 Wilson sent Marshall around the nation to deliver morale @-@ boosting speeches and encourage Americans to buy Liberty Bonds in support of the war effort . Marshall was well suited for the job , as he had been earning extra money as a public speaker while vice president , and gladly accepted the responsibility . In his speeches , he cast the war as a " moral crusade to preserve the dignity of the state for the rights of individuals " . In his memoir , he recalled that the war seemed to drag on " with leaden feet " , and that he was relieved when it finally ended . As the war neared its end , Marshall became the first vice president to conduct cabinet meetings ; Wilson left him with this responsibility while traveling in Europe to sign the Versailles treaty and to work on gathering support for his League of Nations idea . Wilson became the first president to personally deliver a treaty to be ratified by the Senate , which he presented to Marshall as the presiding officer during a morning session . 
