1919 US passport
Versailles participant for the AJC.
World War One is notoriously remembered also by its outcome and the events that ultimately lead to the next war that erupted 20 years later.
1919 was an important year that signaled changes in old world orders, such as the decline of empires and establishment of new nations across the globe, primarily in the European continent.
The Treaty of Versailles was an international attempt to tackle past and present issues following the end of the 1914-1918 war. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allies and was signed on June 28th 1919, and it is considered as one of the major peace treaties to be signed.
One of the most severe outcome of this treaty was Germany’s position of accepting responsibility for “causing all the loss and damage” during the war (known as article 31 and also being called the infamous “War Guilt Clause”).
US passport number 56179 was issued on January 10th 1919 to Harry Cutler from New York.
Harry was an important public figure, an industrialist and communal official figure to his community. From 1908 to 1911 he even served as a state assemblyman in Rhode Island. Being a colonel in the National Guard during WWI he was also an important aid to General John J. Pershing in 1916 during the Mexican border campaign.
It was during the war that he made a huge contribution to the welfare of US soldiers, by taking part in the establishing of the National Jewish Welfare Board and being the chairman of its executive committee.
Due to his position, he was part of a delegation of 9 members sent by the American Jewish Congress to represent Jewish interests at the Versailles Conference. It was THIS passport that enabled him to make that journey to Paris.
His other duties included membership in the executive committees of the American Jewish Committee, Zionist Organization of America, American Joint Distribution Committee and more.
The passport has the necessary visas from the French & British consulates in New York, important military permits to travel to and from Paris at the time of attending the conference.
I have added images of this WWI US passport.
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