Success in Life

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 243, 18 October 1921, Page 5

Success in Life

THREE THINGS THAT COUNT. LORD NORTHCLIFFE’S EX. PEIUENCE. (By D.J.Q., in “Sydney Daily Telegraph.”) “Lord Northclilfe is in bed, sir, you cannot possibly see him to-night.” “What, already! Why, it is only a quarter past nine,” protested the interviewer. “True,” assented his Lordship’s personal attendant, “but he lias had a tiring day, and you know we sail early in tlie morning.” The logic ol this seemed unanswerable. But the reporter had another card up Ins sleeve. He played it. “Please toll his Lordship,” he said, “that an old “Daily Mail” man wants a ‘story’ from him on lines somewhat different to thq ordinary newspaper interviewer.” In the early days of the London “Daily Mail” no reporter who valued his job would return to the office without the “story” lie had been sent to get, and thq writer felt that the founder of that groat nowspiaper, unless he had changed very much, would bo the last man to turn him down. The result was as lie hoped. He was conducted to the top floor of the hotel, through a maze of narrow corridors, to a suite of rooms at tlio rear, overlooking the roofs of Sydney. If his Lordship desired the privacy of an eagle’s nest he surely found it at the Wentworth. MARK TWAIN’S JEST. Lord Northcliffe lay in bed, in the Australian hot-weather fashion—head to foot and feet to head. He had been reading, but on the visitor’s entry put down his book and resumed his large horn-rimmed glasses.

“Well, what’s tho idea?” he asked, after an exchange of greetings. “The gem of it lies,” said tho writer, “in Mark Twain’s reply to the young reporter who asked him to what he attributed his success in life. “I remember,” laughed Lord Northci iffe, “to the fact that when he was a newspaper reporter he got the sack.” “An anecdote of our first Australian millionaire. James Tyson, also touches the question.” “I remember Tyson,” said Lord Northclilfe,

“After Tyson’s death,” explained the pressman, “an entry was found in his diary stating that a youth had written to him inquiring how ho had made his way in the world, and that he bad replied simply, ‘By paying strict attention to my own business.’ ” The listener laughed heartily. “Now, there are thousands of young people in Australia,” continued tuu interviewer, “who would like to put a similar question to your Lordship, not, from iclle curiosity, but with th© idea ol gaining some in spina tion that would help in shaping Llieir own careers, ana my idea was that 1 might serve as then moutiipiece. Of course, we would liac something less epigrammatic than Tyson’s rejoinder.” W HEN FORTUNE CALLS.

“I catch your idea.” lie replied, “but you don't want me to talk any mure to-nigiiL?” “Nob if 1 can be sure of getting a few minutes with you in the morning,’’ ventured the writer.

“Very well, see me here at 8.50 in the morning ” Early morning brought its usual crop of callers to see the celebrated journalist, and getting to the eagle's nest was reminiscent ol the camel s difficulty in penetrating the 05e of the needle. \\ lien the interviewer again had an opportunity of opening up the subject, minutes were of vaster importance than banknotes.

“From my experience of the value oi life, dating from my 15th year,” began Lord Nortnclifl'e, “1 have come to the conclusion that tho three elements making lor success are concentration of purpose, health ,this above all), and the seizing of Dame Fortune when she makes tho visit, which I beneve she makes to everybody at least once 111 a lifetime.

“There are, of course. lucky and unlucky people,” continued his Lordship, “but very often bad luck is the result ol bad health, vvhi ’h warps or slows the judgment at a critical moment, “In Europe we are beginning to suspect bad teeth as the basic cause oi nearly all the bad health, and care )> being taken to see that children, from live or six years oi age upwards, pay periodic visits to the dentist.

“Then there is the luck attending one's birth-place. A man born 111 teeming England has nothing like the opportunity of a man born here in empty Australia, where both manual and professional workers have additional good luck to start life well nourished, and also energised by sun* shine.

“When I cast my eyes back to the gloom and fog of the myriad, anxious faces of the poorer districts of our groat towns in England, I feel that Australians have no idea how well off they are.

AN ENVIED PARADISE. “Unfortunately for Australia, enquiring Orientals know all about it. and 1 have no doubt whatever it is their intention to burst cut from their densely-populated lands and come here to share this paradise of plenty, “People say 1 am a very depressing visitor,” concluded Lord Northcliffe, “but you ask me what 1 feel about success in Australia.

“Well, I think if Australia concentrates on the one thing that can save her—population—she may, perhaps, but only pierhaps, achieve her glorious ideal of a. White Australia.”