Washington Journal., 1943-05-14
GLIMPSES OF SOME CONTEMPORARIES
My Cousin Lloyd
My Cousin Lloyd

Roosevelt sent the gunboat "Yankton', fol
lowed by Admiral Sperry, with four more war
ships to help in the relief work. Without
awaiting specific orders Lloyd chartered a
special train and together with his military
and naval attaches, Major Lands and Com
mander Belknap, as well as with his wife's
cousin, Bayard Cutting, with Winthrop Chan
Ter and the American artists John Elliott and
Robert Hale, who happened to be in Rome,
on a chartered relief ship from Genoa be-
took himself to Messia, where he took local
charge Of the Red Cross work.
1t was a brilliant piece of humanitarian
work, for which Lloyd was thanked warmly,
not only by the Italian King and Queen, but
also by Col. Roosevelt not long afterward,
when the Ex-President on his way to Africa
inspected the ware houses and barracks that
had been reared at Messina under Lloyd's
supervision.
He had made so favorable an impression
on Mr.. Taft, during the congressional vista
ton Of Tokyo and now again during the relief
work at Messina, that the new President after
| Col. Roosevelt's departure for Africa would
not accept Lloyd's offered resignation from
diplomatic service, but retained him as am
bassador in Italy until his relief work in
| Sicily was finished. With that browning
achievement ended Lloyd's career in our
diplomatic service.
A Political InterIude
After ten years thus spent abroad he came
back to New York to return to his quondam
legal profession as an international lawyer.
Once more he dabbled with politics in Man
haitian and was elected County Chairman Of
the Republican voters there. When Col.
Roosevelt returned from abroad and the rift
came between him and President Taft my
cousin, like so many other friends of both
men, found himself on the horns of a dilemma.
| He did not feel like following Teddy in his
Bull Moose campaign; on the other hand he
could not bring himself to side against him;
so he fell between the two stools and found
himself out of politics.
A Soldier Diplomat
But for the first World War my cousin
Lloyd might never have had another chance
to display his high diplomatic talents.
Having returned to military service after
our country's entry into that war in the
Spring Of 1917, he was commissioned a major
and presently advanced to the grade of adj
iutant Of the 18th Infantry Division-the So
called Rainbow Division. Serving in France
with that division he had the good luck to
come under the eye of General Pershing, who
remembered him favorably since the days
wien lie udu served uuu0T 1lOyu DIS Ills HILL
tary attache in Japan.
General Pershing, who needed a competent
liaison officer to smooth down the complica-
lions constantly arising between his head
quarters and those Of the British Army's
general staff as well as the British War
Ministry, lost no time in transferring Lloyd
from his adjutant's post to London.
1t was a very responsible task calling for
highest diplomatic talents and representative
functions which kept Lloyd constantly on the
jump, dealing with men like Premier Lloyd
George, Lords Miner, Balfour and Boner
Law, either in London or during perilous trips
through the war zone between Haig's, Per-
shing's and Foch' s headquarters and the front
sectors.
What. General Pershing thought of his
liaison officers services was shown by Lloyd's
promotion to a lieutenant-colonelcy in the
field and by appreciative citations resulting
i'll high military decorations conferred on him
by his chief and by the King Of England.
When the war was over Lloyd rode directly
behind General Pershing in the victory
parades held in London and New York.
Had | not been detained in Europe then,
| should nave rejoiced to be among the en-
tbusiastic crowd Of admirers, who cheered
the returning soldier-diplomat, as he rode
under the Victory Arch on Washington
Square at this highwater mark Of his event
full public career.
1.-THE END
MM