Evening star., 1922-08-14
associate Says Northcliffe
Was Victim of O,vn Energy
British Journalism Suffers Irrepdrable
Loss, Declares Sir George Sutton,
Who Started at $4.7 a Week.

courage and individuality. For
months it had been in secret prepara-
all the time. Many. Of us practically
lived in the once during that period
Of experimentation.
When the paper appeared It was an
instantaneous success. British morn
ing journalism was revoiutionised.
talent and devotion of our chief.
Closest to him was his brother Harold
now Lord Rothermere, and himself
the owner of several newspapers.
Harold had a brilliant business brain
and he controlled all financial mat
Alfred. and as Northcliffe he was
equally Indifferent to 1t. Proud Of the
success Of his enterprises, SO far a.
his own bank balance was concerned
| we'll, l never knew him to ask what 1t
amounted to.
Fame and influence Grow.
With tho founding Of the Daily Mail
the chiefs fame and influence grew.
His social influence became very
great. He rose rapidly to the knight
hood. then to the baronetcy and then
to the viscountcy. He built up q great
evening and a great Sunday paperA In
death he controlled all these journals
and more than eighty weeklies and
! magazines. He became a mighty ma
tional force and from first to last did
nothing except what he believed
| would servo Great Britain and the
world. His work for the allies in the
war was ceaseless and was marked
by all his decision. grasp OF detail and
driving power. He gave effective sup
port to invention and progress. but
made short work OF incidence and re-
actionaries.
Ior ,,or> <h.x, thirty yos - vss In
almost daily contact with him and the
dominant character of his mind energy,
! in my opinion, cannot be overStated
Flying and motoring appealed power
! fully to him and he did moro than any
other man to develop these wonderful
F., features of modern life.
Youth was his idol. Once / recon-.
mended a certain young man 4or the
dictatorship OF one Of our enterprises
| How old is he, Sutton?" was the chiefs
nrst question. ''Thirty-nve," answered
| Just bit elderly. isn't he?" was the
comment Of the chief. He would put
| up with mistakes. but he would not toll
crate slow thinking or playing safe. He
brought sunshine into the gloom OF
| Fleet street.-The sunshine of high wages
and unlimited opportunities. He dearly
loved richly to reward his brilliant
loyal men. He not only paid unprece-
dented salaries, but gave munificently to
those who grew old or fell Ill In his ser.
| vice. None will grieve for Lord North.
cliffe more than the working journal
lists, high and low. in this country.
At Elmwood. his beautiful home
| near the sea in Kent. he kept a slate
| by his bed and covered 1t with
! memoranda before falling asleep OF
home in Carlton Gardens, London. he
maintained chiefly for the entertain
ment of his numerous visitors from
! the dominions and the United States
His own bedroom was tiny, plainly
| furnished apartment right at the tor
| Of the house with an outlook on ST
| James Park.
| The last meal had with him was
; at Carlton Gardens. The guests that
| day in addition to myself were
Charles H. Dennis of the Chicago
| Daily News and two of my COL
of the United States for what Lord
Northcliffe was wont to call educa-
tional purposes. From his first
active days he believed in such tours
He had no great confidence in any
employe who knew only London or
England He believed in travel and
plenty of holidays to keep his men
fresh.
Hard and even bitter at times. he
made up handsomely for these lapses
He was capable of immense gen
erosity and tenderness. and was de-
liEhtful as a comrade.
Lady Northcliffe once helped him
on his magazines and was his con-
slant companion until his death. His
mother survives him also. Wherever
he was in the world he cabled or
wirelessed daily to his wife and
mother.