For Don Martin, there was a start-stop story of leaving for Europe
that was nerve-racking and seemingly never-ending. He wrote a lot about it in
his 1917 Diary, with the first mention on August 26, 1917, at the time he was
getting engaged in overseeing the Herald’s electoral poll for the 1917
mayoralty race in New York City. By mid-October it seemed pretty certain that
he would go to Europe after the November election.
Don Martin diary entries
Sunday,
August 26, 1917: Took
4:51 train from Albany to N.Y. On way in office met Ohl, Editor-in-Chief, who
wanted to know if I would consent to go to London as chief correspondent there.
Told him I would if the office would take care of all my financial obligations
and gives me enough to live well on in London. Ohl said he would cable Bennett
in Paris. I doubt if the old man will be willing to give me enough to make the
place possible. I should be glad to go.
Thursday.
August 30, 1917: Guess
nothing will come of the London offer. Saw Ohl at dinner and he didn’t mention
it. I didn’t either. Not so anxious to be separated from [my daughter] Dorothy.
Furthermore Herald probably wouldn’t pay what I demand.
Sunday,
September 2, 1917: Week
has passed and I have heard nothing about the London offer. Guess nothing will
come of it. Don’t suppose Bennett wants to spend as much as I insist on having.
Sunday,
October 7, 1917: Ohl
got cable from Bennett asking when I could go to London. They want me to go but
the office wants me here until after the [November] election. I just [as] soon
go to London if the office will send $40 to $50 a week home and give me enough
to live on in addition. I can’t save anything anyhow so maybe this would be a
good arrangement.
Tuesday,
October 9. 1917: Ohl
said Bennett cabled for me to stay here till after election. From this the
office infers I am to go to London right after election. I am willing. Hate to
be separated in that way from Dorothy. However, I probably won’t be away a
great while, if, in fact, at all.
Daley
says he doesn’t like the London business because he wants me here. However, he
says, if Bennett will send me to the front, it will be worthwhile for me and
Herald both.
And
here I am! With a possible chance to be a war correspondent and have an
experience as a newspaperman abroad! Once, such a thing would have caused great
excitement in me but now not much. I haven’t lost my romantic interest but I
don’t exactly care so much about going so far away from Dorothy.
Sunday,
October 14, 1917: Had
quite a talk with George Cooper. He says Commodore Bennett has his mind made up
for me to go to Europe, but that he wants me to finish up the Mayoralty
campaign. However I shan’t say anything about it till I get definitive word.
Don’t imagine Dorothy will like it but she is a philosopher. I won’t go unless
I can spend a week or so with her first.
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