Cobb's Return from Europe
Title
Cobb's Return from Europe
Creator
Cobb, Margaret Ayer
Identifier
WWP25033
Date
1937 November 9
Description
Cobb's widow, Margaret,
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
World War, 1914-1918
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Contributor
Morgan Willer
Language
English
Text
New York,
Memorandum from Margaret Ayer Cobb
Frank I. Cobb returned from Paris where he had been assigned to the House Commission preparing for Peace Conference. On his return, the first thing he said was:
“They framed the Chief. That kind of diplomacy is not for me. Wilson does not know what he is up against.”
Then he went to say:
He had been very favorable to the idea of President Wilson’s going to Europe, but after he got to Paris and went about there and in London, where he contacted both the people in government circles, the Military, and the Diplomats, he noticed more and more that the “cards were being stacked” against the Americans, particularly by the French and Italians.
By degrees, he also noticed that information which he and the other members of the staff were gathering for use of the State Dept. and which had to go through Col. House’s Office, did not seem to reach the U.S.A. and certainly the President never received the letters sent by F.I.C.
Also, it was interesting to note according to F.I.C. that in each U.S. Embassy there was one member who was in direct contact with Col. House and sent him a daily personal report which report did not go to the U.S.
One of these men was Hugo or Hugh Frazier (or Fraser) later Minister to Vienna, who can probably be reached at Garrison-on-the-Hudson.
After the 4th of November, Mr. Cobb was anxious to get back and see the President personally.
He must have sent in his resignation to Col. House at about this time, but I have been unable to get the date set. At least he told me that he was more and more convinced that Col. House, for reasons unknown to him, was withholding important information from the State Dept. and as F.I.C. expressed it, holding the real key to the situation abroad in his own hands.
It was during a drive in the park in Paris with Col. House that he put it to him frankly:
F.I.C. “Do you think that the President is thoroughly informed of the situation here?”
House: “Possibly not.”
F.I.C. “Then I should not like to take your responsibility, Colonel.”
On his return to the hotel, or very shortly after, F.I.C. tendered his resignation. There was ample time for him to get back to America and see the President and “let him know what he was up against in Europe.”
There was an interminable delay. Later Col. House had the grippe. No answer to the resignation--more delay.
Finally, one afternoon Mr. Auchincloss, the Colonel’s son-in-law appeared and said the Colonel had approved the resignation and F.I.C. could return. Cobb rushed across the Hall of the Crillon Hotel and got Admiral Benson to find out by wireless and telephone what boat could be reached to get to America in time to see Wilson.
The last boat had sailed two hours before.
Memorandum from Margaret Ayer Cobb
Frank I. Cobb returned from Paris where he had been assigned to the House Commission preparing for Peace Conference. On his return, the first thing he said was:
“They framed the Chief. That kind of diplomacy is not for me. Wilson does not know what he is up against.”
Then he went to say:
He had been very favorable to the idea of President Wilson’s going to Europe, but after he got to Paris and went about there and in London, where he contacted both the people in government circles, the Military, and the Diplomats, he noticed more and more that the “cards were being stacked” against the Americans, particularly by the French and Italians.
By degrees, he also noticed that information which he and the other members of the staff were gathering for use of the State Dept. and which had to go through Col. House’s Office, did not seem to reach the U.S.A. and certainly the President never received the letters sent by F.I.C.
Also, it was interesting to note according to F.I.C. that in each U.S. Embassy there was one member who was in direct contact with Col. House and sent him a daily personal report which report did not go to the U.S.
One of these men was Hugo or Hugh Frazier (or Fraser) later Minister to Vienna, who can probably be reached at Garrison-on-the-Hudson.
After the 4th of November, Mr. Cobb was anxious to get back and see the President personally.
He must have sent in his resignation to Col. House at about this time, but I have been unable to get the date set. At least he told me that he was more and more convinced that Col. House, for reasons unknown to him, was withholding important information from the State Dept. and as F.I.C. expressed it, holding the real key to the situation abroad in his own hands.
It was during a drive in the park in Paris with Col. House that he put it to him frankly:
F.I.C. “Do you think that the President is thoroughly informed of the situation here?”
House: “Possibly not.”
F.I.C. “Then I should not like to take your responsibility, Colonel.”
On his return to the hotel, or very shortly after, F.I.C. tendered his resignation. There was ample time for him to get back to America and see the President and “let him know what he was up against in Europe.”
There was an interminable delay. Later Col. House had the grippe. No answer to the resignation--more delay.
Finally, one afternoon Mr. Auchincloss, the Colonel’s son-in-law appeared and said the Colonel had approved the resignation and F.I.C. could return. Cobb rushed across the Hall of the Crillon Hotel and got Admiral Benson to find out by wireless and telephone what boat could be reached to get to America in time to see Wilson.
The last boat had sailed two hours before.
Original Format
Memorandum
Files
Collection
Citation
Cobb, Margaret Ayer, “Cobb's Return from Europe,” 1937 November 9, WWP25033, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.