A NEW ZEALANDER IN PETROGRAD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3183, 6 September 1917, Page 3

A NEW ZEALANDER IN PETROGRAD

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF.TWO GREAT JOURNALS INTERESTING CAREER Of tho si>ecial correspondent at Potrograd of the London "Daily Chronicle" «.nd ".New York "Times" (Mr. Harold Williams), the Rev. G. Mouroo Koyce, rector of St. Thomas's Church, New Windsor-on-Hudson, writes:—"There is no ona in Buesia who writes with greater knowledgo and, hence, with greater authority. He is a correspondent whoso word can bo absolutely trusted. Let me tell you something about him. Ho vns born in New Zealand about forty years ago. His father is a Wosleyan minister, and he himself, after a "distinguished college career, waa ordained to tho same ministry. He was unable, however, to take any charge, owing to a sudden failure of his voice, and ho turned about to prepare himself for the work of a teacher. With his natural disposition to thoroughness, he went to Germany and entered the University of Munich as a student for a doctor's degree in the science of philology. He i emained there two years, and received the nighest degree the university could confer. It was during his. student Hfo in Munich that I came to know rim. As the rector of the American Church. . in Munich I had provided a reading-room for all English-speaking people, but especially for American and English students. Munich is not only the seat of a great univo'rsity, but is alto the chief centre of German art, and hardly less of German music. This readingroom was, therefore, a general rendozvoas for all these students. 1 visited this place at least once every Oay, and Hn.-old Williams was one of the many interesting young people I met under these circumstances. The fact that he had been ordained to the Christian Ministry established at ouce sympathetic relations between ns, and ]ie became a frequent visitor at my house. Never have T come in elose personal contact v.'ith a finer mind or a nobler spirit. Just before his graduation he was oii'orod a post in a great American university. He came to me with the letter containing the offer, ajid wo talked it over. The post would give him an assured income mid enable him to study and write at hie leisure. "Just the thing'you want," I suggested. "Yes, it is just the thing 1 thought I wanted, but I think I want something eke row." And then he told me "he believed that journalism, intelligent, honest, fearless, offered the greatest opportunity for service.

And so this young bib, withont rroney or dnfluenoe, turned his back vpon a dignified academic profession, for which he was especially fitted, to tako his chances in an unknown field; for ho was, so far as I remember, without any journalistic experience, and his uoctor's degree would be of little or no avail in such a venture.- But venture he would, and venture he did. I may say in passing that young Williams, while 3. student in Munich, had written 11 Fillipino grammar, co-ordinating all the various dialects. Hβ had also mastered the German, Russian, and .about a dozen other languages, and this marvellous linguistic knowledge gave him his chance.

In 1902 the correspondent of the London "Times" in Russia was expelled for reporting too truthfully one of the ninny organised persecutions of. the .lews. He came to Munich on hie way to London. I jaw him, and he asked me if I knew of any educated Englishman or American who know Russian. I told him of Williams, and their meeting resulted in Williams becoming the Russian ccrreapon-_ dent of tho London "Times." Thgt is' how he started in journalism. But lib was not permitted to enter Russian territory, and his resourcefulness was brought to the test at once. In a short time he found that thero was a Russian colony composed of the most intelligent exiles at Stuttgart. He soon established relations with this community, and finally took up his residence there. This put him in direct and quick touch with things Russian. Six months after tho ban was removed, and he went to Petvograd, where he has since resided, but not always as the correspondent of the "Times."" He prefers a free pen, and has become an authority on life and character. His letters are published' oil over the world, in.all languages, and no naino carries greater weight or inspires greater, confidence than Harold Williams.