAM—PARIS.
Received at White House,
Washington, January 17, 1919.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
Distressed to hear of your illness. Beg that you will make it your chief duty to take care of yourself and get well. All unite in most affectionate messages. Everything going well here. Very few of the troubles spoken of by the newspapers are visible to me on the spot.
WOODROW WILSON.____CABLEGRAM—PARIS.
Received at White House,
Washington, January 21, 1919.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
The issue of publicity is being obscured by the newspaper men and we have won for the press all that is possible or wise to win, namely, complete publicity for real conferences. Publicity for the conversations I am holding with the small group of the great powers will invariably break up the whole thing, whereas the prospects for agreement are now, I should say, very good indeed. Delighted that you are up and beg that you will not expose yourself or exert yourself too soon. Affectionate messages from us all.
WOODROW WILSON.
Tumulty, White House, Washington:
The Plenary Council has positively decided that the League of Nations is to be part of the Peace Treaty. There is absolutely no truth in report to the contrary.
WOODROW WILSON.
____(CABLE FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AT PARIS.)
Paris, March 27, 1919.
President Wilson today issued the following statement:
“In view of the very surprising impression which seems to exist in some quarters, that it is the discussions of the commission on the League of Nations that are delaying the final formulation of peace, I am very glad to take the opportunity of reporting that the conclusions of this commission were the first to be laid before the plenary conference.
“They were reported on Feb. 14, and the world has had a full month in which to discuss every feature of the draft covenant then submitted.
“During the last few days the commission has been engaged in an effort to take advantage of the criticisms which the publication of the covenant has fortunately drawn out. A committee of the commission has also had the advantage of a conference with representatives of the neutral States, who are evidencing a very deep interest and a practically unanimous desire to align themselves with the League.
“The revised convenant is now practically finished. It is in the hands of a committee for the final process of drafting, and will almost immediately be presented a second time to the public.
“The conferences of the commission have invariably been held at times when they could not interfere with the consultation of those who have undertaken to formulate the general conclusions of the conference with regard to the many other complicated problems of peace, so that the members of the commissions congratulate themselves on the fact that no part of their conferences has ever interposed any form of delay.”
Original Format
Letter
Article
Files
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “Cables to Wilson Report Sentiment,” 1921 November 2, WWP16393, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.