Evening star., 1921-07-30
KINGS REPUTATION
LONDON SENSATION
Newspapers Give Promi-
nence to Affair-Many
Attack NorthcIiffe.
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON. July 30.-The sensational
British sovereign repudiating to par
lament through the prime minister
statements attributed to him in
newspaper interview is given the
greatest prominence in the entire
British press this morning.
Political circles have been able to
talk of little else since Prime Minis
ter Lloyd George appeared in the
house Of commons yesterday and read
a statement, authorized by King
.s;eorge. in which the king DECLARED
that words attributed to him concern
ing the governments Irish policy in
a reported interview in the United
States by Lord Northcliffe, owner of
the London Times. were "a complete
fabrication"
Cause of Reputation.
The alleged interview quoted King
George as saying to Premier Lloyd
George just before his majesty left
England to open the Ulster parlia-
ment:
Are you going to shoot all the
people in Ireland?'
The premier is said to have replied:
NO, your majesty.
well, then, you must come to some
agreement with them" the king was
quoted as saying. This thing cannot
go on. 1 canRot have my people
killed in this Manner
(The foregoing conversation ap-
peared in an interview published in
New York city, July %. attributed to
don Times. who is travelling in Amer
lea with Lord Northcliffe. 1t was
given by Mr.. Steed the day after his
arrival from England. and subse-
quently appeared in English papers
attributed directly to Lord North
cliffe. The latter yesterday sent a
cablegram from Washington to Lord
Stamfordham, private secretary to
King George. denying the reported in
tervieW.
CableErnm From Northcline.
The cablegram said:
please convey to his majesty, with
my humble duty. my denial of ever
having ascribed to his majesty the
word or words as stated by the prime
minister yesterday. 1 gave no such
interview'D.
British newspapers display the en-
tire affair at great length and under
large headlines this morning. The
papers controlled by Lord Northcliffe
contain brief editorials calling at
tentfon to the denials of both King
George and Lord Northcliffe
The Times in an early edition as
sumed that the reporter who took the
alleged interview was "misled by ig-
norance of British constitutional Erac-
tices but dramatized the conversation
with such technical skilr' that the
government was induced to accept his
version "of purely imaginary con-
VersatiOn between King George and
the premier"
This statement does not appear in
later editions of the Times. neither
does the Times nor the Daily Mail. an
other Northcliffe paper, offer a
further explanation of Lord North
ciiffe's share in the incident. but both
devote considerable space sin COM
menting upon the kings correct at
titude in relation to his opening Of
the Belfast parliament.
Praise for King.
The Times says:
"At Belfast the kings action otvi-
ously was in accordance with consti-
tutional tradition, but at the same
time 1t should be clearly understood
that his majesty .constitutionally was
entitled to call the attention Of his
advisors to his own standpoint
The Mail says that it is unnecessary
to remind it's readers regarding the
attitude of the Northcliffe press
toward the throne of England and
the revered sovereign who occupies
it,
THE king" it continued, "has dore
more than anybody to bring about a
new understanding of the Irish prob
lem, and to advance the cause of Irish
peace. but he has acted, as he always
acts, within the limits of his consti-
tutional position.
After ridiculing the attTibution of
such "Dnsense" to the king. the
Morning Post says that Lord North
cliffe's denial was needed 'as the
words ascribed to him were not en-
tirely out of character to other au-
thentic uterances from the same lips"
Assailed by the Post.
Referring to an article in the Daily
Mail last Thursday describing the
activity of Lord Northcliffe in
America, the Post continues:
"Northcliffe's mind is clearly over
strained 1t is a case not for the poll
ticians, but for the doctors. There is
a point at which megalomania be-
comes dangerous. The patient must
either be persuaded to rest or his
friends must fear the worst"
The Daily News. suggesting that the
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column 1.)