Men and Matters
Title
Men and Matters
Creator
Unknown
Identifier
WWP16104
Date
1919 December 8
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Capitol Hill is not the only place in Washington where something akin to dismay has reigned ever since the discovery of last Friday that President Wilson is perfectly capable of thinking and acting for himself. The “astounding” news brought from the President’s sickroom dealt a stunning blow to the social circles of the city, both high and low. For the last six weeks the President has been the sole topic of conversation at all real affairs, and the more exclusive the company present the more “confidential” has been the information handed out as to the terrible goings-on at the White House.
Society probably never will forgive the President for making such an excellent showing at his interview with Senators Fall and Hitchcock. So many wild stories and dire conclusions were exploded Friday afternoon when the senators emerged from the White House the atmosphere of Washington resembled London or Paris after an air raid. There was a rapid summing up to see who had been hurt, to see which one of one’s friends had fared the worst now that the truth was known. The many men and women who had told absolutely “inside” news regarding the President had been looked up to as marvels of astuteness by their friends and had been envied for their sources of information which presumably ran straight to the fountain head. It can easily be assumed therefore that many reputations suffered a setback on that fateful Friday afternoon.
At a very smart dinner some ten days ago I am told a woman with a claim to real social position announced to the company that she “knew” - this was no report or rumor, but actual knowledge - she knew that neither the Belgian King nor the Prince of Wales had been premitted to see the President. She “knew” that the stories which appeared in the papers to that effect and which were cabled to Europe were all “camouflaged.” They were a part of a giant conspiracy, financed by millions of dollars, to keep the real truth from being known about the President. The King of the Belgians and the delightful young prince had graciously permitted themselves to be used in the greatest hoodwinking enterpirse of all history. The remarkbale part of the whole thing is that this story was widely credited. So much for the mistaken White House policy of too much silence regarding the President.
It seems impossbile, however, that any one would believe King Albert and Prince Albert would lend themselves to such a deception and keep silent about it after their return to Europe. The thing was preposterous, but the yarn spread, nevertheless, and even the detailed account of the very happy visit between the prince and the President which this column was able to present to Post readers was denounced as pure fiction - well, at least fiction.
Now a great deal of the fog has been cleared away. A lot of people are happy and a good many are chagrined.
When President Wilson told the visiting senators on Friday that the burden of responsibility for the treaty of peace and the league of nations had been shifted to other shoulders than his own and that he was contented to let it rest there for the present, he merely repeated in formal language what he had previously stated more picturesquely to a White House caller. At that time he said:
“Now that the Senate has taken the infant from my doorstep, let the senators feed it and nurse it for a while.”
The difficulty with this propostition is, however, that the senators insist the “child” is not in need of food, but of a nice little shroud. The senators are certain the treaty is “dead,” but the corpse keeps rattling about the Senate chamber. Officially it is lying on the table. Many of the senators hoped the President would send for his “child” the day the new session opened, but the President, notwithstanding the terrible reports as to the infant’s condition, seems willing for the time being to leave the poor waif right there on the Senate table to cast an accusing eye at the wrecking crew and the battalion of death every time they look in its direction.
Society probably never will forgive the President for making such an excellent showing at his interview with Senators Fall and Hitchcock. So many wild stories and dire conclusions were exploded Friday afternoon when the senators emerged from the White House the atmosphere of Washington resembled London or Paris after an air raid. There was a rapid summing up to see who had been hurt, to see which one of one’s friends had fared the worst now that the truth was known. The many men and women who had told absolutely “inside” news regarding the President had been looked up to as marvels of astuteness by their friends and had been envied for their sources of information which presumably ran straight to the fountain head. It can easily be assumed therefore that many reputations suffered a setback on that fateful Friday afternoon.
At a very smart dinner some ten days ago I am told a woman with a claim to real social position announced to the company that she “knew” - this was no report or rumor, but actual knowledge - she knew that neither the Belgian King nor the Prince of Wales had been premitted to see the President. She “knew” that the stories which appeared in the papers to that effect and which were cabled to Europe were all “camouflaged.” They were a part of a giant conspiracy, financed by millions of dollars, to keep the real truth from being known about the President. The King of the Belgians and the delightful young prince had graciously permitted themselves to be used in the greatest hoodwinking enterpirse of all history. The remarkbale part of the whole thing is that this story was widely credited. So much for the mistaken White House policy of too much silence regarding the President.
It seems impossbile, however, that any one would believe King Albert and Prince Albert would lend themselves to such a deception and keep silent about it after their return to Europe. The thing was preposterous, but the yarn spread, nevertheless, and even the detailed account of the very happy visit between the prince and the President which this column was able to present to Post readers was denounced as pure fiction - well, at least fiction.
Now a great deal of the fog has been cleared away. A lot of people are happy and a good many are chagrined.
When President Wilson told the visiting senators on Friday that the burden of responsibility for the treaty of peace and the league of nations had been shifted to other shoulders than his own and that he was contented to let it rest there for the present, he merely repeated in formal language what he had previously stated more picturesquely to a White House caller. At that time he said:
“Now that the Senate has taken the infant from my doorstep, let the senators feed it and nurse it for a while.”
The difficulty with this propostition is, however, that the senators insist the “child” is not in need of food, but of a nice little shroud. The senators are certain the treaty is “dead,” but the corpse keeps rattling about the Senate chamber. Officially it is lying on the table. Many of the senators hoped the President would send for his “child” the day the new session opened, but the President, notwithstanding the terrible reports as to the infant’s condition, seems willing for the time being to leave the poor waif right there on the Senate table to cast an accusing eye at the wrecking crew and the battalion of death every time they look in its direction.
Original Format
Article
Files
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “Men and Matters,” 1919 December 8, WWP16104, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.