Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17156
Date
1919 May 5
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
The President arose early and had breakfast at 8:15. After breakfast he went to his study, and at 11:00 o’clock he attended a meeting of the Big Three here at the temporary White House. They discussed the question of the Italians returning to the Peace Conference. The Italians had made a request that they would return if invited. Lloyd-George and Clemenceau again were disposed to put the whole thing before the President. They suggested that the President invite the Italians to return to Paris. The President held to his former views. The mornings’s meeting was another instance of Clemenceau killing time, and Lloyd-George doing one of his mental somersaults.
The President again brought up the question of allowing the newspapermen to be present at the presentation of the terms to the German delegates at Versailles. Clemenceau and Lloyd-George both reiterated their statements of several days ago that it would be undignified to have the newspapermen present, and, furthermore, that there was no room for them. The President sharply disagreed with them on both points and made the proposition that they go there and see for themselves just what accommodations were available for a final conference. He proposed that they go individually and meet there at 2:30 -- to give no previous notice of their going, so that they could be there alone, without any onlookers, and then on the spot determine the question under consideration.
The President had lunch at one o’clock. Immediately after lunch the President read a note to me saying that Orlando and Sonnino would return to Paris morning in the hope of joining the Peace Conference at Versailles. He told me to notify Ray Stanndard Baker to tell the newspapermen that they (the Italians) were coming on their own initiative and not by invitation from any one.
The President left the house for Versailles at about two o’clock, unattended and unaccompanied by any one. Mrs. Wilson and I asked whether we could go along, and he said: “No; according to the bargain made with Lloyd-George and Clemenceau each was to go alone, unattended and unannounced.” In a joking spirit, he added: “I regret to tell you that you both are not invited.”
It developed, and the President told me afterward, that the three had agreed to permit newspapermen to the number of forty-five to be present at the meeting -- to be divided equally among the Five Great Powers, and representatives of certain of the smaller powers. It was evident that there was ample room for the accommodation of 45 men, and the subject of lack of dignity by having newspapermen present was not further discussed. The President alone won this victory for the newspapermen and for the publicity of the proceedings. He claimed that the world was entitled to have a first-hand description of the scene and of the proceedings of the settlement of peace for practically the entire world.
Immediately after lunch the President called up Secretary Lansing and requested that the members of the American Peace Commission assemble in his (Lansing’s) suite at the Crillon Hotel at 3:30 for a conference. The President met with the Commission at that hour and they discussed the questions of the procedure for session.
Upon the President’s return he immediately went to the residences of Lloyd-George and Clemenceau for individual conferences. When he returned at about 6:30 he saw Ray Stannard Baker and gave him an outline for the newspapers of matters that had been discussed during the day.
He then had dinner, Mr. Charles H. Grasty, Chief Editorial Writer of the New York Times, being a guest. Mr. Grasty is under my treatment and is now recovering from a severe illness of ptomaine poisoning. At the invitation of the President and Mrs. Wilson he came here to occupy a spare-room, where he thought he could be near me and receive more home-like attention. Mr. Grasty had been living in an apartment alone.
After dinner Mr. Grasty, Mrs. Wilson and I accompanied the President down to his sitting-room, where we spent a half hour in conversation. Grasty recalled that he wrote an editorial for the President proposing Mr. Wilson for President of the United States. The editorial was written for the Baltimore Sun either in or , he could not recall the date. Grasty said: “I am trying to distinguish myself by being the first man to mention you in an editorial for President of the United States.” During the conversation a note was received from one of the experts of the American Commission calling attention to the fact that Premier Clemenceau had made a radical change in the League of Nations covenant before it was adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session. These changes were made by Clemenceau without consulting any of one, so far as the President could ascertain this evening. The President at once got in communication with Premier Clemenceau and demanded that this be immediately deleted. The reason for this demand was because the document is being put in printed form tonight, and it was necessary for the President to take decisive action. Clemenceau at first demurred and said he would bring up the question at the Plenary Session and have it adopted, but the President would not stand for this. The President thereupon issued direction to the expert to remove the clause that had been inserted without proper permission. The President was very much disturbed over this, not only on account of the important point in question, but it opened his eyes as to the possibility of a change or changes being made in the treaty which is about to be presented to the German delegates. It is practically impossible for him to read it all over, as the document covers 85,000 words; it is a good-sized book. He feels that to a certain extent he must depende on his experts. It was necessary, as may well be understood, to leave the phrasing of the peace document to the experts.
The President told me that Clemenceau said to him today that he (Clemenceau) regretted very much the attitude that the French papers had taken on the Italian question advocating Italy’s claims to Fiume. “The French papers have been bought by Italian money to further Italy’s cause.” The President said to me: “Italy’s money borrowed from the United States.”
This morning after breakfast I had a conversation with the President and I told him that I would remain out until after midnight for the purpose of getting some views from the various newspaper people as to their attitude concerning the Japanese-Chinese situation. I had a long conversation with Senator Peter Gerry of Rhode Island, who had just arrived from the United States and who brought the latest information concerning public affairs at home. I repeated all this to the President. He was much interested in the news from Senator Gerry.
At 11:45 tonight Sir Maurice Hanky came here and asked to see the President. He brought several pages of the treaty showing still another change that had been made by Clemenceau without permission of the Peace Delegates - a change which he (Clemenceau) had made personally. Sir Maurice wanted to call The President’s attention to this. I went down and woke up the President, Sir Maurice accompanying me into his bed-room. The President noted the change and immediately got Mr. Clemenceau on the telephone. He insisted on the deletion of the words inserted by Clemenceau, and Clemenceau, of course, had to acquiesce. He made a feeble explanation. The President directed that the words be deleted and Lloyd-George concurred in the President’s action.
The President again brought up the question of allowing the newspapermen to be present at the presentation of the terms to the German delegates at Versailles. Clemenceau and Lloyd-George both reiterated their statements of several days ago that it would be undignified to have the newspapermen present, and, furthermore, that there was no room for them. The President sharply disagreed with them on both points and made the proposition that they go there and see for themselves just what accommodations were available for a final conference. He proposed that they go individually and meet there at 2:30 -- to give no previous notice of their going, so that they could be there alone, without any onlookers, and then on the spot determine the question under consideration.
The President had lunch at one o’clock. Immediately after lunch the President read a note to me saying that Orlando and Sonnino would return to Paris morning in the hope of joining the Peace Conference at Versailles. He told me to notify Ray Stanndard Baker to tell the newspapermen that they (the Italians) were coming on their own initiative and not by invitation from any one.
The President left the house for Versailles at about two o’clock, unattended and unaccompanied by any one. Mrs. Wilson and I asked whether we could go along, and he said: “No; according to the bargain made with Lloyd-George and Clemenceau each was to go alone, unattended and unannounced.” In a joking spirit, he added: “I regret to tell you that you both are not invited.”
It developed, and the President told me afterward, that the three had agreed to permit newspapermen to the number of forty-five to be present at the meeting -- to be divided equally among the Five Great Powers, and representatives of certain of the smaller powers. It was evident that there was ample room for the accommodation of 45 men, and the subject of lack of dignity by having newspapermen present was not further discussed. The President alone won this victory for the newspapermen and for the publicity of the proceedings. He claimed that the world was entitled to have a first-hand description of the scene and of the proceedings of the settlement of peace for practically the entire world.
Immediately after lunch the President called up Secretary Lansing and requested that the members of the American Peace Commission assemble in his (Lansing’s) suite at the Crillon Hotel at 3:30 for a conference. The President met with the Commission at that hour and they discussed the questions of the procedure for session.
Upon the President’s return he immediately went to the residences of Lloyd-George and Clemenceau for individual conferences. When he returned at about 6:30 he saw Ray Stannard Baker and gave him an outline for the newspapers of matters that had been discussed during the day.
He then had dinner, Mr. Charles H. Grasty, Chief Editorial Writer of the New York Times, being a guest. Mr. Grasty is under my treatment and is now recovering from a severe illness of ptomaine poisoning. At the invitation of the President and Mrs. Wilson he came here to occupy a spare-room, where he thought he could be near me and receive more home-like attention. Mr. Grasty had been living in an apartment alone.
After dinner Mr. Grasty, Mrs. Wilson and I accompanied the President down to his sitting-room, where we spent a half hour in conversation. Grasty recalled that he wrote an editorial for the President proposing Mr. Wilson for President of the United States. The editorial was written for the Baltimore Sun either in or , he could not recall the date. Grasty said: “I am trying to distinguish myself by being the first man to mention you in an editorial for President of the United States.” During the conversation a note was received from one of the experts of the American Commission calling attention to the fact that Premier Clemenceau had made a radical change in the League of Nations covenant before it was adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session. These changes were made by Clemenceau without consulting any of one, so far as the President could ascertain this evening. The President at once got in communication with Premier Clemenceau and demanded that this be immediately deleted. The reason for this demand was because the document is being put in printed form tonight, and it was necessary for the President to take decisive action. Clemenceau at first demurred and said he would bring up the question at the Plenary Session and have it adopted, but the President would not stand for this. The President thereupon issued direction to the expert to remove the clause that had been inserted without proper permission. The President was very much disturbed over this, not only on account of the important point in question, but it opened his eyes as to the possibility of a change or changes being made in the treaty which is about to be presented to the German delegates. It is practically impossible for him to read it all over, as the document covers 85,000 words; it is a good-sized book. He feels that to a certain extent he must depende on his experts. It was necessary, as may well be understood, to leave the phrasing of the peace document to the experts.
The President told me that Clemenceau said to him today that he (Clemenceau) regretted very much the attitude that the French papers had taken on the Italian question advocating Italy’s claims to Fiume. “The French papers have been bought by Italian money to further Italy’s cause.” The President said to me: “Italy’s money borrowed from the United States.”
This morning after breakfast I had a conversation with the President and I told him that I would remain out until after midnight for the purpose of getting some views from the various newspaper people as to their attitude concerning the Japanese-Chinese situation. I had a long conversation with Senator Peter Gerry of Rhode Island, who had just arrived from the United States and who brought the latest information concerning public affairs at home. I repeated all this to the President. He was much interested in the news from Senator Gerry.
At 11:45 tonight Sir Maurice Hanky came here and asked to see the President. He brought several pages of the treaty showing still another change that had been made by Clemenceau without permission of the Peace Delegates - a change which he (Clemenceau) had made personally. Sir Maurice wanted to call The President’s attention to this. I went down and woke up the President, Sir Maurice accompanying me into his bed-room. The President noted the change and immediately got Mr. Clemenceau on the telephone. He insisted on the deletion of the words inserted by Clemenceau, and Clemenceau, of course, had to acquiesce. He made a feeble explanation. The President directed that the words be deleted and Lloyd-George concurred in the President’s action.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 May 5, WWP17156, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.