January 8, 1918 - Visit from Silver Creek friend

Don Martin diary entry for Tuesday, January 8, 1918:
Had a pleasant visit with Dan Ried, once of Silver Creek. Had dinner with him in Savoy. Talked about everyone in Silver Creek, particularly of John Knox and his family. Afterward I went to Dan’s room and met other members of the Am. comm. of which he is a member. Wrote letter to Dorothy + sent it by Dan. Dan told me some interesting things about his observations in France and I shall write a story about them. Early in the day I saw Colonel [John] Buchan, intelligence man for the Foreign Service [Director of Information].

Got lot of letters from N.Y. One from Joe Tumulty, Secretary to President Wilson [from 1911-1921].

Weather wintry. Coldest day of year. Snow.

Pres. Woodrow Wilson with private secretary Joseph Tumulty, 1915 

     Mr. Bennett followed up his letter of the day before with a short one on January 8.

January 8, 1918

Dear Mr. Martin

     The enclosed letter [not found] explains itself. You may find the sub-editors mentioned useful as sources of information or counsel when working up news features. You would do well, therefore, to get in touch with them and cultivate friendly relations with any who seem likely to be of service. It might be advisable to show one or another of them some little courtesy – an invitation to luncheon or dinner. I shall willingly refund to you reasonable outlay so incurred, as it may be productive of news results and thus prove a good investment.

Yours truly,

J. G. Bennett

- - - - -

   That day, January 8, in Washington, President Wilson addressed a joint session of Congress in a major speech laying out America’s aims for the Great War in 14 points, which became known as Wilson’s Fourteen Points. They were generally well received. Don Martin noted the event in his diary the next day.