Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-17
SECOND GREATEST
MAN IN ENGLAND
Only One. Premier Lloyd George,
Is More Powerful Than
Lord Northcliffe.
HIGH HONOR TO COUNTRY
Selected for Mission Largely for
Delicate Comprehension
of America.

NEW YORK. June 1s.--Ninc-tcnths
of Eng lishmcn would agree that the
two greatest men in the British en-
pire to-day are David Lloyd George.
the Prime Minister. and Lord North
climc CAlfred Charles Harmsworth).
who has never held public Office and
probably never viii.
I SO. when Britain sends Northcliffe
he-c to handle her dealings with her
| newest and. In some respects, most
important ally. she pays US a high
! honor.
or tho two-Lloyd George and
Northclinc-it would be hard to say
which is the more powerful Lloyd
/ George has the empire under his con-
troll. ready TO give him more than it
ever gave any other man. and to trust
IN him more than il ever trusted any
other leader. But Northclfe put the
Welsh statesman where he is. From
bitter opponent OF the man who be-
fore the war was upsetting the British
social world. Northcline came to see
Lloyd George as the only man to take
over the power from Asquiths weak
ching hands and to guide the empire
and. indeed the whole cntcnte-to vic
tory.
Nor,hclirc is Warwick, the king
king.
MOST BITTERLY HATED
PERSONS IN KINGDOM
The two men are alike in having
been the most bitterly hated persons
| in the United Kingdom and having
nov won the vast majority OF Brit
ishcrs 10 admire and follow them.
When Lloyd George was dcnouncinE
! the war on the Beers, when later he
was taxing the landed aris,ocrats al
| most out of existence. there was moth
ing too vile for the titled classes to
alike do his bidding.
In 1915 Eng!ishmen were burning
copies Of the Northclife Daily Mai,
publicly on the stock Exchange and
in other places. because Of attacks on
| kitchener's conduct OF the war Now
those who burned his paper in wrath
admit Northclinc saved Ensland-by
his exposure of tho famine in high
explosive shells at the front by his
condemnation of the Gallipoli attack
when almost every one else was see
inG the British soon in Coustantinople
by his open prediction of the disaster
which overlook the British in Meso-
potamia. by his fearless lashing Of
the "old gang" of incompetents in the
| british government and his drive to
put in power Lloyd George. the only
man. Northcliffc believed, who could
snatch victory from defeat
But Northcliffc was selected to come
here, not so much for his power in
England as for his delicate comprehen-
sion OF America.
Even the venerable Lord Bryce has
not the great editors ability TO tell
the United States hard truths in
straisht-from- the-shoulder fashion. and
TO make his dictums believe without
giving oncnse.
HE HAS REMARKABLE
GRASP OF CONDITIONS
He has remarkable grasp of condi-
lions in the New World His acouaint-
ance with Americans is wide His
methods have been described as typi-
cally western. And all Americans who
have followed his career have vast con
ndence in his intelligence and judE-
mcnt.
From the pennilcss son of an obscure
London barristcr he has become the
master OF about $50 newspapers and
other periodicals. besides great va
ricty of subsidiary and other enter
priscs. He has done ii by sheer ability.
imagination and force OF character
The eldest of six sons-four of the
Harmsworth boys are to-day in Far
liamcnt-..lfrcd. was cast upon the
world of work at the age of seven
teen. quite young to make living by
the pen alone. He played the piano
after fashion, sometimes rode in a
high wheel bicycle race, and appeared
little destined for a man OF note
He went TO board with his friend.
Max Pembcrton, later to become a
novelist of fame. and then hard
struggling young write. with a wife
and several young children, whose
nursing bottles Lord Northcliffe is
accused of having cleaned and filed
in emergencies.
The two young men literally walk ed
around the Fleet Street newspaper dis
trict peddlinG their wares. which con-
sisted of anything they thought might
melt a hard hearted editors heart.
Then they found an angel" as the
term is along Broadway An elderly
speculator advanced them $4,000 to
start weekly magazine. Answers to
Correspondence, selling for cent.
The project went very poorly.
Northclime and Pcmhcrton and their
staff, consisting of one young woma n
| tnow Lady Northcliffc), were getting
| dcwncast, when Northcliffe conceived
| what turned out to he n brilliant idea.
He figured that the average Londoncr
OF that day had an income of about
$40 week. So he offered a prize of
$40 week for life to the person who
would guess what the cash reserve Of
the Bank of England would be on a
| certain date three or four months
hence. Every purchase Of n magazine
meant the right to one guess.
SCHEME IS NEW ONE.
AND WORKS WONDERFULLY
The scheme was new one then. and
| il worked wonderfully. There was
enough skill involved TO save it from
-. III n.