by Vivian Reed, part 7.
Gibson, still in Rome, hears Horodyski’s assessment of his May 11, 1918 meeting with Pope Benedict XV.
An encounter with Skirmunt provided Gibson with valuable insight into Polish unease over the particulars of Wilson’s support of Poland.
“Horodyski came in to see me in the course of the morning [Monday, May 13, 1918] with an account of his visit to the Pope on Saturday [May 11]. He had an hour and evidently said his little say at his ease. He gathered the impression that the Pope was a good deal irritated by the attitude of the military party in Germany and by the overbearing manner of the Governments of the Central Empires. He seemed to lean a good deal more to the side of the Allies than he had when last Horodyski saw him, though of course he does not expect to see him come out in the open as a supporter of the allied cause. …
Lunched with Skirmunt at the Excelsior [May 14]. He was filled as usual with the Polish question and was quite interesting. He said recent letters received from Poland revealed some anxiety as to just what the President [Wilson] meant by referring to territories that were “indisputably” Polish.”
Notes: Pope Benedict XV was horrified by the onset of World War I, immediately declaring Vatican neutrality and focusing on humanitarian issues. Both sides feared he favored the other. Horordyski sought to enlist Vatican support not just for the Allies, but also for Poland.
In his famous ‘14 Points’, Wilson had put the resurrection of the Polish state – which had been dismantled by the German, the Austrian and the Russian Empires at the end of the 19th century – on the political agenda in January 1918.
As they lunched at the Excelsior, Gibson found Skirmunt charming and informative. By relaying concerns raised by Poles in Polish territory, Skirmunt not only piqued Gibson interest, but he also provided a tutorial for Gibson on the perceived ambiguity of Wilson’s support of Polish independence.
Please look for the next post when Gibson defends Horodyski against a blast from US Ambassador Thomas Nelson Page. Until then, stay well and thrive!
Vivian