New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28
A Great English Journalist

A Great English Journalist
The current number of "The National
Review" includes a notice that its editor,
Mr.. Leo ]. Maxse, will be henceforth as
ISOLATED with the direction Of "The Lon
don Globe" This marks the entrance
into daily journalism of one of the great
est of magazine editors in England and
one Of the most powerful personalities In
the journalism Of the whole world. Aside
from Clemenceau, who is both a statesman
and a journalist, it may be doubted if
any man writes with more destructive
power, makes more deadly warfare upon
shams, weaknesses and follies in high
places than Mr.. Maxse.
More than ten years ago, when the
whole world was surrendering itself to
fantastic notions about universal peace
and disarmament when England was in
the hands Of men who had forgotten
Europe and lost interest in the British
Empire, Mr.. Maxse was telling his public
what Germany intended to do. Month
after month and year after year "The Ma
tional Review" set forth what was to hap
pen, with unmistakable clarity and force.
Had the voice of Mr.. Maxse been heard in
the days that preceded the crisis Of 1914
Great Britain would not have been taken
unawares when the great conflict occurred.
Before the war Mr.. Maxse warned Eng
lishmen; his voice was frequently shrill.
1t was not always with moderation that
he spoke of calamities which were to come,
but when confronted with the clarity with
which he saw one wonders now at the
moderation with which he spoke. No other
journalist in England can point to so con-
sistent and so honorable record in the
years preceding the war as the editor Of
1.-THE National Review" Those who re-
fused TO take his warnings before the war
because they held Mr.. Maxse to be
fanatic now criticise him for the passion
with which he spoke in the past, but the
criticism is a mere cover for their own
blindness. Mr.. Maxse saw the truth as it
was, told it fearlessly, told it steadily, and
his is not the blame that he spoke in vain.
Since the war came no voice has more
steadily, more firmly proclaimed the single
necessity Of fighting to victory than that
of the editor of 1.-THE National Review"
Other men have been taken in by German
tricks, deceived by German maneuvres,
have temporarily permanently fallen
victims to war WEAKNESS. Mr.. Maxse has
never wavered, he has never been mistaken
as to the true character Of the German
peril and the single means Of escape IN
the future from the perils that Cypress
all mankind in the present. His has not
been great following. He has moi
stopped to the devices which please the
mob or win the support Of those who fol
low the journalist who tells them what
they want TO know and what pleases them
rather than seeks TO force upon them the
truth they should know. But though his
public has been comparatively small his
influence has been great and continues
N great, and no British magazine to-day is
Bmore worthy the attention Of American
readers than "The National Review,
because none more consistently pursue:
a straightforward policy and seeks a
clearer end.
Mr.. Maxses entrance into daily news.
paper work should be an interesting and q
useful extension Of career which will re-
main memorable in journalism. Like Gle
menceau, Mr.. Maxse has killed many pub
lie men with single phrase, but not ever
Clemencesu has served the Allied cause
more Loyalty or more worthily through the
press than the editor of 1.-THE National
Review"