033.5511/343b: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Belgium (Armour)
535. Give publicity to following:
President of United States and King of the Belgians clasped hands at the former’s bedside at the White House late Thursday [Page 191] afternoon as the climax of the Royal Belgian Party’s historic visit to the United States. The entire Belgian Party left the National Capital at midnight Thursday to sail homeward bound from Newport News on the George Washington today.
Following their nation wide tour of the United States, with general enthusiasm marking their entire itinerary from coast to coast as the nation’s guests, the King and Queen of the Belgians and the Duke of Brabant and the other members of the official party from heroic Belgium, spent three days at Washington with a crowded program of entertainment indicative of the close friendship between the American and Belgian peoples. President Wilson was ill but the Vice President of the United States and the Secretary of State entertained Royal Party at formal dinners, Belgian Embassy entertained at dinner and there were other festal events in honor of Royal Party.
In course of their stay at Washington there were formal ceremonies at the Capitol where the King addressed both Houses, there was a pilgrimage to the shrine of George Washington at Mount Vernon, the King received degree of doctor of laws from the Catholic University and the George Washington University and the Queen had conferred upon her degree of doctor of letters by Trinity College. The King traveled incognito to Naval Academy Annapolis yesterday while the Queen traveled incognito to Baltimore where she visited the Red Cross Hospital for the Blind and Johns Hopkins University.
King and Queen and Duke of Brabant called at the White House to take tea informally with Mrs. Wilson and the King at the request of the President went to the latter’s sick room and spent a short time at the bedside where the President and the King held converse. The Queen, accompanied by Mrs. Wilson, and the Duke of Brabant visited the President for a few minutes at the latter’s request.
The Belgian Party left on a special train at midnight for Newport News, members of the Cabinet and other officials of the Department of State and the personnel of the Belgian Embassy being among those gathered to bid the party farewell. The King, on behalf of himself, Queen and Duke of Brabant expressed appreciation of America’s hospitality and referred to the lasting friendship between the United States and Belgium. The Secretary of State and Mrs. Lansing, the Secretary of the Navy and Mrs. Daniels, the Belgian Ambassador, Baron de Cartier, and the Third Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Breckinridge Long, accompanied the Royal Party to Newport News, the port of departure. A visit to the Portsmouth Navy Yard this morning was included in the program.