Weekly journal-miner., 1916-02-16

LOND DUN, feD. lZ.-LOrd Nortn- cliffe was seen by the Associated Press correspondent at his office on Print ing House square, and asked about the "Northcliffe press which has been talked about so much lately. Hardly a day passes in Parliament that some noble lord or commoncr-and often several of them at the same time does not rise to state that his opposi- tion to the compulsory military ser vice bill was not so much against the bill itself but because the North cliffe press" had dragooned the gov ernment into adopting the measure. When Sir John Simon resigned from the Asquith ministry he announced that the pressure of the "Northcliffc press" on the governmen: had a good deal to do with his action. So that it has come to be accepted of late that if there is cabinet crisis, or a parliamentary division, or the pros pect of a general election, quite an element will declare that the North cliffe press has brought it about. On the other hand the "Northcliffe press has its own party in both houses.
 It was 5:30 in the afternoon when Lord Northcliffe was seen at his of fices. This is the busy hour at the London Times when the editorials and leaders begin to take form for the presses which begin to throb to- wards midnight He was not sitting at a desk in the conventional pose of a man of affairs. but was spread out in a great easy chair with big bunch Of proofs in his hands, a department al editor bending over him, and anoth- CT editor waiting to take his turn.
 "Is the submarine article ready for tomorrow" he asked the editor.
 "Yes. Chief, all ready" was the an swer.
 And this article" he said, glaac- ing through the proofs, "has Nichols made that changer"
 'Yes, Chief, he has made the change"
 But it is not clear" persisted Lord Nortncliffe. 'It should be made per fectly clear that it was the govern ment, yes the Foreign Office, that said this thing. Here let me fix il"
 And taking his pencil he wrote it on the edge of the proof "as stated by the Foreign Office"
 Then the other editor took his turn, with leaders, reports from Ger many and Washington. the situation at Saloniki, and many others, all of wiicn received the quick survey of the Chief. Here was the owner and proprietor of the London Times, The London Daily Mail. the Sunday Despatch, the Overseas Mail, The London Evening News, Answers, the Manchester Mail and countless other periodicals-comprising the so-called Northcliffc press" the greatest as semblage of newspaper ownership ever seen in England, headed by the 'Thunderer.' known as the English mans bible" and the traditional eX- ponent of British policy,-occupying himself not alone with the manage mcnt and larger policies of this or ganization, but with the editorial de tails and even with the text and phraseology of leading articles. His two advisors. Godfrey Robinson of the Times and Thoma; Marlow of the Daily Mail, have full authority, freely or frequently exercised. to cen sor their chiefs work.
 Lord Northcliffe IS very quick in his estimate of men and things When reference was made 10 ord X, who has been much i1 the public eye of late. he said: "Yes. ne is a good ad- vertiser."
 Then when reference was made 10 Lord ', who is supposed to be dir ecting a very large branch of the government, he said: Why, he is finished.'
 Finished, how so, hes directing q department"
 Not at all Blank is running the department; Lloyd-George is looking after ammunitions, and Lord X Is finished; yes, found out. He is past event"
 The talk now turned 10 the compul- sory Military Service bill which the government has just put through parliament, many asserting it was really the work of the "Northcliife press"
 Why. it was as plain as day" said the embodiment of the North cliffe press. Here is a row Of nous