FOREIGN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17401, 11 March 1922, Page 15

FOREIGN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS.

. — ; * , la a lecture on "Foreign Correspondence" .to students of journalism at London University, Dr. Harold Williaittfi, formerly a well-Known N«w Zealander (writes our London correspondent on January 26th) gavej soa» very valuable advice. Dr. Williams has had so much experience in i!/uropeun capitals that what ho told Ins audience should be of tho utmost benefit. Ho Is now on tho staff, of "The Times" in London. Describing the work of a, foreign correspondent, he indicated its particular importance at the preseiib stage iti tho ivorld's history when peace depended on mutual knowledge aiid sympathy a-inoiig, nations. The students of the course wero to bo congratulated that they were able to get trained for their work. Host journalists up till now had had to learn in tho haxd school of experience and had had to profit by thenown mistakes. The chief requisites for a foreign correspondent were knowledge, including tho Jaiowlcdgo of tho written and spoken language of the eountrv to which he was appointed, aud a knowledgo not only of politics, bub also of the social forces that mad© anu explained politics, art, literature, and economics. The correspondent must not confino his knowledge to the capital or to atty one class, but must have a broad view of the various classes who lived in the country. Knowledgo was useless without sympathy that made just interpretation possib'o, and knowledge aud sympatny were both of little avail unless a correspondent were able to fori)) an independent judgment and to express his individuality in his work. Finally, apart from the responsibility of the work, it offered, in itself, great interest and frequently adventure and romance. Sir Sidnev Lee (chairjnan) remarked that somo people criticised "The Times," but the critics would bo ths §rst. to say that they could not dp without it. There were certain "die-havds" who objected to innovations in "The Times," but "diehaxdism" led nowhere, and the great virtues of paper were its independence ipd 6p6n T pundednßSs. Jso paper opened its columns so widely to letters op various Bubjjectp {Tom very many point* of vfcw.