War Secrets Book Stirs Washington
Title
War Secrets Book Stirs Washington
Creator
Unknown
Identifier
WWP16343
Date
1921 May 17
Description
A newspaper article speculates on the authorship of an forthcoming book on the American government in World War I.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Special Despatch to The New York Herald.
The name of the writer of “Mirrors of Washington,” the book of war secrets which is worrying some of the most important figures of Washington at this time, is to remain a secret if the publishers succeed in what they started to do.
It developed to-night that the book is to be issued by a firm with which an agreement has been reached that not the slightest hint as to the identity of the author is to reach the public.
This is the rule which was followed by the companion book, “Mirrors of Downing Street,” which stirred the British Isles and the United States recently because of its reports of the inner secrets of the British Government during the war.
The authorship of “Mirrors of Downing Street” was laid at the door of half a dozen distinguished persons and while the public felt that any one of them might have written it, yet nobody actually knew. The speculation still continues.
Around the clubs, in the embassies and at the Capitol, the guessing is on in earnest. It is coming to be a pastime and it is expected that it will continue for some time, that is, if the book lives up to the promises which have been made for it by those who know or think they know what it is to contain—a dusting off of the real records of the war period for the benefit of the public without regard for the feelings of anybody.
Those expected to be discussed in the book and therefore beyond suspicion of the authorship are President Harding, Woodrow Wilson, William G. McAdoo, Newton D. Baker, Josephus Daniels, William J. Bryan, Lindley S. Garrison, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Senator Hiram Johnson, Senator Borah and others.
One of the features of the book is said to be an inside story of the dismissal by Mr. Wilson of Robert Lansing as Secretary of State. There is mention, too, of Rear Admiral Grayson, who was the White House physician under Mr. Wilson. There are some interesting things to be said about Mrs. Wilson and what part she had to play in the scheme of things.
The question of who wrote the book narrows down to the few who were in position to know what happened and yet were not responsible for any of the work which was done. All question as to whether the book is authentic and was prepared by some such person is dismissed by the fact that the firm which has attempted the publishing is long established and reliable.
There are comparatively few who were in position to sit on the side lines during the war but who at the same time had a wide enough acquaintance with an ability to write to prepare such a book. Such a list would include naturally George Harvey, Ambassador to Great Britain; James M. Beck, perhaps, or Maurice Francis Egan, long Minister to Denmark but who when he gave up the post returned to Washington, where he remained for the period during which the United States was at war. Suspicion might easily rest on any of these possibilities, but of course nothing definite is known. Meantime Washington is guessing.
The name of the writer of “Mirrors of Washington,” the book of war secrets which is worrying some of the most important figures of Washington at this time, is to remain a secret if the publishers succeed in what they started to do.
It developed to-night that the book is to be issued by a firm with which an agreement has been reached that not the slightest hint as to the identity of the author is to reach the public.
This is the rule which was followed by the companion book, “Mirrors of Downing Street,” which stirred the British Isles and the United States recently because of its reports of the inner secrets of the British Government during the war.
The authorship of “Mirrors of Downing Street” was laid at the door of half a dozen distinguished persons and while the public felt that any one of them might have written it, yet nobody actually knew. The speculation still continues.
Around the clubs, in the embassies and at the Capitol, the guessing is on in earnest. It is coming to be a pastime and it is expected that it will continue for some time, that is, if the book lives up to the promises which have been made for it by those who know or think they know what it is to contain—a dusting off of the real records of the war period for the benefit of the public without regard for the feelings of anybody.
Those expected to be discussed in the book and therefore beyond suspicion of the authorship are President Harding, Woodrow Wilson, William G. McAdoo, Newton D. Baker, Josephus Daniels, William J. Bryan, Lindley S. Garrison, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Senator Hiram Johnson, Senator Borah and others.
One of the features of the book is said to be an inside story of the dismissal by Mr. Wilson of Robert Lansing as Secretary of State. There is mention, too, of Rear Admiral Grayson, who was the White House physician under Mr. Wilson. There are some interesting things to be said about Mrs. Wilson and what part she had to play in the scheme of things.
The question of who wrote the book narrows down to the few who were in position to know what happened and yet were not responsible for any of the work which was done. All question as to whether the book is authentic and was prepared by some such person is dismissed by the fact that the firm which has attempted the publishing is long established and reliable.
There are comparatively few who were in position to sit on the side lines during the war but who at the same time had a wide enough acquaintance with an ability to write to prepare such a book. Such a list would include naturally George Harvey, Ambassador to Great Britain; James M. Beck, perhaps, or Maurice Francis Egan, long Minister to Denmark but who when he gave up the post returned to Washington, where he remained for the period during which the United States was at war. Suspicion might easily rest on any of these possibilities, but of course nothing definite is known. Meantime Washington is guessing.
Original Format
Article
Files
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “War Secrets Book Stirs Washington,” 1921 May 17, WWP16343, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.