The New York herald., 1921-05-17
WAR SECRETS BOOK
STIRS WASHINGTON
Publication Arranged With
Firm That Promises Not to
Divulge Authors Name.
MRS. WILSON TO FIGURE
Inside Story Of Lansing's Dis
missal to BE T0ld-Guesses
on Writer'S Identity.
Special Despatch 10 THE NEW YoEK HERALp.
New York Herald Bureau,
washinEton, ID. c., May l6.

Special Despatch TO THE NEW YoRK HEKALp.
New York Herald nureau.
washinKton. ID. c., May l6.
The name of the writer of Mirrors
OF Washington" the book OF war Sc
crets which is worrying some Of the
most important figures OF Washington
at this time, IL to remain a secret II the
publishers succeed in what they started
to do.
1t developed tonight that the book
Is to be Issued by a Arm 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 re-
Gently because OF It's reports of the inner
secrets of the British Government dur
ing the war.
The authorship OF Mirrors OF Down
inR Street was laid at the door OF
half dozen distinguished persons and
while the public felt that any one of
them might have written It, yet no
body actually knew. The speculation
s,in continues.
Around the clubs, In the embassies
and at the Capitol. the guessing Is on
In earnest 1t Is coming to be pasttme
and II Is expected that II will continue
for some time, that Is. II the book lives
UP TO the promises which have been
made for /, by those who know or think
they know what II Is TO contain
dusting off of the real records OF the
war period for the benefit OF the public
without regard for the feelings OF any
body.
Those expected to be discussed In tho
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 dis
nissai by Mr.. Wilson of Robert Lansing
as Secretary OF State. There Is men
ton, too, OF Rear Admiral Grayson. who
was the White House physician under
Mr.. Wilson. There are some Interest
ing 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 ds~n TO the few who were In
position 10 know what happened anc
ye. were not responsible for any OF the
work which was done. All question as
to whether the book !s authentic and
was prepared By some such person Is
dismissed by the fact that the hrm
which has attempted the publishing Is
ioc0 sst hi shed and reliable.
There are cornpa rat.veiy few who
were IN position to sit on the side lines
during The war but who at the same
time had vide enough acquaintance
with an ability to write to prepare such
a booi Such a list would include nat
urary George Harvey. Ambassador to
Grea, Britain; James NJ. Beck. perhaps,
o. Maurice Francis Esan. Ions Minister
&c 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. Suspi-
c,on might easily rest on any OF these
possibilities but Of course nothing dch-
mite is known. Meantin. Washington
Is guessing.