Philip Dru: Administrator facts for kids
Title page, 1912
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| Author | Edward Mandell House |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Political novel |
| Publisher | B. W. Huebsch |
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Publication date
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1912 |
| Pages | 312 |
| OCLC | 1533564 |
Philip Dru: Administrator: A Story of Tomorrow, 1920-1935 is a special kind of book called a political novel. It was written in 1912 by Edward Mandell House. He was an American diplomat, which means he helped his country deal with other countries. He was also a politician and an important advisor to the president on foreign policy.
When the book first came out, no one knew who wrote it. The author was a secret! But later, a politician named Senator Lawrence Sherman told everyone that Edward House was the author. Historians, who are people who study the past, say that House really liked his book. He even gave a copy to his close friend, Woodrow Wilson, who later became president.
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What People Thought About the Book
Philip Dru was quite popular when it was first published. Many people talked about it and wrote reviews.
Historian Paul Johnson said that the book was like a preview of what President Woodrow Wilson would do. He noted that the book's hero, Philip Dru, made changes like taxing big companies and breaking up powerful banks. These were similar to things Wilson did when he became president.
Billie Jensen, a historian, thought Philip Dru showed what Edward House hoped for the future. She said it was amazing how quickly some of the book's ideas became real. She also noted how much influence House had on President Wilson. Because of this, she called Philip Dru a very important political document.
Franklin K. Lane, who worked for President Wilson, also saw links between the book and Wilson's actions. He said that many things in the book slowly started to happen, even things like women getting the right to vote. He felt that President Wilson was like Philip Dru in the end.
Walter Lippmann, a writer for The New York Times, reviewed the book. He said it was "extraordinarily interesting" if the author was truly someone involved in politics.
Senator Lawrence Y. Sherman spoke about the book in Congress. He said it showed all of Edward House's ideas very clearly. He believed that the book was like a secret autobiography of House himself. The Senator also felt the book showed how House wanted to change the country's rules.
Historian Walter A. McDougall compared Philip Dru to an old movie from 1933 called Gabriel Over the White House. Both stories are about powerful leaders making big changes.
The Story of Philip Dru
The story of Philip Dru takes place between 1920 and 1935. The main character, Philip Dru, leads the people of the western United States. They are fighting for a more democratic way of life. They go to war against the rich and powerful people in the eastern United States. This is like a civil war in the story.
After Philip Dru wins and becomes the country's respected leader, he steps down. He does this after making sure that fairness and democracy are back in the country. In the book, Edward House also shared many of his ideas for how a country should be run. These ideas included:
- Fair Business Rules: A law that would make sure companies work with the government and their workers.
- Sharing Profits: Companies that provide public services (like electricity) should share their money with the government.
- Government Ownership: The government should own all telegraph and telephone systems.
- Railroad Management: The government should have a say in how railroads are run.
- One-Term President: The president should only serve one term in office.
- Help for Seniors: New laws to help older people with pensions.
- Worker Insurance: Laws to protect workers if they get hurt on the job.
- Farmer Support: Ways for farmers to work together and get loans.
- Job Help: Free offices to help people find jobs.
- Work Hours: An eight-hour workday, six days a week.
- Workers' Rights: The idea that workers are not just things to be bought and sold.
- Solving Work Fights: The government should help solve disagreements between workers and companies.
- Healthcare for All: The government should own all healthcare services.
Main Characters
The book has several characters. Philip Dru is the main hero of the story. Other characters include Gloria Strawn and her brother Jack Strawn. There are also characters named John Thor and Senator Selwyn.
