New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-23
Press and Parliament
MR. LEOPOLD AND COMMITTEE AND
Copyright. 1918. By G. W. smancyl

MaXsc'S. Between MI. SndN : puiioOh-
cries and the invective OF Mr.. MaNse
there is a wide interval, but in both Il
is the cracking of thorns under a pol;
a shutter of thin flame without mu,h
heat. 1t GOES not warm you. III locs
not light you on your way. That ne
believes il 10 he the lamp of truth
don't doubt: and that he quite honestly
expects il To illuminate the universe
and justify the ways OF COD 10 men,
and expose the ways of Emperors ana
Presidents and Ministers. lie is not
a blind guide. but something much
more dangerous. a binding guide. the
light dazzles and deceives. Yet NEST
certainly il is to him not the lamp Oh
truth merely. He is quite sure nat
he is
Holding up beacon peerless
TO ths oppressed of all the world.
He does not. | fear. much like Amer
lea or Americans. yet his National Re
view" is perhaps the only important
English Review which publishes each
month an elaborate article on "Ameri-
can Affairs" Mr.. Maurice Low, of
Washington. is the writer. You may
not think Mr.. Low the best guide in IN"
tangled ways of American politics, but
he has. at any rate. a competent knowl-
edge of them. and this he imparts 10
his English readers. There are many
of his own countrymen whom MIR.
MaXse does not love. or FOR whom ne
National Review" he speaks Of one
Minister'S 'prim -sunciency' OF
his SNUG official manner and arrogant
speeches: and of his efficiency, which
the party organs praise. as At about
the level OF the efficiency OF the VII
lage Idiot" This Minister is His Maj
cstys Postmaster General. Mr. Samuel.
the same MI Samuel who thought it
consistent with the dignity of his Office
and of the Crown that His Majesty's
Mails should be conveyed through the
streets of London by the solicited per
mission of Mr. Ben Tillett. The strike
leader
Ne matter Whatever Mr. MaXse's &C.
ccntricities he found himself IN a posi-
ton where hc had To choose between
asserting ana abandoning his rightful
privilege as editor. and he asserted b..
He held himself bound To protect those
who had written him letters or given
him Information about the Marconi
contract I'm refusing To disclose their
names hc became tho Defender Of tho
tru" Faith IN Journalism II is 10 be-
regretted that he pm, his refusal on
the wrong ground lie told tho com
mittec that IF no betrayed his In
formants nobody would over tell him
anything again. No doubt he meant 10
explain that n was under an obliga-
ton of honor not to reveal the names
Of those who had trusted him. But
though he gave an unhappy reason. n,
did discharge the obligation For that
the profession OF Journalism owes him
thar
Most OF the important journals pay
him thc tribute that De- hi due. The
oniy one / have seen which does not
T. The Nation Mr. Masslngharn
thlnks-at any rate he says-that Mr.
Make ought to nave surrendered TO
tho committee But Nj Massiugham
in this shows less of that sweet rea-
condolences In unreason than he used
10. His Kad.calism is losing its sweet
ness and turning sour. The partisan
Is replacing the philosopher The
Times which has every right 10 speak
FOR English journalism stated the case
cogenily. The truth or falsity Of the
rumors connecting the names Of GER
tain Ministers with the stock gambling
To which secret knowledge of the Mar
conf contract gave rise has nothing 10
de- with the matter Nj MaXse Of
fercd to give what information hc had
but not 10 give away those who had
told him. Says The Times:
The position taken mp 10y Mr.. Maxse
is one which II is essential To main
tain if the power Of eWspapers for
good from time 10 lime is not TO be
impaired"
The privilege OF solicitors and Of Gov
eminent officials and OF physicians is
la sed upon public interest The priv
lego of journalism. not yet judicially
affirmed. rests upon similar consider
ations. So of the Roman Catholic
, priest and confession. The silence OF
all these Is 10 their honor. ana MIR.
MaXses silence is To his honor and to
the interest of the community. The
Prime Minister intimated plainly
enough that the House Of Commons
could not enter into the conflict the
Committee had provoked except at the
loss o. its own dignity. and probably
with the result Of impairinS its author
ity and reputation. Even over its own
members it, jurisdiction Is not without
limits. Wilkes successfully dciied IT.
Twice expelled. and then thrice elected
and his election thrice annullcd, h.
finally took his seat unchallenged and
kept II, and sat sixteen years as mem
her for NiddlescX ! cite this case. not
as analogous To Mr.. MaXse's. but as an
example of the limitations 10 the power
which the House claimed then and con-
tinues 10 claim.
once again, therefore. the newspapers
and reviews and their editors prove
I themselves the true representatives. of
. the country: far truer than House ol
Commons which during recent years
has become the mere tool OF usurp-
ing Ministerial oligarchy And ! say