John T. Winterich (1891-1970) was one of the first writers for the Stars and Stripes during the First World War, managing editor, and eventually one of the most influential bibliophiles of the early twentieth century. He is credited with having penned over 275 articles in over nearly 150 publications as well as having written the introduction to the American classic Of Mice and Menby John Steinbeck. While serving in World War I, he became one of the first members of the editorial staff of Stars and Stripes, the newspaper for servicemen. At this time he met Abian A. ("Wally") Wallgren, who provided cartoons for all 71 issues of the World War I edition of Stars and Stripes (1918-1919). Together, Wallgren and Winterich published The A.E.F. [American Expeditionary Force] in Cartoon (1933). In 1919 Winterich succeeded Harold Ross as editor of the American Legion Magazine, a post he held until 1938. During the 1930s he became active in bibliophile activities as editor of The Colophon and as a member of the Grolier Club. After service in World War II as an officer assigned to the Pentagon to deal with censorship issues, Winterich became a contributing editor to the Saturday Review of Literature in 1946; he continued to write for the SRL until his death in 1970. Winterich provided many introductions to special and limited editions. Among his own books are A Primer of Book Collecting (1935) and The Grolier Club: An Informal History (1967). RARE TLS, Washington DC, Oct. 2, 1945, 1 full page, signed "Whit". To the famous cartoonist, Wally Wallgren. Pencil notation at top is in Wally's hand.

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