100 Years Ago September 1919 – Wilson’s Tour Cut Short
Selected from the pages of The Middletown Press and lightly annotated by Sally Haase
Wilson’s Tour, Washington, Sept.02, 1919: Leaving here on his 27 day western tour, the president intends to swing public sentiment behind his demand for a speedy ratification of the peace treaty.
Wilson’s Tour Begins, Ohio, Sept. 04, 1919: Highlights of the President’s Speech:
- “This treaty is not intended to end this single war but all wars.”
- “Don’t let men pull this treaty down.”
- “The world is waiting on America today.”
- “The treaty will be accepted. I have never doubted that fact.”
Pershing Returns, NYC, Sept. 10, 1919: Pershing led his victorious overseas troops in a parade down Fifth avenue. The masses of humanity of 2,000,000 and five miles long shattered all cheering records. General Pershing was officially welcomed home today in a formal ceremony at City Hall. In his address, the general said, “Eager to fight, our men passed through your gates on their way, and your hospitality and welcome gave them renewed courage. When they returned victorious you gave them full measure of the same hospitality. It has formed an unbreakable bond between them and this great city.”
Wilson’s Tour, Bismarck, N.D., Sept.10, 1919: The President enjoyed a very restful period today with only one stop. A good crowd was at the depot and the hall was filled. “Reject this treaty and we will have to send more than two million men to war within a generation,” said the President. “Until the people of the world know that Americans will lead in the efforts of peace unrest will continue. The mind of the world is waiting for the verdict.”
Wilson’s Tour, Billing, Mont., Sept. 11, 1919: The president in his address declared that it would be impossible ever again to draft a treaty that would be accepted by all nations that participated in the negotiations. He charged that the right in the United States are “apostles of Lenine.” “We must see that they cannot try to get possession of the government of the United States,” he said.
Mrs. Wilson Popular With Crowds. Aboard Wilson’s Special Train, Sept. 11, 1919: Mrs. Woodrow Wilson is enjoying the trip that the president is making fully as much, if not more than he is. Her charming personality has made a real hit with the crowds, and women everywhere spend most of the time gazing at her and inspecting her costumes.
Lansing Calls League Useless, Washington, Sept. 12, 1919: The League of Nations covenant was declared by Secretary Lansing to be “entirely useless,” Wm. M. Builitt, former attaché to the American peace commission, testified before the senate foreign relations committee. Builitt asserted that Lansing made this declaration in the course of conversation he had with the secretary of state on May 19 last. “If the senate and the American people understand all that the treaty lets them in for, it will unquestionably be defeated,” Builitt quoted Lansing as having said to him. In Lansing’s opinion, Builitt testified, “the great powers had gone ahead and arranged the world to suit themselves.”
Senator Johnson Responds, Sioux City, S.D., Sept. 17, 1919: Senator Hiram Johnson speaking before an audience that in size nearly equaled that which greeted President Wilson on his recent visit here, hurled a direct challenge to the president when he declared that “the choice is not between the League of Nations and Germanism, but between the League of Nations and Americanism.” Referring to this comment, Senator Johnson said, “The choice is between Mr. Wilson’s internationalism, which subordinates and subjects Americanism to European and Asiatic power, and the Americanism that has been ours for 140 years.” Johnson continued, “The only country that has so far ratified the treaty is Great Britain. France Italy and Japan have not yet acted. All four of these nations get enormous gains. The only country which takes burdens alone is our country. “
A New Political Party, Independent, New York, Sept. 22, 1919: A new political party, whose founders style themselves “Independent Voters” not in sympathy with the democrats or republicans, is getting ready to throw its hat in the ring for the 1920 campaign. The initial convention, with representation from every state, will be held in St. Louis. In a circular sent out the two old line parties are charged with turning over the government to “reactionary and predatory interests” adding: “They have levied huge loans and raised great sums by heavy taxation necessitating careful economy on the part of the citizens while the government itself disbursed money thus raised with callous extravagance.”
Train En route to The Rockies, Sept.23, 1919: With seven days yet remaining of his “Swing around the circle” trip, President Wilson spent most of today on his special train, the Mayflower, running over the Rocky Mountains. He and Mrs. Wilson sat for hours on the observation platform of the train gazing at the mountains, the streams winding down their mountain faces and here and there a forest fire. Half a dozen times the forest fires were too close for comfort and scorch of the resin-fed flames penetrated to the steel cars composing the train.
Illness Cut Tour Short, Wichita, Kan., Sept.26, 1919: Wilson’s train stopped in Wichita to send word that the president was ill and that the trip had been called off.
Train Enroute to Washington, Sept.27, 1919: Secluded in his private car, the Mayflower, the president was en route to the White House. Just how sick may not be completely determined for days. His condition is sufficiently grave as to cause both his personal physician and his devoted wife material concern. “The president has attempted too much. That is the plain and honest fact of the case. He has stirred his none too sturdy and vigorous physique far beyond its normal capacity,” said his personal physician Admiral Grayson.
The president’s condition is not alarming. Admiral Grayson has made that very plain in order to offset wild rumors that he suffered a complete nervous breakdown. The present illness is directly traceable to his illness in Paris in June. There he was sieged with an attack of influenza. The cough that was contracted …has stuck with him ever since.
100 years ago, much has changed and, then again, nothing has changed.
