K. OF K.

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 143, 17 June 1916, Page 11

K. OF K.

A REPORTING INCIDENT

RELATIONS WITH THE PRESS.

[G.O.]

Lord Kitchener was generally supposed to be no particular friend of the war correspondents in the field. His hostility to these gentlemen was - most pronounced in the Sudan campaign. The newspaper reporter, also, found him an unsatisfactory person to deal with from one point of view. He would say "nothing." Or, if he spoke at all, it ordinarily made at most what is technically known as "about a stick," i.e., two and a-half to three- inches of a column oE news. His brevity of utterance on several occasions resembled the fatal shot fired at Trafalgar, in that it spread dismay around among the reporters. This was when he had just returned to London from South Africa to be present at King Edward's Coronation. The first occasion was the day of his arrival in London, when he formally accepted a sword of honour from citizens of Capetown. On that occasion, beyond briefly expressing thanks, he said nothing. Next evening he was made a member of the Grocers' Company, a high honour, reserved only for distinguished men. It was not to be expected that on such an occasion Kitchener coujd escape altogether with a few formal expressions o! thanks. Besides here, if at any time, was the ideal occasion for saying something about South Africa and the clean job that had been made of the three years' war.

After the ceremony of initiation came the dinner in the beautiful hall of the Grocers' Company. There was a strong body of reporters of all the big London dailies present, and representatives of the leading provincial and Continental papers. The occasion - was one of unusual interest, and so the Worshipful Company of Grocers thought. With Lord Kitchener were the late Mr. Joseph Chamberlain (himself a ''Fishmonger") and Australasia was represented by Sir Edmund Barton. Both these gentlemen could be . relied upon to furnisli, excellent Epeech-material, but the journalists were after Kitchener.

THE SPACE LIMIT.

It became evident at once that the reporters had received their instructions as to space. Mr. Chamberlain was reported fully in The Times, and in the first person, but it was manifest at the time and apparent in the papers next day that, while there was plenty of room in the columns of the dailies for Kitchener, Mr. Chamberlain, great personage as he was then, was to be "kept down"—not suppressed, but his speech abridged and put into the third person. Sir Edmund Barton, ably as he spoke, was also to be kept down. The editorial deities wanted Kitchener; all / there was to be said about Kitchener, all .Kitchener said, all he did, how he looked. "Any amount of space for Kitchener, but apply the throttle valve to the others." : KITCHENER SPEAKS. At last Kitchener arose : An impression in scarlet: scarlet tunic, and ruddy cheeks. There was not an unsharpened pencil on the reporters' tables, not an empty pen, nothing in the way of taking a. lull, lengthy, and accurate note. Every one of millions of people was waiting to hear Kitchener speak; miles of paper and thousands of tons oT machinery then waited on his words ; trains and steamers with full steam up were ready to carry his printed word to the limits of Britain and Britain beyond the seas; and thousands, of 'telegraph instruments were at his disposal, for even as he rose to speak that fact was despatched to news exchanges by fleet message boys waiting in the corridors. And he said—nothing. Nothing, that is, beyond expressing thanks to the Grocers' for their honour conferred and a piece of plate given to him ; nothing, but to thank tho Grocers for their gift in times past of £1000 for the Gordon College at Khartoum ; nothing, except to say that tha peaceful future of the Soudan now sucmed assured; nothing, but a brief acknowledgment of Mr. Chamberlain's great oratorical gifts, which nobody denied; nothing at all about South Africa. All he did say was contained, the ipsissima verba- of it. in a speech measuring some four inches of the column of a morning paper. A SUDDEN EjnDIN'G. There was something like consternation at the press tables, but the dismay was not untinctured with joy. There is more joy in the presence of the reporters over one speaker who is brief than over a score who are eloquent. There was nothing to be done. The Grocers,-even they, could not make the sphinx eloquent if it chose to be dumb. There was nothing to be done but to gather up note books, paper, and telegraph forms and to retire. Kitchener had spoken, and the rest of the proceedings would interest only the strictly City papers, those whose circulations I went but little beyond the City gates.

But 'this was not the only occasion on which Kitchener proved himself'indifferent to the necessities of the press. When he was to leave London for India a day was given as that on which lie would" leave Victoria. Station to catch what is known- as the Continental boat train,. for be joined his steamer in the Mediterranean. On that day there was a strong gathering of reporters at the station to see that all went off well. After waiting until the boat train steamed out of the station and seeing no sign of Kitchener they learned that a "Mr. Cook and servant" had left the day before. :