New-York tribune., 1900-01-26
WAR TIME NOTES.
A CRoss-FIRE OF UNONIsT CRITICISM.
THE BLACK PRESS AND THE
YELLOW PREsS-A GROUP OF
MILITARY PORTRAITS.
London. January IL

Bread and the newspaper make up the English
diet in war time. and while one has been white
much Of the other has been black Probably the
editors have understood their public. The Eng
Ish take their pleasures sadly and their revsrses
with searching OF heart and unceasing Erum-
bling At the outbreak Of the war there was
grave miscalculatiOn OF the defensive re-
sources Of the Dutch allies and premature Ella
tion and satisfaction indecisive successes
John Bull has a thick skim but he is sensitive TO
the reprOach Of being vaingIorious and boastf,Il.
He had been overconfdent: he became suspi-
cous. critical and sceptical about his own re-
sources for carrying on war with a crafty foe
Disappointments and reverses caused intense
irritation and humiliation and self-examination
was embittered The English press being d.
prived by the censorship Of the legitimate func-
tions OF enterprise in describing the war dav bv
day with accuracy and fmpressionist effect has
devoted its energies to destructive criticism or
Ministerial policies. War Office methods and the
defects of the military service Day after aav
the English people have eaten their bread Win
the bitter herbs Of newspaper censure and dog
matism.
Mr.. Harmsworth's enterprsing Daily Mail
which had been the champion OF high handed
Imperialism in South Africa and in every o+ber
quarter Of the Empire. sent a star OF train.d
correspondents and descriptive writers 10 the
theatre Of hostilities. and made extensive prena
war edition trains. the conversion Of Mr. Kin
hng's poem into charity bonanza and other ex-
pedients As soon as reverses to British arms
came 1t assumed the leadership Of the Black
Press. attacking Ministers. clamoring for a re-
organization Of the Cabinet. opening fire upon
the War Office and the headquarters stsr and
exposing the defects Of the military service and
the incompetence Of every one responsible for
the defence Of the Empire. In order to popuIarize
fault finding 1t has opened in it's columns a daily
budget OF grumblers' letters for which an ap-
propriate motto would be: Whatever IS Is
wrong If Or. Leyds with subtle craft had
wished TO discourage volunteering and enlist
ment In England for the war he could not have
established more efficient organ Of discomfort
than this ultra Imperialist Journal has been.
If L can be allowed to adapt line from
Horace, the matronly Morning POST has also
been dancing with the wanton satyrs of the
Black Press 1t made excellent ARRANGEMENTS
Tor securing the services Of skilled writer's az
the seat Of war; but it's enterprise would have
been thwarted by the censorship even il II
mad not been singularly unfortunate in having
one correspondent invalided by wounds another
taken prisoner and another carried of by en-
teric fever. For its increase IN circulation a
single writer ar the home Office, rather than Its
stan OF correspondents in the field. must be
held accountable. Each number has contained
the military situation. and this has been read
to the exclusion of leaders and belated war
DISPATCHES Mr.. Wilkinson in time OF peace tz
good humOred dramatic critic but he has
Deen an officer Of volunteers has written a
series Of books on military questions and In
perial defence. and is qualified by the possession
Of a sngularly lucid and effective style for the
work which he is now doing. Mr.. Wilkinson is
however. dogmatic critic and a pessinist with
a TpT tale
national crisis While his criticism Of official
mismanagement Of the war has been searching
and destructive, the effect OF HIS daily review
OF military operations has been distinctly dis
piriting
''The Times has not displayed much enter
prise in war correspondence, but it has had a
thoughtful and lucid review Of operations in the
field day by day If it is also to be included in
the list Of the Black Press it is because the
leaders from time to time have been deeply
tinged with depression and its discomfort with
the management Of the campaign and the policy
OF the Government has been sharply and stern
ly expressed The Standard has been mora
temperate in criticism and more energetic in
field correspondence than The Times" but 1t
has also been gloomy journal in war time with
an undertone Of lack Of confidence in the Union
ist Government. The Daily Telegraph has
published the finest and most comprehensive
ton Of the British repulse at Colenso; and IL
has taken fairly cheerful view OF the milf
tary situation. All these journals which I have
mentioned united last week in condemning Mr..
Balfour's speeches at Manchester and in rebuk-
ing him for his indiscretion in defending the War
Office and in dealing with national misfortunes
in a dreamy spirit of phiosophic fataIism- Yet
Mr.. BaIfour is Lord Salisbury's natural sue
cessOr as Conservative or Unionist Prime Minis
ter and the only member Of the Cabinet compe-
tent to reorganize it. if history repeats itself
and the present coalition Government goes
down like the Aberdeen Ministry during the ter
rible winter Of the Crirnea-
In this list OF the Black Press I have not IN
cluded the leading Liberal journals. and they
do not belong IN It. The most cheerful news
paper IN London during these dark days OF
storm and stress has been The Daily News
Under the editorship Of Mr.. z. T. Cook IL has
become the brightest and best written OF the
London journals, and 1t has been temperate In
criticism Of War Office shortcomings, optimistic
in its views of the military situation. reassur-
ing and confident In its leaders and well In
formed in it's correspondence. The Daily
Chronicle since AIr. Massingham's retirement
has also tried to look upon the bright side and
has not been probing all the weak places in the
military system; and it has been as wei
served in the field as the conditions OF press
censorship allow. THE Manchester Guardian
while violently opposed to Mr.. Chamberlain's
to a national crisis. and has not made par
Government for mismanagement Of the cam
%R,s, ,,l-1.Y-