THE "BULLETIN."

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19854, 15 February 1930, Page 13

THE "BULLETIN."

FIFTY YEARS OF ORIGINALITY.

(SPECIALLY WRITTEN fOR TUB I'BESS.)

[By Cyrano.]

When David Syme, of the Melbourne "Age," died the "Bulletin" published the - simplest but most impressive of tributes. It was an outline map of Australia, with tho words "David Syme" printed right across it. Whatever one may think of Byrne's politics, there ia no doubt that the tribute was deserved. Whether in the State sphere, in which, at one time, he was so powerful that the personnel of new Ministries was submitted to him for approval, or in the federal arena, where, as in Victorian he was a foremost chain pion of Protection, Svme was a maker of history. If the "Bulletin" were to close publication to-morrow a similar memorial to its work might be drawn. Like the "Age" under Syme, tho "Bulletin" has been a national force, knowing what it wanted, and going for it without compromise, fear, or favour. Its influence, however, has been much wider than the "Age's." It has been cultural as well as political. Moreover, Syme had no humour, and 110 use for it. lie considered humour in editorials to be as much out of place as Sherlock Holmes thought the intrusion of sentiment into one of his crime problems. The "Bulletin" has thrived 011 humour..

The early history of the "Bulletin" resembles that of many other such ventures. It was founded fifty years ago with little capital, and it had to struggle hard for existence. Like Labouchere's "Truth," the journal that peThaps most closely resembled it in outlook, it benefited by libel actions, As a result of the action that made most noise, two of its staff went to a debtors' prison (though tho damages were purely nominal), but public sentiment was so strongly on the sido of the "Bulletin*' that funds were raised to release them, and the paper obtained a glorious advertisement. Once these early difficulties were overcome, the daring originality of the paper gavo it a huge circulation and an unrivalled position. Only a dozen years or so after its foundation the French critic of Britain and Greater Britain who wrote under tho name of Max O'Bell, noted that it was read by nil classes. "In its way," ho said, "it is the most scathing, most daring, the wittiest, the most impudent, and best edited paper I know. Nothing quite so audacious exists, even in America, where all sorts of journalistic audacities are permitted." He found in the "Bulletin" a "cool impudence that is unmatchable." Thero was an un-English, Gallic strain in tho "Bulletin's" wit, in its attitude to politics and art, that would appeal to a visiting Frenchman moro than to an English observer. This original note, this combination of daring and sharpened style, waß largely responsible for tho, rapid success of the "Bulletin." Into the decorous and dull respectability of Australian journalism, then strongly under the influence of the English tradition, it pranced and cavorted, finger to nose. Some of the traditions of journalism it flung to the winds. Tt said what it thought, forcibly and in as few words as possible. The cliches and periphrases of tho average writer it abhorred. This writer has not examined the files to verify any statement, but ho thinks it cannot have been guilty of such phrases as "We have no hesitation in saying." With both pen and pencil it was personal, and it was fortunate in having men with a genius for writing small paragraphs, and for drawing cartoons that had the sting of a lash. Added to this it was definitely and militantly anti-English and pro-Australian. It quickly became the Australian national journal. "Australia for the Australians!" was its motto, and every opportunity given by politics and art to further this ideal was seized. In an article in the jubilee number, Mr John Dalley says that in 1880, when the "Bulletin" was born, Sydney was a very humble little city. '' Over half the population was British born, and the average Sydney-ite no more thought of remaining in Australia after making enough money to live creditably in England than a modern rubber-planter thinks of ending his I days" in Malaya. Governors were oxer- ! cising greater, powers locally than the Sovereign was exefcising in Britain, and critics of this state of affairs were condemned in right-thinking circles as pandorers to the revolutionary spirit of nationalism. Everything of conse-

quence was being imported from England —not only Governors, military commandants, admirals, bishopß, sometimes judges, but art, literature and ideas." The "Bulletin" set itself to cultivate a national spirit of independence. Political independence, and oven a republic, were a distant goal, though how the "Bulletin" expected Australia to preserve that independence without Britain's help, this writer does not know. State Governors, and the Queen herself, it criticised with startling freedom. It fought for Protection, local responsibility for defence, and a White Australia, and in all these respects made history. Mr Dalley claims that with the Great War the light for nationalism was won. Australia discovered its soul. Mr Hughes signed the Peace Treaty on behalf of a virtually independent country. Perhaps it. is," but one cannot help wondering how much the White Australia policy would be worth to day if Australia were a Kepublic, and not a Dominion. At any rate, the "Bulletin" changed its motto. "Australia for the Australians!" became "Australia for the white man!''

It was the policy of tho "Bulletin" to cover all phases of Australian life, :ind to invite the co-operation of Australians. Not only did it encourage tho native poet, and siioi't story writer, hut it Opened its columus to paragraphs of all kinds. It may be doubted whether any journal in any country ever cast its net to wide over a body of contributors. Men and women in every walk of life, from lawyers and doctors to shepherds and "sundowners" sent verse and prose to the "Bullc-tin."

It was the ambition of nearly every youngster who had the urge to writo in New Zealand as well as Australia—to get something into its pages. J, F. Archibald, who had a genius for editing, c msidered that every man had at least one story to tell, and he encouraged him to tell it. He and Ldmonds, and othov3 worked day and night to give the "Bulletin" the flavour that came to be characteristic of it. lie would spend an hour re-writing one paragraph to his satisfaction. A oneli ie paragraph in the first issue was typical of the biting persoual style that the " Bulle-tin" was to make its aim. "Judge Windeyer is studying the law." "Business, Robbery, etc." was a characteristic heading, and so was "The Wild Cat Column." This column, by the way, contains some of the most valuable financial criticism published in Australia, and is read more widely than aiiv other column of the kind.

Nearly all the history of creative lileraturo in Australia during the last fifty years eau be traced in the pages of the "Bullotin." There can have been few men and women of note who did not write for it. To quote Mr Dalley attain: "Henry Lawson. who is now known in translations in countries that have never he.-ird of Marcus Clark «r Adam Lindsay Gordon, was the first to make Australia articulate in literature, and he did it iu the 'Bulletin'." In verse as well as prose a definite national note was struck. Of no other paper in the Dominions can it be said that it has done so much to make local letters and art naturally self-conscious, and to encourage the exploration of highways and by-ways for material. In verse writing the "Bulletin" can point to a long list of well-known names. It welcomed galloping rhymes, even if occasionally they fell into doggerel, as well as pure poetry. New Zealand contributed freely to the stream, and we should be grateful for the opportunity that was given. A New Ze'alander may reasonably doubt whether in pure poetry Australia has done better than, if as well as, his own country, but there is no doubt about the relative degrees of national feeling and asscrtiveness that have been developed? Moreover, Australia has produced a larger body of popular poetry-—verse that, in whole pioces and in snatches, remains in the piemory. Here in this jubilee number, for instance, "Clancy of the Overflow" is reprinted, lines of which are familinr to thousands of Now Zealanders. Wo have nothing to correspond with it here. One peril in this encouragement of national consciousness is that in the encourager it is apt to dull the critical faculty. A writer may bo ranked too high, simply because he is a good patriot. In this jubilee number Cecil Poole's "Hymn to the Commonwealth" is describee} as "superb," "splendid" and "inspiring." Inspiring it may be; splendid perhaps in parts; but not superb.

If the roaring hurricane of war should burst upon lior coast, And the lightnings of aggression round her fly , . ... From out the ardent soil they smite will spring a swelling host, And n\vcc:> in fuglo squadrons <o reply. The hardy plainsmen, hurrying on, will form with cheer and shout; The daring mountain riders will spur down from their redoubt; And then a million shafts shall pour their flaming spirits out To be a living buckler to Australia.

Then shining and eternal One, Whose presence broodeth still In mitrht above the peoples Thou nasi mode, Though Thou triest Her with trouble, give Her Vet the l».'ty will That seeks a righteous purpose unafraid. Oh, give lier i::e.i u> oiouti . ruffled destiny but b'fh; ... The nobis pat'ence that can put enticing patience by; With even hearts to cherish Her, and ready hearts to die ■ For our dear and mighty Motherland, Australia.

Good occasional verse this, but hardly superb. It is worthy of note, too, that the author thinks first of the "hardy plainsmen," whereas to-day about half the population of Australia live in cities. It lias been said of the "Bulletin" that it still thinks of the Australian as a countryman to an extent not warranted by the growth of the State capitals. In black and. white artiits, the "Bfilletin" ha<i been extraordinarily rich. "Hop" (Livingstone Hopkins), whose aristocratic and puritanical temperament contrasts curiously with the. radical and Bohemian' atmosphere of the journal, was recognised by the craft in England as a great cartoonist. Phil May contributed to the irreveronce as well as the humour of the "Bulletin." Will Dyson and Norman Lindsay are cartoonists of extraor* dinary ability. Some of their war drawings were unsurpassed anywhere in power and ferocity. David Low, a New Zealander, passed from the "Bulletin" to the larger world of London, and is now not only the most popular cartoonist in England, but the one with the greatest name in other countries. "Bulletin" cartoons have disnlaved a directness, a force, and a ruthle'ss personal quality alien to the ar t, at any rate, the modern art—in England. Similarly '' Bulletin'' humour ip more bitter than English humour. In both fields the "Bulletin" has moved over towards the Continental method, To compare "Punch" with the "Bulletin" is instructive. "Punch" is the humorous journal of a mellow and gentlemanly society. It is eminently well-bred. It is so well-bred that it often fails in force where force is re. quired. It has the defects of its great qualities —feebleness and insipidity. The "Bulletin" is the product of original and aggressive- minds working in a new country. It is arresting, brilliant, destructive, hard, personal, bitter, and often vulgar. The easy good humour that is so characteristic of English humour does not flourish under the harder, fiercer skies of Australia* This is one reason why the "Bulletin" has never been so Bftpular in New Zealand as in Australia, we an more

English in our outlook and our ideals, softer in our manners, more tolerant in our 'opinions. It might be better for us if we developed a stronger national consciousness, but many of us feel that if it were developed along Australian lines, the price would be too high. It wou v ld be interesting to know whether the survivors of the "Bulletin's" early days feel any uneasiness about the national figure they havo helped to create. Does it occur to them that strident insistence on independence, and disrespect for the traditions of the Old World, may have assisted to create some of the problems that worrv thoughtful Australians to-day? "This paper exposes many follies, many impostures," wrote Max O'Rell, "and the scourging it administers without respect of pprson, to snobs, humbugs and hypocrites, renders a service to Australian society. But that which counterbalances the good it does, and tends to make the publication a harmful one, is its alimentation of that very characteristic Australian trait —want of respect for what is respectable. . . •" "Written by larrikins for larrikins," might be said of a good deal that the "Bulletin" hag published. Against its Indubitable service to national literature has to be set its vulgarising of thought and style. The humour that consists of writing '' Salvarmy'' for Salvation Army," "S'onah" for His Honour, and "Shivery Isles" for New Zealand is cheap, and quickly becomes tiresome. Evil communications corrupt good style and fair thought. An easy flippancy may drive out genuine humour and feeling, just as bad money drives out good. In Jubilee celebrations, however, it is not customary to dwell on what are considered to be the faults of the central figure. The "Bulletin" is unique among journals. It has survived fifty years of hard fighting, and it has left its marks on a" Continent. Wa New Zealanders not only cannot afford to ignore its Jubilee. We owe it our congratulations.