Edward Mandell HouseReseñas

This book should be subtitled: How to Become a Socialist Dictator in 12 Easy Steps

Strange stuff and horrid fiction. Worth reading, though, if you are interested in the Progressive Era or Woodrow Wilson, because Edward "Colonel" House was Wilson's closest advisor until the two had a falling out during the post World War I Paris Peace Conference.

After finishing "Philip Dru: Administrator", the best thing I can say about it is that author Edward Mandell House might have created a semi-autobiographical character to explain the political boss system the dominated American politics for nearly half a century. The story of a former West Point graduate who leads a revolution against a corrupt government is not even believable and the 1 million man battle of Elma is laughable. To call the main characters, Dru and Gloria, flat would be an install to every flat character ever written. And the dialogue is for the most part preachy, but not even written well. The novel is just awful and it best to be avoid by anyone wanting to read for literary pleasure.

The edition of the book was printed by the Robert Welch Press, named after the founder of the John Birch Society. The foreword is written by William Norman Grigg and unfortunately reveals an individual who has conspiracies on the brain. Many individuals believe this book is a blueprint for the socialism taking over the American government based on the fact that Edward Mandell House was an adviser to President Woodrow Wilson and later President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Individuals like Mr. Grigg point to all the "socialist" things that happened during the Wilson and later FDR as evidence to this conspiracy, unfortunately they ignore the fact that all these supposedly "socialist" things had been in the political landscape for nearly 50-100 years previous to being enacted. While it was true that House was an adviser to Wilson, the two had a massive falling out during the Versailles Peace Conference, and House never advised really advised FDR and "Philip Dru: Administrator" was just read for possible ideas to help during the Great Depression.

To anyone who believes this book is a blueprint for a socialist conspiracy to topple the American way of life or capitalism, I'm sorry but no. This is just a awful novel written by a politically connected individual, but not a powerful one.½

The ReadaClassic.com edition I have includes a synopsis, which includes the explanation it is "poorly written." Yes indeed it is, yet that is because, in my estimation, is the fact it is policy goals cloaked in fiction.

Many chapters are little more than party platform planks written as either character conversation or narrative. In true propagandist form, Philip Dru is a man of "supernormal intellect, tireless energy, and splendid constructive ability" (p. 127).

The Union's tactics to impose policies of Reconstruction upon the benevolent people's of the South leads to Edward Mandell House's justification for Administrator Dru's militaristic overthrow of America's Constitutional Republic. This negation of a corrupted American system allows Dru to impose one shaped in his more perfect version.

Typically, dystopian stories begin with little to no mention of their creation. This book details the evolution of one such world. Its main character is altruistic and steps down to self-appointed exile after his expertly designed equitable society is well-in-hand.

Philip Dru: Administrator is not a fun read. Although nearly a century after its publication and two presidents to whom its author advised, ideas found within are recognizable in hindsight.

4

Philip Dru: Administrator, Edward M. House, 1912

A novel of the near future, this is the story of one man’s dictatorship of America, and the taking back of the US from the moneyed special interests.

Philip Dru is your average, smarter than normal, West Point graduate. Stationed in the desert Southwest, Gloria, his girlfriend, and sister of Jack, his best friend, comes for an extended visit. Philip nearly destroys his eyesight when he and Gloria get lost in the hills, and almost die. Forced to retire from the military, Philip dedicates his life to social causes, and Gloria is happy to follow. In New York City, they get an up close and personal look at life in a tenement. Philip stays in New York to work for the poor and downtrodden, while Gloria (who comes from a rich family) goes to places like Newport and Palm Beach to convince the rich that, for instance, giving to some charity yearly isn’t enough.

Every five years, the military holds a contest, open to all. Whoever submits the best solution to an intractable military problem will win a medal, and become a national celebrity. Philip wins, and uses his celebrity to write a series of newspaper columns on the subject of poverty. Later, it is revealed that a puppet government has been installed in Washington. It is actually controlled by Senator Selwyn and industrialist John Thor, and its intention is to keep the trusts and moneyed interests in power. The country quickly chooses sides, and over a million soldiers mass near Buffalo, NY for what will be a one-battle civil war. Philip is leading the anti-government forces, and the previous winner of the national military medal, a real general, is leading the other side. After winning the battle, Philip, along with tens of thousands of troops, heads for Washington.

The illegitimate government panics and flees the capital, leaving Senator Selwyn in the White House to do the actual surrendering. Philip declares himself Administrator, and proceeds to totally reform the American government. For instance, he takes the entire judicial system, throws it in the trash, and appoints a high-level commission to start over from the beginning, and make things a lot simpler. He does the same with the railroads, medicine, the tax system, and even the funeral business. There is a new Constitution, dealing with the composition of Congress and the state legislatures. Philip says from the beginning that he does not want to stay in the job permanently, just long enough to fix what is broken, and then give the government back to the people.

Read this book for what it says about America, present and future (as of 1912); don’t read it for the quality of the writing.

Diplomatic History, Military History, WW1 History

Seymour"," Charles