Evening star., 1921-09-11

denal ulcer. One may specu-
late" he says, ION the difference there
would have been in his writings If he
had undergone the operation which
today is quite common"
This remark occurs to me when I
think about Lord Northcliffe.
There is something wrong with his
health For a reason he is almost boy
ish In high spirits, not only a charm
ing and considerate host. but a spirit
animated by the kindliest. broadest
and cheerfulest sympathies. Then
comes a period of darkness. He
seems to imagine that he may go
blind, declares that he cannot eat this
and that, shuts himself up from his
friends, and feels the button of the
world pressing on his soul.
It is impossible to judge him as one
would Judge perfectly healthy man.
The most conspicuous thing in his
character Is its transilience. One ID
aware in him of an anacoluthic quail
ity as If his mind suddenly stopped
jumping in a quite contrary direction.
1t cannot be said that his mind works
in any direction. 1t Is not trained
mind. 1t does not know how to think
and cannot support the burden OF try.
ing to think. It springs at ideas and
goes off with them in haste too gFeas sa
for reflection. He drops those ideas
when he sees an excuse for another
leap. Sequence to Lord Northcliffe
is a synonym for monotony. He has
no esprit de suite. But he has leaps
of real genius. An admirable title 1or
his biography would be. THE Fits
and Starts of a Discontinuous Soul
There is something of st. Vitus in his
psychology. You might call him the
Spring Heeled Jack Of Journalism.
A STORY. told Of one Of his journal
n lists illustrates the difficulty of deal
ing with SO uncertain a person. Lord
Northcliffe invited this journalist-let us
call him Mr.. H.-to luncheon. They
approached the lift of Carmelite
House, and Lord Northcliffe drew
back to let his guest enter before
him-he has excellent manners, and.
when he is a host. is scrupulously po-
lite to the least of people in his en-
ployment Mr.. h. approached the
lift. and. raising his hat and making
Of it, passed in before Lord North
cliffe. Nothing was said during the
descent. On leaving the lift Mr.. H.
again raised his hat and bowed low
to the boy. When they were out OF
earshot Lord Northclffe demonstrated
with him on his behavior. you
shouldn't joke" he said, with these
boys; it makes discipline difficult. "
yoke" exclaimed Mr.. H.. good
heavens, I wasn't joking; how do
know that tomorrow he will not be
the editor of the Daily Mails?
This story has real Importance
II emphasizes a remarkable char
acteristic of Lord Northcline's va
liability. It emphasizes the romantic
quality OF his mind. Nothing would
please him more than to discover in
one Of his ONCE boys an editor for
the Times. His own life has given
him almost q novelette's passion for ro-
nance. He lived In that atmosphere.
Few men have known are 30 free from
snobbishness or 30 Indifferent to the
dull life of the world Is hateful to
him. He would make not only the
Journalism of the suburbs sensation
al, he would make the history OF man
kind q fairy story.
1t is difficult to understand his
power in the world. He IL not the
great organizer that people suppose;
all the orGahiSation Of his business
has been done by Lord Rothermere.
q very able man Of business. nor is
he the inspirational genius one is so