Cary T. Grayson Diary

Cary T. Grayson Diary

Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938

WWP17180

1919 May 29

Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia

English

There was no session of the Big Four today, it having been arranged that the terms of the Austrian Treaty should be communicated to the smaller powers at a Plenary Session during the afternoon. In consequence the President spent a portion of the morning in rest.

The great question uppermost everywhere, not alone in official circles, but voiced by the man in the street, was - “Will the Germans sign?” There was a wide divergence of opinion in the reply to this question. While the strictly official element realized that Germany eventually would have to accept whatever was meted out to her by the Allied and Associated governments, it was very plain that there was in existence in Germany a widespread plan to endeavor to force the Allies to make concessions even though by doing so further hardship would be inflicted upon the country. The Erzberger government in Berlin was working in unison with Brockdorff-Rantzau at Versailles in an effort to drive the Allies into the defensive so far as the treaty was concerned. They were working very carefully and endeavoring to build a back fire both in Great Britain and in the United States. The Socialist element in the United States and in England was declaring that the treaty as originally presented to the Germans was of such a nature that it would make for further wars rather than prevent them, and were utilizing this argument as far as possible to line up public sentiment in the United States to hold the President responsible for the treaty despite the fact that in many respects the document was not of his framing. However, the general opinion was that certain changes must necessarily be made and that when these changes were made, if the Erzberger government did not sign the treaty, another government would be substituted for it in the very near future which actually would do so.

The President again lunched with Mrs. Wilson in her bedroom, and after lunch went for a ride, winding up at the Quai d’Orsay, where a secret Plenary Session had been called, at which it was planned to read the Austrian Treaty to the smaller powers. At the very outset a clash took place. The Roumanian Delegation, backed up by the Serbians, and in fact by all of the smaller powers, with the single exception of Poland, raised bitter objection to that clause in the treaty which was designed to protect religious and political minorities in newly created states by placing them under the jurisdiction of the League of Nations. Roumania boldly challenged the Austrian Treaty, and, in addition, declared that until its delegation had actually read the treaty they would not consent to considering it. Servia, Greece, and Czecho-Slovia concurred in this declaration, with the result that ten minutes after the Plenary Session opened it was adjourned until Saturday. The smaller powers gained a notable victory, not by reason of any merit in their case, but because the President and other members of the Big Four were desirous of conciliating rather than antagonizing.

After the Plenary Session adjourned the President went to the Crillon Hotel, where he held a conference with the members of the American Mission, and then went for a motor ride, returning to the house for dinner with Mrs. Wilson, who still remained in her apartment, her foot being somewhat slow to heal. The President transacted some business in his study before retiring.

Diary