OBEYED A “HUNCH”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12521, 5 April 1935, Page 3

OBEYED A “HUNCH”

MAN WHO “SCOOPED’’ WORLD WITH OUTBREAK OF WAIt DEATH OF MR F. W. EMETT. LONDON, Fob. 28. Tho death. occurred early 'this morning at In’s London home of Air Frederick Willi'am Emett, for' 25 years chief diplomatic correspondent of Poolers'. Mr Eiiiott, who was <3P, was for over 50 years associated with Reuters, nvhicli lie joined in the days of Baron Julius do Reuter. Ho retired :in Soptcinber 1031- but to, the lust his interest in foreign affairs never flagged. Mr Emett was a well-known figure in every embassy and hwr«tion in London and a ne’s'onal p iYmdl of every foreign secretary n| the Foreign Office during his period of active journalism. It was Mr Fmelf who initiated 11m system of calls :t| Government offices, a practice which was for a long time confined to I?outers an,} “The Times’’ bat was biter generally adopted by other agencies and newspapers. SCOOPED WORLD WITH OUTBREAK OF AVAR Mr Emetl obtained' many diplomatic scoops for Rea(v-rs, but the Rat ol which he was proudeß was the fact that he ‘'scooped” the world Ivy 35 Tnimites with l-’io announcement of war with Germany in L 914. “| hu.l been nosing about -ah the Foreign Office all day and riioß ol the evening, and came, back laic to llio office,” he said once, describing the incident. “Then something told mo that I ought to go back to the ‘F.O.’ for one last inquiry. My experience in journalism has taught me the wisdom of following ft -Minch.’ “There I saw, coming down the stairs, a. certain high personage, who said to me, ‘Well, Emett, 'it's all up. Tt’s war with Germany. . . ’ T ’phoned' the story and that’s that. ’ N’o international conference of postwar years was complete without his cheerful ami .smiling presence. He was particularly well known at Genova. where for a. number of years ho attended the meetings of the Council and Assembly of the League and he had a host of friends there. He had accompanied .Royalty on many occasions, and! fold many stories about King Edward and the Kaiser. MAN Y DECOR ATI OXS Mr Emett had a difficult task in covering impartially news of interest to and affecting miaiv countries and the skill and tact .with which he performed! if- w&* shown hr the orders- and deoorai.i>oms ctVnAirred upon him. He was the holder of no [ess than 17 orders and decorations including the Order of the Briiisb Empire, the Legion of Honour, the Russian Decoration of Stanislaus one of the hist conferred by the in’ e Tsar, and two Japanese orders, °n e of which Avas eonfen-e.i by the Emperor in person. Mr Emett’s sevenfeenth decoration was received from the late King Feisal when the latter -visited England in the summer of 1933. On the day of King Feisal’s departure. he sent for Mr Emett. and after thanking him for the sympathy he had shown towards Iraq Over a long period of years, conferred on him the Traqul Decoration of Rafaid'in.