Part 28 (2/2)

This has been one of theweeks of my existence over here The President was taken violently sick last Thursday The attack was very sudden At three o'clock he was apparently all right; at six he was seized with violent paroxys, which were so severe and frequent that it interfered with his breathing He had a fever of 103 and a profuse diarrhoea I was at first suspicious that his food had been ta of an attack of influenza That night was one of the worst through which I have ever passed I was able to control the spas but his condition looked very serious Since that ti every day so that he is now back at work--he went out for the first time yesterday This disease is so treacherous, especially in this climate, that I am perhaps over- anxious for fear of a flare-back--and a flare-back in a case of this kind often results in pneu every minute of my time with him, not only as physician but as nurse Mrs Wilson was a perfect angel through it all

Sincerely, CARY T GRAYSON

Continuing the narrative Mr Creel writes:

On April 7th, the President struggled to his feet and faced the Council in what everyone recognized as a final test of strength Thereagreereement must be reached once for all If a peace of justice, he would rereed, then he would leave He had been second to none in recognizing the wrongs of the Allies, the state of mind of their peoples, and he stood as firuilt horee to the repudiation of every war aiements that would leave the world worse off than before The _George Washi+ngton_ was in Brooklyn By wireless the President ordered it to coesture was conclusive as far as England and France were concerned Lloyd George swung over instantly to the President's side, and on the following day Le Tenificant item:

”Contrary to the assertions spread by the Gern newspapers, we believe that the Government has no annexationist pretensions, openly or under cover, in regard to any territory inhabited by a Gerions comprised between the frontier of 1871 and the frontier of 1814”

Again, in the lock of wills, the President was the victor, and the French and English press, exhausted by now, could only gasp their condee

The stateal adviser of the American Peace Commission, with reference to the debate on the Monroe Doctrine, in which the President played the leading part, is conclusive on this point Mr Miller speaks of the President's devotion to the Monroe Doctrine in these words:

But the , the last of all, the French sought by amendment to obtain some definition, soht of the United States to insist upon its own interpretation of that Doctrine in the future as in the past The French delegates, hoping for soed such a definition: and at that last ht for a moment, in despair, that President Wilson would yield to the final French suggestion, which contained only a few seeh the long discussion, and the s of the Co in an atmosphere of constraint and without any of the speeches of politeness customary on such an occasion

Of all the false reports about the President's attitude none was more erroneous than the combined statements that he was lukewarm about the Monroe Doctrine and that he declined to ask for or receive advice from eminent Americans outside of his own party

In Appendix ”B” there will be found a series of letters and cablefor insertion in the chapter, which will support the statement that he not only listened to but had incorporated in the Covenant of the League of Nations suggestions fro the Monroe Doctrine, and suggestions from Mr Root as to the establishment of an International Court of Justice

Former-President Taft had intiestions to Mr Wilson, and, upon my notification, Mr Wilson cabled estions and would welcome them The sooner they are sent the better” Whereupon, Mr Taft's suggestions were cabled to the President together with Mr Taft's statement that, ”My impression is that if the one article already sent, on the Monroe Doctrine, be inserted in the Treaty, sufficient Republicans who signed the Round Robin would probably retreat from their position and vote for ratification so that it would carry If the other suggestions were adopted, I feel confident that all but a feho oppose any league would be driven to accept theue”

Mr Taft's recommendations were in substance incorporated in the Covenant of the League of Nations

Eness to confer with leading Republicans, even those outside of official relationshi+p, on March 27, 1919, Mr Polk, Acting Secretary of State, dispatched to Secretary of State Lansing, for the President, proposed amendue of Nations, involving the establishment of a Court of Justice Immediately upon receipt of Mr Polk's cable, the President addressed to Colonel House, aletter, marked ”Confidential”

Paris March 30, 1919

MY DEAR HOUSE:

Here is a dispatch so Mr Root's ideas as to amendments which should be made to the Covenant I think you will find so Perhaps you have already seen it

In haste

Affectionately yours, WOODROW WILSON

COLONEL E M HOUSE, Hotel Crillon, Paris

A coestions presented by Mr Taft and Mr Root, which will be found in the Appendix, with the existing Covenant of the League of Nations, will readily convince any person desiring to reach the truth of the matter, that all the material amendments proposed by these e on the business in hand were eht back by President Wilson

CHAPTER xxxVII

WILSON--THE LONE HAND