Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17094
Date
1919 March 4
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
RETURN TRIP TO FRANCE., (continued)The President reached the Union Station at 1:56 o’clock. He was greeted on arrival by a large crowd outside of the station and another in the train-shed, who cheered him lustily as he passed through the gate and entered the special train in waiting. He left promptly at 2:00 o’clock. He was accompanied by Mrs. Wilson, Secretary Tumulty, former Attorney General Gregory (who relinquished office this day), Miss Edith Benham (Mrs. Wilson’s secretary), and myself. Others in the party were Raymond T. Baker, Director of the Mint, Dr. John W. Coughlin, National Committeeman of Connecticut, Samuel Fordyce of Missouri, M. Brice Clagett and Oscar Price, Assistant Directors of the Railroad Administration, John E. Nevin of the International News Service, Robert Bender of the United Press, and Mr. Curtis of the Associated Press.
While on the train the President discussed with Mrs. Wilson, Secretary Tumulty and myself some of the details of the recent actions in Congress. After talking over the situation at length he excused himself and went to his room to prepare his speech for the evening, which was delivered without any notes or memoranda. He spent an hour in thought—which covered the preparation for his speech at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Last evening () I examined the President before retiring, and notwithstanding the severe physical strain he has been through in the past week I found him somewhat fatigued, but his blood pressure, blood examination and urinalysis were unusually good for a man of his years. When I revealed to him the findings of my examination he remarked that it was very gratifying because he had never been driven so hard as he had in the past three months, and that he was encouraged because I was satisfied with his physical equilibrium in these unusual conditions. He made his usual remark after such examination: “I thank you very much, my dear fellow.”
The trip to New York was without incident until Wilmington, Delaware, was reached. Here there were gathered on the station platform a large number of men and women - munition workers - who waved a salutation as the train swept by.
Arriving at the Philadelphia Market Street Station the President and Mrs. Wilson were escorted to waiting automobiles and proceeded to Jefferson Hospital, where the President called on his daughter, Mrs. Francis Sayre, and where he had his first view of his new grandson, Woodrow Wilson Sayre, who was born on . He was greeted on his arrival at the Hospital by Dr. E. P. Davis, who was attending Mrs. Sayre. The corridors of the Hospital were crowded with nurses, attendants and patients who were able to be about - all anxious to get a glimpse of the President as he walked along to his daughter’s room. The meeting with his daughter was most affectionate and touching; she was so glad to see her father - the tears welled up in her eyes. The President patted her and said to her—“My dear little girl.” He inspected the new arrival with considerable curiosity and interest, and remarked “He is a bully little fellow.” The baby appeared plump and well-formed, and lay there with its eyes tightly closed and its mouth wide open, which amused the President very much. The nurse remarked: “I wish he would open his eyes so you could see how beautiful they are”, whereupon the President replied: “With his mouth open and his eyes shut, I predict that he will make a Senator when he grows up.” His sense of humor is ever-present.
The President returned to the train and exactly one hour from the time of arrival in Philadelphia the journey to New York was resumed. We had dinner on the train, the party consisting of the President, Mrs. Wilson, Secretary Tumulty, Miss Benham, former Attorney General Gregory and myself.
We reached New York at 8:15 o’clock. The President was greeted at the station by his classmate and close personal friend, Cleveland H. Dodge, as well as a reception committee, headed by Governor Al Smith of New York. Mr. Abram I. Elkus had charge of the arrangements of the meeting. The President made a quick run to the Metropolitan Opera House with Mrs. Wilson, Mr. Dodge and Mr. Elkus. The streets were crowded with people, all of whom cheered lustily as the auto carrying the President went by. He was forced to stand uncovered responding to the cheers almost the entire distance. In the reception room underneath the stage in the Opera House, the President met former President William H. Taft, who was to make a speech. The Opera House was jammed, the police saying that the crowd was the largest that had ever been allowed inside of it. The only space unfilled was in the corridors and even that would have been occupied if the fire authorities had granted permission. Outside of the Opera House there was a crowd of 15,000 people, held back in the side streets by the police.
The President was given a warm reception when he arose to speak. Despite the fact that he was very tired as the result of his strenuous labors since his return, he was in excellent voice and his speech made a very good impression everywhere. (SEE SPEECH).
Following the formal speech the President returned to the offices of the Opera House, where he held a conference with Governor Smith while the theatre was being emptied. Upstairs, in what is known as the club room, had gathered a committee of twenty-five, which had been appointed by the Irish Race Convention which met in Philadelphia on . This committee had been in Washington and endeavored to force itself upon the President, but he had been unable to find time in which to listen to it, and announced his willingness to meet them tonight. However, before he would consent to meeting this committee, the President insisted that Daniel F. Cohalan, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, be eliminated from the committee. In the presence of some Irish policemen who surrounded him, the President remarked: "I will not attend the meeting if Cohalan is there because he is a traitor." Cohalan is a brother-in-law of Jeremiah O’Leary, a noted pro-German agitator, who was indicted and placed on trial for treason as a result of his activities against the Government during the war. Cohalan had been especially obnoxious in attacking the President and had been a leader in the spreading of pro-German propaganda for many months. The conference itself was entirely in the nature of a general discussion, the committee endeavoring to have the President promise that he would take action along lines which would result in the formation of an Irish Republic when he arrived in Paris. The committee wanted the President to promise that he would take this matter up with the Peace Conference itself, and they also wanted him to arrange for a hearing by the Peace Conference of delegates representing the proposed Irish Republic. The President heard the committee courteously but made no promises. The President said it was a domestic affair for Great Britain and Ireland to settle themselves, and not a matter for outside interference.
Leaving the Opera House the President was escorted to the Lackawanna Ferry, at the foot of 23d Street, rushed across the North River, and speeded directly to the Hoboken Wharves, where the GEORGE WASHINGTON was in waiting. Vice-Admiral Gleaves and General McManus met the President at the foot of the decorated stair-way and escorted him to the ship.
The President was very tired, showing the result of the hard campaign, but was very cheerful as he came on board, greeting the officers of the GEORGE WASHINGTON with the pleasant statement that it was “almost like coming home.”
The President remained up until after midnight to sign the commissions of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer and Comptroller of the Currency John Skelton Williams, whose nominations had failed of confirmation in the closing hours of the Senate session.
It was considered somewhat of a coincidence that it was just thirteen weeks ago since the President came on board the GEORGE WASHINGTON for his initial departure Europeward.
While on the train the President discussed with Mrs. Wilson, Secretary Tumulty and myself some of the details of the recent actions in Congress. After talking over the situation at length he excused himself and went to his room to prepare his speech for the evening, which was delivered without any notes or memoranda. He spent an hour in thought—which covered the preparation for his speech at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Last evening () I examined the President before retiring, and notwithstanding the severe physical strain he has been through in the past week I found him somewhat fatigued, but his blood pressure, blood examination and urinalysis were unusually good for a man of his years. When I revealed to him the findings of my examination he remarked that it was very gratifying because he had never been driven so hard as he had in the past three months, and that he was encouraged because I was satisfied with his physical equilibrium in these unusual conditions. He made his usual remark after such examination: “I thank you very much, my dear fellow.”
The trip to New York was without incident until Wilmington, Delaware, was reached. Here there were gathered on the station platform a large number of men and women - munition workers - who waved a salutation as the train swept by.
Arriving at the Philadelphia Market Street Station the President and Mrs. Wilson were escorted to waiting automobiles and proceeded to Jefferson Hospital, where the President called on his daughter, Mrs. Francis Sayre, and where he had his first view of his new grandson, Woodrow Wilson Sayre, who was born on . He was greeted on his arrival at the Hospital by Dr. E. P. Davis, who was attending Mrs. Sayre. The corridors of the Hospital were crowded with nurses, attendants and patients who were able to be about - all anxious to get a glimpse of the President as he walked along to his daughter’s room. The meeting with his daughter was most affectionate and touching; she was so glad to see her father - the tears welled up in her eyes. The President patted her and said to her—“My dear little girl.” He inspected the new arrival with considerable curiosity and interest, and remarked “He is a bully little fellow.” The baby appeared plump and well-formed, and lay there with its eyes tightly closed and its mouth wide open, which amused the President very much. The nurse remarked: “I wish he would open his eyes so you could see how beautiful they are”, whereupon the President replied: “With his mouth open and his eyes shut, I predict that he will make a Senator when he grows up.” His sense of humor is ever-present.
The President returned to the train and exactly one hour from the time of arrival in Philadelphia the journey to New York was resumed. We had dinner on the train, the party consisting of the President, Mrs. Wilson, Secretary Tumulty, Miss Benham, former Attorney General Gregory and myself.
We reached New York at 8:15 o’clock. The President was greeted at the station by his classmate and close personal friend, Cleveland H. Dodge, as well as a reception committee, headed by Governor Al Smith of New York. Mr. Abram I. Elkus had charge of the arrangements of the meeting. The President made a quick run to the Metropolitan Opera House with Mrs. Wilson, Mr. Dodge and Mr. Elkus. The streets were crowded with people, all of whom cheered lustily as the auto carrying the President went by. He was forced to stand uncovered responding to the cheers almost the entire distance. In the reception room underneath the stage in the Opera House, the President met former President William H. Taft, who was to make a speech. The Opera House was jammed, the police saying that the crowd was the largest that had ever been allowed inside of it. The only space unfilled was in the corridors and even that would have been occupied if the fire authorities had granted permission. Outside of the Opera House there was a crowd of 15,000 people, held back in the side streets by the police.
The President was given a warm reception when he arose to speak. Despite the fact that he was very tired as the result of his strenuous labors since his return, he was in excellent voice and his speech made a very good impression everywhere. (SEE SPEECH).
Following the formal speech the President returned to the offices of the Opera House, where he held a conference with Governor Smith while the theatre was being emptied. Upstairs, in what is known as the club room, had gathered a committee of twenty-five, which had been appointed by the Irish Race Convention which met in Philadelphia on . This committee had been in Washington and endeavored to force itself upon the President, but he had been unable to find time in which to listen to it, and announced his willingness to meet them tonight. However, before he would consent to meeting this committee, the President insisted that Daniel F. Cohalan, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, be eliminated from the committee. In the presence of some Irish policemen who surrounded him, the President remarked: "I will not attend the meeting if Cohalan is there because he is a traitor." Cohalan is a brother-in-law of Jeremiah O’Leary, a noted pro-German agitator, who was indicted and placed on trial for treason as a result of his activities against the Government during the war. Cohalan had been especially obnoxious in attacking the President and had been a leader in the spreading of pro-German propaganda for many months. The conference itself was entirely in the nature of a general discussion, the committee endeavoring to have the President promise that he would take action along lines which would result in the formation of an Irish Republic when he arrived in Paris. The committee wanted the President to promise that he would take this matter up with the Peace Conference itself, and they also wanted him to arrange for a hearing by the Peace Conference of delegates representing the proposed Irish Republic. The President heard the committee courteously but made no promises. The President said it was a domestic affair for Great Britain and Ireland to settle themselves, and not a matter for outside interference.
Leaving the Opera House the President was escorted to the Lackawanna Ferry, at the foot of 23d Street, rushed across the North River, and speeded directly to the Hoboken Wharves, where the GEORGE WASHINGTON was in waiting. Vice-Admiral Gleaves and General McManus met the President at the foot of the decorated stair-way and escorted him to the ship.
The President was very tired, showing the result of the hard campaign, but was very cheerful as he came on board, greeting the officers of the GEORGE WASHINGTON with the pleasant statement that it was “almost like coming home.”
The President remained up until after midnight to sign the commissions of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer and Comptroller of the Currency John Skelton Williams, whose nominations had failed of confirmation in the closing hours of the Senate session.
It was considered somewhat of a coincidence that it was just thirteen weeks ago since the President came on board the GEORGE WASHINGTON for his initial departure Europeward.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 March 4, WWP17094, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.