New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-29
Northc,ife Sees Harding;
Talked Shop, He Insists
From The Trtbxme's Washtn oto4 Bureau

from 1 ne 4 TtOEnC S ~ dSnfHGtOu 6hfeQE
WASHINGTON. July 28.-Lord North
cliffe conferred with President Harding
for an hour and twenty minutes to-day
end at the conclusion of his interview
engaged in duel of words with the
newspaper correspondents which is
destined to become memorable as an
example of adroit fencing The dis
tinguished British publisher greeted
the newspaper men affably ana per-
mtted them to escort him into one of
the conference rooms in the White
House Executive Offices He was given
& seat and the newspaper men clustered
about him and proceeded to the at
tack
Lord Northcliffe parried the first
tered by declaring: "The President and
I discussed The Marion Star and the
various phases Of publishing a news
paper" T. Wickham Steed, No1thclsfc's
managing editor, sat at his chiefs
left and smiled at the engagement
which followed. The proprietor of The
London Times - the Thun6erer so {;
easily in his chair. He wore o
Palm Beach suit, soft collared shirt
end q closely tied scarf, and appeared
as cool as possible under the circum-
stances. Apparently he enjoyed the
tilt. He talked freely on many subjects,
but reiterated that the conversation be-
tween himself and the President was
confined strictly to the problems Of
publishers.
Both Like Press Time Thrill
eyes, I found that the President
knows all there is to be known about
newspapers" said the editor-peer
"He and l agreed that the last hour
before going to press was by far the
most interesting in the daily life OF
publisher.
lie talks extraordinarily we'll, too
and is handsome and dignifed to the
superlative degree. We agreed that
the sidelights one gets on human
nature from participation in news
paper work possess great advantages
in aiding enc to fill positions of grea
responsibility
The corps of correspondents looket
haffled as Lord Northcliffe dilated OF
the benefits accruing from rublishin!
newspapers.
"Might I ask, Lord Northcliffe, i
you discussed disarmament with tn
President?" ventured one.
81 told you we talked only abou
newspapers" the peer rejoined. "Noy
I've been in newspaper work since
was fifteen and onc-haif years of age
and I've interviewed thousands, an
so / repeat to you, the President an
/ discussed newspapers only"
"Have you found a spot in Americ
yet where prohibition exists ?" aske
newspapcrman, trying another tecl
"Not yet, but I hope to. I shan't b
able to tell you what I think of it unit
see it. Tell me, is it in force here ?
None Of the newspaper men wa
willing to say that it was, and I.or
Northcliffe continued: "l'm sure it ism
in New York"
do you believe prohibition will eve
become effective in England? Z" aske
another reporter, in worried vote,
Lord Northcliffe's reply was quick an
emphatic.
81 No Saloons in England
Never, in England. Why should
pes saloons alone were responsible
Tor prohibition here We have n
saloons. We never had them. "
permit cur people plenty of bee
There will never be prohibition
England"
In response to query whether \
was to call upon former Preside,
n Wilson he replied in the negative. f
was non-comnistal also as to the DC
sonnei oil the British delegation to II
" coming disarmament conference. @
ieaVing the White House he w;
stopped by solid ring Of movie can
eras and submitted with good graz
to the ordering about of the came,
men.
1t is Lord NorthcliFe's first Wis
here since November 1917.