New-York tribune., 1906-06-18
ANOTHER TIMES" CAUSE cELEBRR

ANOTHER TIMES" CAUSE CELEBRD
Among the causes celebres of the present year in
England the most interesting will undoubtedly be
the lawsuit instituted by q number OF shareholders
OF the London Times against Arthur Walter,
the present chief of the Walter dynasty and the
absolute controller Of the famous organ of
the British press. The action which is to be tried
IN the High Court OF Chancery few weeks hence
by Justice Sir Thomas Warrington, will be chiefly
interesting by OF the fact that It Will pos
sbiy serve to lay bare the mysteries in connection
with the inner workings OF the Times" which
for than hundred years past have been en-
shrouded with degree Of secrecy that has con-
tributed little 10 the prestige and the power
OF paper. In fact. the anonymity of its writers
and OF its owners-an anonymity which was only
partially disclosed at the time Of the Piggott for
gerry and of ''Parnellism and Crime" episode-has
had the effect, than anything else TO cause
the people. both at home and abroad, to regard
its utterances the popul.
Il was with the object OF preserving this anonym-
ity that the Walters have refused four sepa-
rate occasions. offers Of peerages. and that its
editors and managers have never been allowed
TO accept knighthoods. as has been the case with
editors of other papers The public has always
been under the impression that statesmen OF the
highest rank occasionally wrote the leaders or edi
torical articles in the Times" and through the
late Sir William Vernon Harcourt's indscreton it
was pretty well known that he contributed occa-
sIonalIy the columns Of the paper in this fash
ion But any definite Information about the mat
ter it was impossible TO obtain. and so great is
the secrecy observed at the Times Office that
not even the sub-editors and the various members
Of the staff made acquainted with the
identity of this or that parsonage who may have
been called upon by the editor in chief 10 write on
a given subject
The plaintiffs in present lawsuit complain that
while their liability shareholders is unlimited
they are not allowed TO have any voice in the
agenent Of their property; that Arthur Walter de-
cIines TO render them any balance sheets or profit
and loss accounts. and that, moreover. he refuses
10 allow them TO sell their shares to anybody but
himself and then only at price which he deter
mines They further protest that Arthur Walter
having been appointed manager Of the Times
by his father the late John Walter. at salary of
s. 900 year, does not devote his whole time to the
administration Of the paper. but has appointed
Afoberley Bel manager at a salary of $4,000
They also complain that enormous sums Of money
were spent on "Parnellism and Crime" which had
nothing 10 do with the business of newspaper. and
that Arthur Walter has embarked on hazardous
speculations IN connection with the Encyclopedia
britannica" etc. but particularly the so-called
."IYnes Book Club" They call upon him to pro-
duce the accounts OF the profits and losses of these
various speculations and demand shareholders
that the Times" shall be converted into joint
stock company, with limited liability. board of
directors and published accounts.