April 29, 1919

This morning the President gave House a brief account of what happened at the last-minute meeting designed to pacify Orlando, or at least to keep him from “running out” on the conference. It was engineered by Lloyd George and took place in his private apartment in the rue Nitot. “I regret you were not present,” explained the President, “for while completely unsuccessful it was illuminating.”

Apparently before the President appeared Lloyd George had tried to calm down the now angry Sicilian. Above everything he begged him to be “careful.” “Remember,” he said (this from Aldovrandi), “Wilson is not only an obstinate man, he is also a vindictive one. We must humor him. If he left us in the lurch, Europe would be in a sad plight indeed.”

Orlando’s reply was, “Yes, everybody is generous—including Wilson. Yes, even he promises me everything but what is necessary, absolutely necessary, to save my position as head of the government.” Wilson (still according to Aldovrandi) was very affectionate with the Tiger, who was not in his usual good humor. Wilson addressed him as “my dear friend,” and the Tiger’s riposte was, “I am all of a tremble when you address me with those endearing words.” Then Wilson bridled and said, “I will then call you ‘my illustrious colleague.’“ With this out of the way, Wilson, Lloyd George, and Clemenceau vied with one another in assuring the Sicilian how fond they were of him, how they would miss him, how delightful in many respects their talks had been. Orlando replied, “You may be still fonder of me next week when you may well be confronted with d’Annunzio in my place.”

Apparently coming to the conclusion that the Italian situation was hopeless, Lloyd George darted off to the Antipodes and took up the cudgels for little Hughes of Australia, who hates the ground that Wilson walks on, a feeling that is reciprocated in a generous measure. “Hughes is very bitter, Mr. President. He says that great America suffered fewer casualties in the war than little Australia, yet you oppose all her just claims and seek to shape the peace alone, excluding all others.”

Again and not unnaturally Wilson lost his temper. “Do you mean to minimize our contribution or to deny that through our assistance the war was brought to a successful conclusion? ”

“Of course not, of course not,” repeated Lloyd George. “However, we are so far apart as to many problems, let us not pursue this prickly question further.”

Then Clemenceau put in his oar. “I made war, but now I want to make peace. I hope you will help me. And mark what I say. I am not going to allow incompetent generals and bellicose civilians to spoil it—not if I can help it.”

House laughed quietly as he put away the notes that came to him from an undisclosed source. “What luck we had in not being at that party,” was his only comment.