Robert W. Woolley to Woodrow Wilson
Title
Robert W. Woolley to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Woolley, Robert Wickliffe, 1871-1958
Identifier
WWP25287
Date
1918 October 22
Description
Democratic party figure warns President Wilson that everyone thinks the Germans are trying to trick him.
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence
Peace negotiations
Rights
Morgan Willer
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
Dear Mr. President:
It was my good fortune to converse with friends and foes of your administration - many of them - Monday evening and yesterday, and it has occurred to me that you would not take it amiss if I should venture to do myself the honor to say to you that, without exception, I talked to no man or woman who did not condemn the latest note of the German government as a trick subtly phrased. In most instances supreme confidence was expressed that your action following its receipt would be as swift and as adequate as were your replies to other recent notes from the German government.
With those who spoke in friendly vein, of course, I heartily agreed, but I was greatly angered by the sneeringly doubtful attitude of men who would gladly see you and all you stand for, all you have achieved for humanity, butchered to make a Republican victory; angered because more than one asserted that in saying he trusted you would not approve peace terms calculated to be humiliating to Germany, the Imperial chancellor had found a way, through your great heart, cunningly to trap the United States and her allies into peace based not upon unconditional surrender. Of course, they gave your generous spirit another name - pacifism. I presume such criminal and militant skepticism has to be, especially in republics.
As you know, I am an old hand at sounding public thought. Never have I detected greater and more vigorous unanimity of opinion on any one subject, nor have I ever seen a situation where it was generally agreed that so much was staked on the prospective utterance of one man. Some of your warm admirers expressed the gravest fears as to what the consequences of acceptance of this latest German proposal might be to your administration and to the cause of righteousness, but they did not doubt you.
I sincerely hope you will appreciate the spirit which prompted me to write you so frankly at this critical moment, and know that in doing so I discharge a duty which I feel I owe to you.
With great respect, I am,
Faithfully yours,
Robert W. Woolley
The President,
The White House.
It was my good fortune to converse with friends and foes of your administration - many of them - Monday evening and yesterday, and it has occurred to me that you would not take it amiss if I should venture to do myself the honor to say to you that, without exception, I talked to no man or woman who did not condemn the latest note of the German government as a trick subtly phrased. In most instances supreme confidence was expressed that your action following its receipt would be as swift and as adequate as were your replies to other recent notes from the German government.
With those who spoke in friendly vein, of course, I heartily agreed, but I was greatly angered by the sneeringly doubtful attitude of men who would gladly see you and all you stand for, all you have achieved for humanity, butchered to make a Republican victory; angered because more than one asserted that in saying he trusted you would not approve peace terms calculated to be humiliating to Germany, the Imperial chancellor had found a way, through your great heart, cunningly to trap the United States and her allies into peace based not upon unconditional surrender. Of course, they gave your generous spirit another name - pacifism. I presume such criminal and militant skepticism has to be, especially in republics.
As you know, I am an old hand at sounding public thought. Never have I detected greater and more vigorous unanimity of opinion on any one subject, nor have I ever seen a situation where it was generally agreed that so much was staked on the prospective utterance of one man. Some of your warm admirers expressed the gravest fears as to what the consequences of acceptance of this latest German proposal might be to your administration and to the cause of righteousness, but they did not doubt you.
I sincerely hope you will appreciate the spirit which prompted me to write you so frankly at this critical moment, and know that in doing so I discharge a duty which I feel I owe to you.
With great respect, I am,
Faithfully yours,
Robert W. Woolley
The President,
The White House.
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Collection
Citation
Woolley, Robert Wickliffe, 1871-1958, “Robert W. Woolley to Woodrow Wilson,” 1918 October 22, WWP25287, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.