The sun., 1919-02-09
By FRANK DILNOT.

respondents in the United States.
T ORD NORTHCLIFFE whose re-
tirement from the chairman
ship Of his various papers is
reported, is not only one of the notable
public figures of the world to-day but
also one OF the great personalities.
have worked for him. l do not agree
with all his policies. There may have
been here and there groundwork for
the bitter and persistent criticism lev
eled against him from one quarter or
another, but the fact remains, when
all Is said and done. that he is a gen.
erous big man, sincere in his advo-
oacies; one whose magnetism i'm
presses friend and foe alike. and a fas-
c!nating human study.
1t Is not the millions of pounds he has
amassed that makes him so interesting,
but the mysterious and uncanny quail
ties OF the man. He is ruthless. He
Is hated with ferocious intensity for
much Of his public work. And yet l
can never persuade myself that those
who assail him most strongly have
ever been in close contact with him
personally. There would be some
thing lacking from their intensity OF
feeling if they had. The odd thing is
you cannot help liking Northcliffe
himself, however much you may de-
test his policies. And. after all, per-
sonality is at least as important as
doctrines.
Began in Early Life with Paper.
There are current many variations
Of the story Of how he began, a boy of
II. as a contributor, and while he was
still In the teens ran a small paper
in Coventry, the home Of the cycle in
dustry. to take advantage Of the boom
in cycles. then at its height He be-
gan really to emerge as the publisher
Of little weekly paper called Anstcers
when he was Just over 20, and that
was when he first swung into my
schoolboy life. They tell how he used
to help put the papers into trolleys.
Whether that is true or not / do not
know. but he had two tiny rooms with
lis brother Harold on the top floor
Of city building as his office. and
there was no end to his energy, men
tai or physical.
II is told how he went around to all
the principal news agents urging the
sale OF his journal. Some Of this may
be apocryphal, but it fits in with his
temperament, as will be revealed later
on. The audacious acquisition OF the
his swift success with 1t, his still more
audac!ous plunge with the DAILY Mail.
his phenomenal triumph. and his ex-
panslon of his ownership until he had
two or three score of papers OF all
kinds, led by the famous London
Times, are part and parcel OF his
story.
The remarkable thing was that all
was done in conservative England
while he was still young man. lie
Is even now, on his retirement, not
far advanced In the sos.
Tribute From One Worker.
was several years on the staff OF
the Daily Mail and at intervals saw a
gocS deal OF Lord Northcliffe, or
rsthss Alfred Harmsworth. as he
Was when l first came in touch with
him. Right here l would like to pay
this tribute to him: AS one OF his rank
and file for a considerable period
found him a generous. sympathetic
employer, never failing in understand
Ing, ready with appreciation, and
man with whom It was a delight &c
work at close quarters. He wou!c
come into the reporters room some
times and smoke cigarette as he
stood before the fire and shoot genial
Questions and bandinage at the eight
or ten men Of the room.
You fellows" he would say, shave
life which could not be bought will
money l envy you. You get all the
adventures. you meet the biggest mer
OF the country, you see all there is te
be seen and are at the hub OF life al
the time. l could not buy such a Life
however much / wished to-"
He used to smoke big. fiat cigar
cites He encouraged the reporter
TO talk as frankly and openly Will
hin as they would among themselves
That was one of his secrets. To hi
subord!nates he was always accessible
and could be quite kindly In rejecting
suggestion from a subordinate; OF
The other side, never a man more gen
erous in his thanks than when he &C
cepted one, which happened IRE
Quently.
There was another side to him. o
course. but the chiefs knew 1t bette
than the rank and file. He came int,
The reporters room one day, ex
Changed a quick. genial. impetuou