When the Cheering Stopped

by Smith, Gene;

  110–“Too much Jekyll and Hyde”: Long Papers.

  110, 111–The visit of the Belgians: Wilson, pp. 292–95.

  110–The President’s white beard: the King of the Belgians told Secretary Daniels it was full and white: Jonathan Daniels, p. 293.

  111–Hitchcock visit: Hitchcock papers.

  112, 114–The details on the Prince’s visit: Wilson, pp. 295–96. (That the King and Queen of the Belgians and the Prince of Wales were among the first visitors to see the President brought down a storm of criticism upon Mrs. Wilson. She was already suspected of too great a devotion to European royalties. It was remembered that she did not appear unhappy when, during the trip to Europe, the English called Miss Benham, her secretary, a lady in waiting.)

  112–“Very charming young lady”: quoted by Wilson, p. 295.

  112–“This—is—the—bed”: quoted by Jaffray, p. 73.

  112–“This window, sir?” quoted by Wilson, p. 296.

  113, 114–The Lord Grey and Craufurd-Stuart matter is described by Jonathan Daniels, pp. 294–98. The State Department files in the National Archives contain letters sent to, and letters from, Lord Grey on the matter.

  113–A crazy man: Mrs. Harriman to author.

  114–House viewed all this with apprehension: New York Times, July 26, 1934. The Colonel, upon the occasion of Lord Grey’s arrival, wrote the President: “I hope you will give him the warmest possible welcome”: Wilson Papers.

  114, 115–House’s letters: Wilson Papers. It is by no means certain that the President ever saw the letters. Mrs. Wilson, who disliked House—her book shows this all too clearly—may well have decided not to bother her husband with House’s suggestions.

  115–Watson-Lodge conversations: Watson, p. 200.

  116–Everything would turn out all right: Tom Connally heard a Democratic Senator say at the time, “If only President Wilson had not been a college prof and didn’t know how to write so well this issue would come out all right”: Connally, p. 100.

  116–Bonsal’s attempt to bring about an agreement: Bonsal, pp. 271–76.

  117–“Awful thing settled”: “Dishonorable compromise”: Wilson, p. 297.

  117–Thinking to himself: Hitchcock Papers.

  118–“I must get well”: quoted in Wilson, p. 297.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  118–First breath of fresh air: Hatch, p. 235.

  118–Details on the wheel chair: Hoover, p. 104.

  118–Unable to dictate for more than five minutes at a time: quoted by Blum, p. 312.

  119f.–Letters upon which Mrs. Wilson scrawled her messages will be indicated below.

  119–“My husband and his health”: quoted by Tumulty, p. 438.

  119, 120–Daniels’ problems with the discharged midshipmen are detailed in his letters to the White House which are now in the Wilson Papers.

  120–Never had his resignation accepted: Herbert Hoover, Memoirs, Vol. II, p. 15.

  120–Costa Rican recognition: Letters on this are in the Wilson Papers.

  120–The appointment forms are in the Wilson Papers.

  121–“Keeping me from the President”: quoted by David Lawrence to the author. It should be emphasized that Tumulty made the remark to Lawrence, not in Lawrence’s capacity as a reporter, but in his capacity as a friend of ten years’ standing. To the outside world Tumulty maintained that no difficulties between himself and the First Lady existed.

  121–“Almost a suspension of Government”: quoted by Nevins, Henry White, p. 485.

  122–“Our Government has gone out of business”: Baker, American Chronicle, p. 480.

  122–Two years of schooling: She attended Virginia finishing schools.

  122–“Unable to attend to public business … so confused that no one could interpret them”; Lansing made his remarks to Charles Sumner Hamlin and is quoted in the Hamlin Papers.

  123–In response to such requests: Hatch, p. 226. Mr. Hatch believes today that the First Lady went to her death without ever realizing the extent to which she personally wielded the power of the Presidency. Mr. Hatch had many long talks with Mrs. Wilson while preparing his “authorized” biography of her and was left with the strong impression that Mrs. Wilson had over the years convinced herself that her role was quite minimal. Perhaps this was because Mrs. Wilson first met the President when he was a famed world figure. Had she, like Ellen Wilson, known him as a young man and a junior member of college faculties, she might have been better able to understand that he, like all men, was capable of human error. Her picture of him from the start of their relationship, however, was of a more-than-lifelike figure. Mr. Hatch told the author, “When I brought up the subject of her power after the President fell ill, her attitude was ‘How could I—how could anyone—act as President when that job was held by the one and only Woodrow Wilson?’”

  123–Houston said: His remarks, made to Charles Sumner Hamlin, are quoted in the Hamlin Papers.

  123–Lodge wrote: quoted in Baruch, p. 140.

  124–Tumulty for weeks sent nothing at all: Blum, p. 236.

  124, 125–Tumulty’s letter is in the Wilson Papers.

  125–The attempt by Phillips to get the Netherlands appointment is described by Breckinridge Long in his diary: Long Papers.

  126, 127–The Marshall visit to the White House and his conversation with Thistlethwaite: Thomas, pp. 211, 226.

  128, 129–The Atlanta incident is described in the Raymond Clapper Papers.

  128–“You know how the Chief writes”: quoted by Walworth, Vol. 11, p. 378.

  129–Details of the motion by Fall to send a committee to call upon the President are found in the Hitchcock Papers.

  130–The “dress rehearsal”: Woolley Papers.

  130–132–The Fall visit is described in Wilson, pp. 298–99. Houston (on the basis of the President’s later discussion of it), Vol. II, pp. 190–91, and in the Albert Burleson Papers (on the basis of a conversation Burleson had with Grayson).

  CHAPTER NINE

  132–137–The White House routine in the fall of 1919 is described by Hoover, pp. 102–06, and by Robert Bender in Collier’s for March 6, 1920.

  132–The weak voice would drift away so that they sat silently: Charles Swem, quoted by Walworth, Vol. II, p. 375.

  133–Margaret would often come in: Miss Wilson to R. S. Baker, Baker Papers.

  132–134–The description of the White House during the period covered is from Shackleton, pp. 43–48. Although the ordinary visitors’ tours were all canceled, Shackleton, a writer of travel books, was allowed to go through.

  133–Reporters played cards: David Lawrence to author.

  133–Tumulty’s carefully chosen words: “I was warned by Dr. Grayson and Mrs. Wilson not to alarm him unduly by bringing pessimistic reports … I sought in the most delicate and tactful way I could to bring the atmosphere of the Hill to him”: Tumulty, p. 454.

  133, 134–Midst of a passage with no emotional significance he would begin to cry: Stockton Axson to R. S. Baker, Baker Papers.

  134, 135–Robert E. Long wrote of his experiences in showing films to the President in a series of newspaper articles published in September 1925. R. S. Baker clipped the series from the Chicago Daily News and the clippings are in the Baker Papers.

  134–Try to smile, his face twisting: Parks, p. 157. Mrs. Parks’s mother, who, like Mrs. Parks, was a White House employee, “suffered agonies” when she saw the President’s condition.

  136–Vice President Marshall: Thomas, p. 186.

  136–“A great number of them”: quoted by Grayson, p. 109.

  136–“I don’t know how much more criticism I can take”: quoted in Parks, p. 155. (The remark was made to Mrs. Parks’s mother.)

  136n.–Lord Grey was warned that Jimmy Roosevelt had measles: Jonathan Daniels, p. 299.

  137–“An Indian”: ibid., p. 155.

  137–Secretary Houston’s disbelief that the President wrote the letter: Houston, Vol. II, p. 47.

  137
–“Something ought to be done about it”: quoted in the Hamlin Papers.

  138–Baker’s talk with Mrs. Wilson: Baker, American Chronicle, pp. 471–72.

  138–The correspondence between the First Lady and Burleson: Wilson Papers and Burleson Papers.

  139, 140–The Lansing-Wilson correspondence is preserved in the Papers of both men.

  140-142–The adverse newspaper comments were collected by Lansing and are found in his Papers.

  141–“Disloyalty” must be “spiked”: quoted by Tumulty, p. 445.

  141–“I hate Lansing”: quoted by Jonathan Daniels, p. 310.

  141–“He is not in his right mind”: Mrs. Houston made her remark to Mrs. Hamlin, who told her husband. Quoted in Hamlin Papers.

  141–“He is on the verge of insanity”: Clapper diary, Clapper Papers.

  142–147–The President’s rides are described in Parks, p. 157, Starling, p. 156, I. H. Hoover, p. 106, Shackleton, pp. 51–52.

  142–Bright-eyed old man … ducked down so as to hide the paralyzed side: White, Woodrow Wilson: The Man, His Times and His Task, p. 457.

  143–“They still love me”: quoted by Starling, p. 157.

  143–The President’s determination to catch and try the “speeders” and his refusal to use the Cadillac: Starling, pp. 157–59.

  143–The President’s letter to Palmer: Palmer Papers.

  143, 144–Colby’s appointment to the Secretaryship of State: Colby to R. S. Baker, Baker Papers.

  144–Tears rolled down: Tumulty, pp. 454–55.

  144–“Even more humiliating”: quoted by Baker, American Chronicle, p. 474.

  145–“Anything but the Ten Commandments”: quoted by W. G. McAdoo, p. 514.

  145–“Retreat from conscientious duty”: Burleson is quoted by Daniels, The Wilson Era, p. 461.

  145–“A man who awaits disaster”: quoted by Tumulty, p. 455.

  145–A copy of the First Lady’s letter to Jessie is in the Baker Papers.

  146–“Dead as Hector … As Marley’s ghost”: quoted by Daniels, The Wilson Era, p. 464.

  146–Tumulty’s conversation with the President: Tumulty, pp. 455–56.

  146–“Doctor, the devil is a busy man”: quoted by Grayson, p. 106.

  146–“Doctor, please get the Bible there”: ibid., p. 106.

  147–“I sat with him”: Creel, pp. 227–28.

  147–“Defiling the body of a dead enemy”: Longworth, p. 288.

  147–Could not stand the staring eyes: Lawrence, p. 297. Lawrence points out that the President suffered “great nervous tension while motoring.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  148–“A tookie out here for me?”: quoted by Wilson, p. 304.

  148–Ellen had wondered … but he never let go for an instant: Mrs. Eleanor Wilson McAdoo to author.

  148–“If I were not a Christian”: quoted by Grayson, p. 106.

  148–“I don’t know whether it is warm or cold”: ibid., p. 106.

  148–To George Creel it seemed: Creel, p. 230.

  149–“For it was like him”: Baker, American Chronicle, p. 469.

  149–The President’s belief that it would have been better had he died: ibid., p. 469.

  149–The conversation with Grayson: Grayson, pp. 112–13.

  150–Ike Hoover formally announced the men, making Daniels think the President was blind: Daniels, The Wilson Era, p. 545.

  150, 151–Houston’s memories of the meeting: Houston, Vol. II, pp. 59–70.

  150–“To form a solid surface”: quoted in Daniels’ diary, Daniels Papers.

  150–Sat thus in embarrassed quiet: Houston, Vol. II, p. 70.

  150–Difficulty in keeping his mind on the discussion: ibid., p. 70.

  150–“Do not let the country see Red”: quoted by Daniels, The Wilson Era, p. 546.

  151–“This Cabinet meeting is an experiment, you know”: ibid., pp. 545–46.

  151–The same stories, the same jokes: ibid., p. 545.

  151–Fresh flowers on the grave: ibid., p. 461.

  151–The carbon copies of the vexed notes are found in the Wilson Papers.

  151–“I will never consent to the pardon of this man”: quoted by Tumulty, p. 505.

  151, 152–A copy of the Norman Thomas statement is in the Baker Papers.

  152–“I suppose Tumulty … Everyone is leaving me”: quoted by Starling, p. 159.

  152–Details on the circus parade: ibid., p. 156.

  152–“Not a bad stunt for a lame fellow”: quoted by Grayson, p. 110.

  153n.–“‘Don’t send in too much stuff’”: quoted by Grew, Vol. I, p. 425.

  153–“Do you call that a compliment?” quoted by Grayson, p. 53.

  153–On April 5 she had in the Cabinet wives: The White House diaries, Hoover Papers. The wives had previously felt slighted by the indifference to them shown by the President and the First Lady: Lawrence, p. 297.

  153–The conversation with Grayson: Grayson, p. 114.

  153, 154–The visit of the diplomats is described in Long’s diary, Long Papers.

  155–Cummings told of his interview with the President to the Raymond Clappers: Clapper, p. 52.

  155, 156–The Tumulty-Seibold plan: Blum, pp. 243–44.

  156–The First Lady could go straight to hell: quoted by Blum, p. 244.

  156–The foot race: This remained a subject of jest between Seibold and the President for the remainder of the latter’s life. It is noteworthy that Seibold appears to have been the only person who wrote to the President as “Dear Boss.” No other letters the author has seen that were written during the period covered by this book contain this breezy greeting. As a collateral item, Postmaster General Burleson, according to R. S. Baker, was the only public figure who referred to the President—behind the President’s back, to be sure!—by using the diminutive of the President’s first name. Adding a touch of his native Texas, Burleson referred to the President as “Little old Woody.” (As the President was “Tommy” during his youth, even boyhood friends did not use Burleson’s term.) Once during the Western tour some children addressed the President by the name, and the President joked back that he hoped they were not referring to the material out of which his head was made!

  156–Wall Street sources let it be known: Stein, p. 247.

  156–No other choices: Smith and Longman, pp. 205–06. Burleson told Carter Glass what he had said to the President, and Glass wrote down a memorandum of the conversation.

  156–Glass’s talk with the President: ibid., p. 208.

  156–Glass’s talk with Grayson: ibid., p. 205.

  157–“Presumptuous … in bad taste … decline something that had not been offered”: quoted by Grayson, p. 116.

  157–“Obliged to accept the nomination”: quoted by Grayson, p. 116.

  157–Grayson’s talk with Woolley is detailed in the Woolley Papers.

  158–“Save the life and fame of this man from the juggling of false friends”: quoted by Smith and Longman, p. 208.

  158–Scuffle for the New York flagstaff: Daniels, The Wilson Era, pp. 552–53.

  158-160–Details of the attempt to nominate the President: ibid., pp. 555–57, and Stein, pp. 241–49.

  159–Colby’s wires are in the Wilson Papers. It is of interest that Mrs. Wilson makes no reference to the matter in her book.

  159–Tumulty’s hope that there be no nomination of the President: Blum, pp. 246–47.

  160–A stream of profanities and obscenities: Starling, p. 157. Starling wrote that Arthur Brooks, the President’s valet, told him of the President’s outburst. That the President could go for years without saying worse than “damn” or “hell” attested to by Secretary Daniels, who writes that when in April of 1918 the President used the term “damn fools” it was “one of the five or six times” Daniels heard him use the word: The Wilson Era, p. 626.

  160, 161–The meeting between the President, Cox and Roosevelt: Tumulty, pp. 499–500, and Cox, pp. 241–44. In his book Cox p
rints a letter about the visit written to him by Claude G. Bowers after a meeting Bowers had with Roosevelt, who by then was himself President. The description of the meeting, therefore, is actually from Roosevelt, as given to Bowers and then printed by Cox.

  161–Rose hangings and upholstery and small colored vases with a single different-color rose: Jaffray, p. 74.

  161–Using only his right hand: ibid., p. 74.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  161–There were old canal streams: Shackleton, pp. 271–72.

  162–“Hi, Wilson!”: quoted in Wilson, p. 305.

  162–In his own time and in his own way: note from the President to Tumulty. The carbon of the note is in the Wilson Papers.

  162n.–First Lady took the word as a personal insult: Parks, p. 159.

  162–“You haven’t enough faith in the people!”: Daniels quoted the remark to R. S. Baker, Baker Papers.

  162–“Burleson, shut up!”: Burleson quoted to R. S. Baker, Baker Papers.

  162–“You don’t understand the American people”: Axson quoted the remark to R. S. Baker, Baker Papers.

  163–“The hearts of the people are right on this great issue”: quoted by Tumulty, p. 500.

  164–Once upon a time when he spoke: Samuel Blythe, quoted by McKinley, p. 139.

  164–“The people can and will see it”: quoted by Houston, Vol. II, p. 93.

  164–Election day, as the people went to the polls: Baker, American Chronicle, p. 483.

  165–“Tell Barker I thank him, but there is nowhere now to go”: quoted by Starling, p. 162.

  165, 166–The letters regarding the election are in the Wilson Papers.

  166–“Why, what is the matter?” “Just curiosity”: quoted by Creel, p. 229.

  167–Baker’s description of the film: Baker, American Chronicle, pp. 481–82.

  168–“You will pardon me if I put on my hat”: quoted by William Hawkins, then president of United Press. A mimeographed copy of Hawkins’ report is in the Colby Papers.

  168-171–Details on the house-hunting: Wilson, pp. 307–13.

  168–The Dedication: ibid., p. 309.

  169–Mrs. Harding’s notes to the First Lady and copies of the First Lady’s replies are in the Wilson Papers.

  169–The visit of Mrs. Harding: Wilson, p. 316. Mrs. Jaffray writes in her book (p. 78) that when she came into the room she found Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Harding on their feet and that the atmosphere was one which appeared to indicate that harsh words had just been exchanged. She does not elaborate on the matter.