A GREAT ORGANISER.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17634, 11 December 1922, Page 9

A GREAT ORGANISER.

LORD NORTHCLIFFE'S BROTHER, j SUCCESSOR IN HIS NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISES. What manner of man is Lord Rother- j mere, the new chief proprietor of the "Daily Mail," the meet widely-read newspaper iu the world ? asks Mr Evelyn Wrench in the "Spectator. 1 ' This is a question which will doubtless be asked in many parts of the Englishspeaking world now that the announcement has been made that Lord Rother- , mere has acquired his brother's (Lord Northcliffe) holdings in the Associated Newspapers, Limited, the company which runs the "Daily Mail," "Evening News," and "Weekly Despatch," and therefore now becomes the directing spirit of that great organisation. Lord Rothermere is first and foremost a great organiser and an extremely able man of business. Unlike his brother, he is not a great working journalist, although events have decreed, that he finds himeelf the chief proprietor of three of the most widely read, newspapers in the English language—the "Daily Mail," the "Daily Mirror, nnd the "Sundav Pictorial." Since he started on his first Fleet street career thirtv years ago he has always been the business brain which directed tiw vast enterprises created by Lord Jiortncliffo and himself. Indeed, there are many of those acquainted with the early history of the Harmsworth brothers who question whether Lord Northcliffe would ever have been able to achieve the great success he did without the sterling com-mon-eense and level judgment of his brother Harold. Be this as it may, together Lord Northcliffe and Lord Rothermere made a wonderful combination, the younger brother supplying the qualities" which the elder lacked. Lord Northcliffe had the most profound respect for his brother's opinion, and many times after • listening to some scheme he would tell hia visitor to "Discuss it with Harold; if he approves, I will agree." By stating that Lord Rothermere is not primarily a journalist, I do not mean to imply that he does not understand the newspaper business or that he lias, not the ability to select the right kind of trained journalists to conduct his newspapers suc-ia-ssfuuv. But writing and editing newspapers is not the passion with hini that it was with Lord Northcliffe. If those who worked under Lord Rothermere were asked to compare him! with his elder brother I think they would say that he was more human and more accessible and, above all, not so changeable as Lord '.Nortlxlifie was. In dealings with Lord Rothermere his employees know just where they are, and that they have to do with a. just employer who will always give them a fair hearing and is not subject to some passing mood or whim. He is regarded with affection by all who work under him, and there can b© few higher testimonials. Lord Rothermere has no political ambitions, and he has no desire to make a great political name for himself, while he hates public speaking. He does not care for Press publicity, and to those who meet him for the first time he gives the impression of a bluff and prosperous English country gentleman much interested in agriculture «nd farming problems. Lord Rothermere possesses a large estate on the borders of Kent and Sussex, and has become fi very successful farmer and_ fruit-grower. Ever since his .first visit to Canada, twenty odd years ago. ho has been a great believer in that Dominion's future, and he has large interests throughout Canada. For the United States he has a great admiration, and he is always ready to help in any work which aims at making the Englishspeaking people bettor known to one another. In politics Lord Rothermere is a Liberal, but he owes allegiance. to no group, and there is no doubt"that the "Daily Mail" under his direction will continue to pursue its independent course. Above all, Lord Rothermere stands out as the. great apostle of economy in Governmental administration, and: we may bo certain that his influence will always be thrown into the scale agaimt any ambitious projects for increasing British responsibilities in the East or in any ether part of the world. Lord Rothermere has always believed in young nwn, and many of the most responsible positions in his organisations are filled by those well on the right side of forty.' He possesses the secret of all great organisers in the free, hand which he gives to all who have once won his confidence. .

Ope of Lord Jtothermere's greatest achievements w«s the creation of the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company, , which is now one of the largest concerns of its kind in the world, dealing with the manufacture of news and other paper. It was Lord- Rotherrnere's, vision whi"h turned the virgin forests of Grand Falk, in the oentre of our oldest colony, into a- thriving town of six or seven thousand people in n, decade.

There are few more genial hosts or kinder friends than LoTd Rothermere. Nowhere is he seen to greater advantage than) in the grounds of his charming viila at Cap Margin, where he spends a couple of months everv year. During the war Lord Rothermere lesfc two sons, the only surviving one being Mr Esmond Harmisworth, the youthful member for Thanet in the "present House of Commons.