New-York tribune., 1918-02-28
Ratl2o1m Denies
Spy Expose Series
Was Suppressed
T Patriotism Alone Reason
for Discontinuance, Edi-
tor Explains

'The Providence Journal" was with
drawn after the appearance of the first
instalment in last months issue of The
magazine, was still a mystery last
night.
Stories that the publications. action
in suppressing the articles had been in
! spired by either the Department Of
Justice or by the President, were de-
med yesterday both at the White
House and the Office of Attorney Gen
cral Gregory.
Mr. Rathom's own explanation. wired
from the Office OF "The Journal" was
the only explanation Forthcoming yes
tertlay.
Patriotism, said Mr.. Rathqm-his
Work, and nobody else's-had alone
caused the sudden discontinuancc of
German Plots Exposed" after the wide
advertising which had been given to it
by Doubleday, Page g. Co., publishers
ol the magazine. Leaving "patriot-
ISM" obviously to account for all the
hurry and furry which attended the
change from "German Plots Exposed"
to "f'Ightng Gcrmany's Spies" the
Providence editor concerned himself
1or the rest with categorical denial
World' Of yesterday morning.
Here is what Mr. Rathom had to say:
The discontinuancc of my articles
in Worlds Work. made the basis for
statement by The New York World
this morning, was the result of a con-
terence between The editors of Worlds
work and myself, and was decided on
from motives of PATRIOTISM and q de-
sire TO perform the largest possible
service during the present war.
"The only direct assertion which The
New York World ventures to put forth
in its effort to make it appear that
these articles have been SUI pressed bv
the government is that, as a result of
an inquiry made by committee com
posed of Charles 4. Hughes, chairman
OF the District Draft Board; Assistant
Attorney General Cox and A. Bruce
bleiaskl, chief of the Bureau of In
vestigation of the Department of jus
tice, government officials conferred
with the publishers Of Worlds Work,
and it was decided to withhold the
other instalments of my articles. This
statement is, in every detail, an abso
Lutte falsehood.
"Ilhre was no such committee, no
such decision was arrived at, and the
only persons concerned in the decision
to cease publication Of my axicles we're
the editors Of Worlds Wok ~arS and NV NV
sell. There never was and is not now
any inhibition, governmental or other
wise, upon the publication Of these
articles. With regard to the publication
by the New York World this morning,
OIL other stateme1ts in regard to the
work of the Providence Journal with
IN the past three years and a half. |
nave nothing to say at this time cx-
cept to point out the very apparent
reason for the attempt, on the part Of
the New York World to discredit the
providence Journal, and to add that
no one OF the hundreds of stories of
German propaganda printed by the
providence Journal ring that entire
period has ever been shown to be mis-
leading OF not founded on fact"
Through the day those in New York
who might have explained why Mr..
kathom's articles have been so abrupt
~ taken out of circulation had chosen
10 keep their own counsel. Assistant
United States Attorney John c. Knox.
Judge Charles L. Hughes and 4. Bruce
Blelaski, chief of the Department OF
Justices Bureau of Investigation
comprising the committee which is said
TO have weighed the merits of Rathom's
assertlons- had nothing to say. Charles
De Woody, head of the Investigation
bureaus local division, was likewise un
communicative.
The only person who talked at all
was Herbert S. Houston, vice-presjdent
of Doubleday, Page & Co.. and his
words went nowhere in the direction of
clarifying the situation:
All that Doubleday, Page &, Co.
have to say will be found in our an
nouncement. That covers all which
concerns the public"
Here Mr Houston opened for inspec-
ton a copy of the belated March mum
Der of "World's Work. On an inside
page opposite that on which appeared
the first article of the substituted snv
series, appeared an announcement that
IN accordance with y mutual agreement
between 'World'a Work" and John r.
Hathom, "Worid's Work" viii discon-
tinuc publication of the series Ger
m"nys Plots Exposed" By Mr. Rathom.
and VIII refund the subscription money
1or the unoXpired term of anv snh.
scribcr who took tho magazine for this
series and who does not .wish to con
tnuc his suhscription without =
natlghting Germanv's Spies" by French
SStrother, 1t was stated, would replace
Mr.. Rathom's articles.
"Although we had decided 10 stand
en- the simple announcement Mr
'iOu"voN Nuued, Will make one con-
cesslon That is, | Will back up Attor-
hoE General Gregory in his denial that
nc or any OF his subordinates PROMPTED
lhc dlscontlnuance Of the series bv Mr.
Rathom" 'il
So far as is known the editors Of
W orld's Worh' had seen only two Of
Mr. Eathom's articles (thcre we're to
nave been SIX or sevcn) when tho de-
clslon to Withdraw the series was
reached. The first was published IN IN
'he February number of the magazine
ana , the second was being prepared for
publication. -''
Mr. Houston held an extended con-
ference IN the afternoon with Otis r
" ood, literary agent, who had beon
lhtrusteo by Doubleday, Page {. Co
win the handling OF the Rathom series
following its publication in "World,s
"ork. Indications are that Mr.. Wood
viii be busy for a few davs as
result, making sundry adjust
ngnts with his clients. Not onlv
had he disposed of Second rights
to moro than twenty American news
papers, but he had sold the Eng
iish rights to Land and Water" which
IN lts last issue had full page an
management of the Forthcoming "ex
pose decorated with photographs of
the kaiser, Won Papen, BoY-td and Won
Bernstortf. Under the line of distin-
guished conspirators in the ADVERTISE
ment appeared the text, THE Rogues'
Gallery"