The Washington times., 1916-12-08
LORD NORTHcLIFFE

Il
George in his influence and power
over the public policies Of Great
Britain today, Lord Northcliffe rises
after the cabinet crisis to the full
recognition that has been accruing to
him for years. II is said that he
might become member of the new
government IL he desired; but he
does not. He believes that the place
for the journalist is in journalism !;
not less important, but simply a
different station than that Of other
publicists.
From the beginning Of the war the
Northcliffe newspapers have been
the leaders in the most vigorous
criticism of the government. At
times they have carried criticism to
extents that seemed to menace them
with condemnation in public opinion,
as well as hostile measures by the
government. But their attitudes,
first in the fight that brought the
munitions crisis" and now in the
unhorsing of the Asquith cabinet,
have been justified by developments.
Today Lord Northcliffe stands rs the
big figure in political Britain. The
Times, that curious old institution
of British journalism, is once more
the Thunderer, as II was three gen.
erations ago, and two generations
ago. but as It had not been for a
generation before II came under the
Northcliffe guidance. When the gov
eminent stood hesitant In those
crucial days Of July and August,
1914, IL was Northcliffe more than
any other unofficial citizen that
forced il TO take the plunge into the
war. He has seen the German peril
for years, and had handled II without
gloves. Fifteen years before the
war he regarded France rather con-
temptuously, and in the Fashoda in
cident was among those who swash-
buckled most outrageously. But he
was not long after that, in changing
front. By 1908 he was editorially
declaring that 1--WE detest the Ger
mans and we detest them cordially.
They render themselves odious to the
whole Of Europe. . I would not
tolerate that anyone should print in
my journal the least thing that
might today wound France"
Northcliffe fought Kitchener. and
compelled the government TO take out
of his hands, the munitions feature
Of the war minister's business. Lloyd
George was made minister of NUM-
tons. and II was Northcliffe VIC
tory. Yet only a little while before
that. Northcliffe had made the great
fight against Lloyd-Georaes anti
liquor program; and Northcliffe won,
too. II was probably the severest
defeat the Welshman has sustained.
Now il is the power Of this same man
that forces Lloyd-George into the
premiership.
Northcliffe's business career has
been one Of the marvels Of his time.
He rose by the ladder os highly SEN
sational journalism, to control two
scores or SO Of daily and weekly pa
pers; and when he had achieved
wealth and power through the cheap
and dreadful product, he bought the
TIMES and all the responsibility in
British journalism groaned. Harms
worth running the Times! II was
lnthinkable-until the Times had
been restored to its old place Of
in journalistic power.
said that Northcliffe's
Daily Mail was written by Office boys
for Office boys; but Balfour made
a peer, and Balfour was
the nephew and political heir Of
Salisbury. The brilliant-and able
editor of the London Daily
News before it became a Northcliffe
paper, wrote that Northcliffe was ian
office boy in charge Of a dread
But somehow Northcliffe
mas navigated his journalistic dread
naught with tremendous success.