John R. Rathom
John Revelstoke Rathom (1868–1923) was an Australian-born American journalist and editor who became a powerful figure in Rhode Island journalism, best known as the editor of The Providence Journal.
Before the United States entered World War I, Rathom worked with British intelligence at Wellington House. He published British propaganda in the Journal, including stories about German war crimes. These pieces were picked up by many American papers and helped push the U.S. toward joining Britain in the war. Later, it was shown that many of his claims that the Journal uncovered German espionage were false, but he kept a reputation as a brave anti-German crusader.
Rathom also had a long public dispute with Franklin D. Roosevelt early in Roosevelt’s political career. He was a flamboyant advocate of Anglophilia (favoring Britain), anti-immigrant sentiment, strong anti-communism, and opposition to the League of Nations. Time magazine once described him as someone who “raises hell and sells papers.”
In 2004, the Providence Journal conceded that most of Rathom’s reporting came from British intelligence sources that used Rathom to plant anti-German stories in American media. Despite this, his papers were very profitable and he remained a major figure in American journalism.
Biographically, Rathom’s early years are murky and many claims about them are unreliable. He was born in Melbourne, Australia, on July 4, 1868, possibly as John Solomon, but many parts of his story cannot be verified. He did not attend Harrow, and his tales of adventures in places like Sudan, China, and Alaska are questionable. He likely arrived in the United States around 1889 and worked for several newspapers on the West Coast, including the San Francisco Chronicle. He covered the Spanish–American War in Cuba and later claimed many adventures that cannot be confirmed. He became naturalized American in Chicago in 1906 and later had a history of personal and professional exaggeration and self-promotion.
Rathom’s personal life also drew attention. He first married Mary Harriet Crockford in Canada. He later had a long-term relationship with Florence Mildred Campbell, living with her as husband and wife, while his first wife sued for divorce. These relationships were often omitted from his public biography.
At The Providence Journal, Rathom rose to managing editor and then editor and general manager. He pushed for the United States to enter World War I on Britain’s side and oversaw a string of articles about German spies and propaganda. Much of this reporting relied on British sources, and Rathom helped turn his paper and himself into national figures. However, some of his most sensational claims backfired.
One infamous episode involved the Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor Karl Muck, whom Rathom accused of refusing to play the national anthem. The accusation sparked arrests and deportations, though it was later understood to be based on faulty reporting. The U.S. Department of Justice warned Rathom and demanded he reveal his sources. In 1918, Rathom signed a letter admitting that much of his sensational material came from British intelligence and propaganda interests. The World’s Work magazine briefly stopped running his series after government pressure, though Rathom’s reputation did not immediately suffer.
Rathom also reported on the Newport Navy scandal, which involved undercover Navy investigations into gay nightlife and prostitution in Newport. Rathom sided with religious leaders who opposed the Navy’s methods and clashed with Franklin D. Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The dispute helped shape public opinion and political tensions in Washington. In the 1920 campaign season, Rathom attacked Roosevelt again, this time accusing him of improper actions related to sailors convicted by court-martial. Roosevelt denied the charges, and a libel suit was never pursued after the government released Rathom’s earlier confession.
After World War I, Rathom stayed a controversial public figure. He aligned with conservative causes, opposed the League of Nations, and promoted strong American nationalism. He also served as a director of the Associated Press and was president of the New England Daily Newspapers Association. He was honored by Belgium and Italy for his wartime advocacy. Rathom died in Providence in 1923 and was buried in Swan Point Cemetery, though his grave is unmarked. He also played a notable role in the Boy Scouts movement in Rhode Island, and Rathom Lodge at the Yawgoog Scout Reservation was named after him in 1929.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:12 (CET).