Nelson Page to Rogers
Title
Nelson Page to Rogers
Creator
Page, Nelson
Identifier
WWP15738
Date
1919 April 25
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
COPY OF TELEGRAM RECEIVED .4.11 p.m.
7 GREEN
ROMA APRIL 25, 1919.
AMEMBASSY
PARIS
7. IMPORTANT. APRIL 25, 7 PM. YOUR 10. FOR ROGERS.
FOR EFFECT PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT REGARDING ADRIATIC QUESTION PRINTED YESTERDAY EVENING SEE MY 262 5 PM.
THE PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT APPEARED IN FULL YESTERDAY EVENING IN NEARLY ALL THE ROME PAPERS (SO FAR NO OTHER PAPERS WHICH COULD HAVE CONTAINED IT HAVE ARRIVED IN ROME) Except FOUR LINES WHICH WERE OMITTED IN THE FIRST COPY RECEIVED HERE YESTERDAY MORNING AS FOLLOWS: “AND WHOSE SOVEREIGNTY IS SET UP THERE MUST INEVITABLEY SEEM FOREIGN?, NOT DOMESTIC OR IDENTIFIED WITH THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LIFE OF THE REGIONS WHICH THE PORT MUST SERVE.”
TONE OF CRITICISM EXTREMELY BITTER AND PEOPLE GREATLY EXCITED. HOW LONG THIS EXCITEMENT WILL CONTINUE, IS A QQUESTION. CRITICISM MAINLY AGAINST PRESIDENT’S ACTION IN IGNORING ITALY’S CLAIMS AND IN IGNORING ITALIAN GOVERNMENT BY STATEMENT WHICH IS CONSTRUED HERE APPEAL OVER HEADS OF KING AND GOVERNMENT. LEARN CABINET HAS GIVEN PRESS DIRECTIONS TO EMPLOY SIMILAR METHOD AND APPEAL TO AMERICAN PEOPLE OVER HEAD OF PRESIDENT. ALSO THAT SENATE AND CHAMBER WILL APPEAL TO UNITED STATES SENATE AND CHAMBER AS TWO DEMOCRATIC BODIES.
THE PRESS CAMPAIGN IS SO EXTENSIVE AND EXPRESSION OF FEELING SO FIERCE THAT IT LOOKS ALMOST AS THOUGH THE CAMPAIGN WERE ENGINEERED. NEVERTHELESS THE PEOPLE ARE AT PRESENT GREATLY EXCITED BY IT. AT LEAST, AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. MIDDAY EDITION GIORNALE D’ITALIA CONTAINS EXTRACTS FROM NEW YORK TRIBUNE AND HERALD ATTACKING PRESIDENT, WHICH ARE GIVEN AS EXPRESSION OF AMERICAN OPINION.
FRENCH PRESS OPINION FAVORING ITALY ALSO EXTENSIVELY PLAYED UP. IN REFERRING TO THE ACTION OF THE PRESIDENT THE CORRIERE DELLA SERA SAYS: “PRESIDENT WILSON WHO HAS ALLOWED THE MAGNA CHARTA OF HIS FOURTEEN POINTS TO BE REPEATEDLY TORN UP BENEATH HIS EYES; WHO HAS ALLOWED THE LIBERTY OF THE SEAS TO SLEEP BENEATH THE OCEANS (NOW HAPPILY PACIFIED BY ANGLO-AMERICAN DOMINION); WHO HAS OFFENDED AND HAS PERMITTED TO BE OFFENDED THE NATIONAL RIGHT OF ALL POINTS OF THE MAP OF EUROPE; WHO HAS PERMITTED THE LOOSENING OF THE MOST FEROCIOUS IMPERIALISTIC GREED IN THE COLONIAL WORLD AND IN ASIA; WHO HAS STILL TO DECLARE THE MEANING AND THE END OF HIS ATTITUDE IN REGARD TO AUSTRIAN SUBJECTS ATROCIOUS AND FRIGHTFUL CRIMES WHICH HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED AGAINST AN ENTIRE PEOPLE IN THAT SEPULCHRE OF THE LOSS. RUSSIA (?) WHO HAS DENIED UNDER THE PRESSURE OF AN EGOISM RUDELY CONFESSED THE VERY SPIRIT OF HIS OWN WORK WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE IN THE STATUTES OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS; WHO FINALLY IS NOT DISPOSED TO ADMIT THE EQUALITY OF THE HUMAN RACES AND RELEGATES THE ITALIAN PEOPLE TO AN OUTER CIRCLE OF INFERIOR RACES TO THE SHAME OF ALL THE PRINCIPLES PROCLAIMED AND TO THE EXCLUSIVE ADVANTAGES OF THE ONLY GREAT IMPERIALISM LEFT IN THE WORLD; PRESIDENT WILSON ALONE AFTER ALL THIS CAN DECEIVE HIMSELF AS TO THE HOPE OF FINDING THAT JUSTICE WHICH WAS LOST IN PARIS BENEATH THE LITTLE WATERS OF THE ADRIATIC.” REFERRING TO THE ALLIES THE POPOLO ROMANO SAYS: “THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT THE COUNTRY OF COURTESY AND HONEST WELCOME TO ANY FOREIGN GUEST IS THAT SAME COUNTRY WHICH HAS NEVER ACCEPTED THE WORD OF COMMAND FROM A FOREIGNER ALTHOUGH HE WAS THE GUEST AND FRIEND OF YESTERDAY.” AND “ITALY REPLIES AS ONE MAN WHO STANDS WITH HIS KING AND COUNTRY TO STRENUOUSLY DEFEND THE IMPRESCRIPTABLE RIGHTS OF THE NATION.”
IT IS GENERALLY ANNOUNCED THAT ORLANDO LEFT PARIS YESTERDAY EVENING; AND PREPARATIONS ARE IN PROGRESS TO ACCORD HIM AND HIS COLLEAGUES A GREAT WELCOME ON THEIR ARRIVAL AT THE CAPITAL. SHOPS ARE ORDERED CLOSED.
NELSON PAGE.
7 GREEN
ROMA APRIL 25, 1919.
AMEMBASSY
PARIS
7. IMPORTANT. APRIL 25, 7 PM. YOUR 10. FOR ROGERS.
FOR EFFECT PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT REGARDING ADRIATIC QUESTION PRINTED YESTERDAY EVENING SEE MY 262 5 PM.
THE PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT APPEARED IN FULL YESTERDAY EVENING IN NEARLY ALL THE ROME PAPERS (SO FAR NO OTHER PAPERS WHICH COULD HAVE CONTAINED IT HAVE ARRIVED IN ROME) Except FOUR LINES WHICH WERE OMITTED IN THE FIRST COPY RECEIVED HERE YESTERDAY MORNING AS FOLLOWS: “AND WHOSE SOVEREIGNTY IS SET UP THERE MUST INEVITABLEY SEEM FOREIGN?, NOT DOMESTIC OR IDENTIFIED WITH THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LIFE OF THE REGIONS WHICH THE PORT MUST SERVE.”
TONE OF CRITICISM EXTREMELY BITTER AND PEOPLE GREATLY EXCITED. HOW LONG THIS EXCITEMENT WILL CONTINUE, IS A QQUESTION. CRITICISM MAINLY AGAINST PRESIDENT’S ACTION IN IGNORING ITALY’S CLAIMS AND IN IGNORING ITALIAN GOVERNMENT BY STATEMENT WHICH IS CONSTRUED HERE APPEAL OVER HEADS OF KING AND GOVERNMENT. LEARN CABINET HAS GIVEN PRESS DIRECTIONS TO EMPLOY SIMILAR METHOD AND APPEAL TO AMERICAN PEOPLE OVER HEAD OF PRESIDENT. ALSO THAT SENATE AND CHAMBER WILL APPEAL TO UNITED STATES SENATE AND CHAMBER AS TWO DEMOCRATIC BODIES.
THE PRESS CAMPAIGN IS SO EXTENSIVE AND EXPRESSION OF FEELING SO FIERCE THAT IT LOOKS ALMOST AS THOUGH THE CAMPAIGN WERE ENGINEERED. NEVERTHELESS THE PEOPLE ARE AT PRESENT GREATLY EXCITED BY IT. AT LEAST, AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. MIDDAY EDITION GIORNALE D’ITALIA CONTAINS EXTRACTS FROM NEW YORK TRIBUNE AND HERALD ATTACKING PRESIDENT, WHICH ARE GIVEN AS EXPRESSION OF AMERICAN OPINION.
FRENCH PRESS OPINION FAVORING ITALY ALSO EXTENSIVELY PLAYED UP. IN REFERRING TO THE ACTION OF THE PRESIDENT THE CORRIERE DELLA SERA SAYS: “PRESIDENT WILSON WHO HAS ALLOWED THE MAGNA CHARTA OF HIS FOURTEEN POINTS TO BE REPEATEDLY TORN UP BENEATH HIS EYES; WHO HAS ALLOWED THE LIBERTY OF THE SEAS TO SLEEP BENEATH THE OCEANS (NOW HAPPILY PACIFIED BY ANGLO-AMERICAN DOMINION); WHO HAS OFFENDED AND HAS PERMITTED TO BE OFFENDED THE NATIONAL RIGHT OF ALL POINTS OF THE MAP OF EUROPE; WHO HAS PERMITTED THE LOOSENING OF THE MOST FEROCIOUS IMPERIALISTIC GREED IN THE COLONIAL WORLD AND IN ASIA; WHO HAS STILL TO DECLARE THE MEANING AND THE END OF HIS ATTITUDE IN REGARD TO AUSTRIAN SUBJECTS ATROCIOUS AND FRIGHTFUL CRIMES WHICH HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED AGAINST AN ENTIRE PEOPLE IN THAT SEPULCHRE OF THE LOSS. RUSSIA (?) WHO HAS DENIED UNDER THE PRESSURE OF AN EGOISM RUDELY CONFESSED THE VERY SPIRIT OF HIS OWN WORK WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE IN THE STATUTES OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS; WHO FINALLY IS NOT DISPOSED TO ADMIT THE EQUALITY OF THE HUMAN RACES AND RELEGATES THE ITALIAN PEOPLE TO AN OUTER CIRCLE OF INFERIOR RACES TO THE SHAME OF ALL THE PRINCIPLES PROCLAIMED AND TO THE EXCLUSIVE ADVANTAGES OF THE ONLY GREAT IMPERIALISM LEFT IN THE WORLD; PRESIDENT WILSON ALONE AFTER ALL THIS CAN DECEIVE HIMSELF AS TO THE HOPE OF FINDING THAT JUSTICE WHICH WAS LOST IN PARIS BENEATH THE LITTLE WATERS OF THE ADRIATIC.” REFERRING TO THE ALLIES THE POPOLO ROMANO SAYS: “THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT THE COUNTRY OF COURTESY AND HONEST WELCOME TO ANY FOREIGN GUEST IS THAT SAME COUNTRY WHICH HAS NEVER ACCEPTED THE WORD OF COMMAND FROM A FOREIGNER ALTHOUGH HE WAS THE GUEST AND FRIEND OF YESTERDAY.” AND “ITALY REPLIES AS ONE MAN WHO STANDS WITH HIS KING AND COUNTRY TO STRENUOUSLY DEFEND THE IMPRESCRIPTABLE RIGHTS OF THE NATION.”
IT IS GENERALLY ANNOUNCED THAT ORLANDO LEFT PARIS YESTERDAY EVENING; AND PREPARATIONS ARE IN PROGRESS TO ACCORD HIM AND HIS COLLEAGUES A GREAT WELCOME ON THEIR ARRIVAL AT THE CAPITAL. SHOPS ARE ORDERED CLOSED.
NELSON PAGE.
Original Format
Letter
Files
Collection
Citation
Page, Nelson, “Nelson Page to Rogers,” 1919 April 25, WWP15738, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.