LORD NORTHCLIFFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18170, 16 August 1922, Page 8

LORD NORTHCLIFFE.

Whatever criticism may be levelled at the late Lord Northcliffe, no honest man will deny that he was a good Englishmjin, a great patriot and a genius in the world of journalism. Aided by courage, imaginar tion, and a will that would not admit the possibility of defeat, he created immense circulations for his newspapers and became possessed of tremendous power, but never wa3 that power knowingly used to the disadvantage of his country. Sternest opponents could not say more than that he was seeking the right end through the wrong methods. The basis of his whole theory of journalism was that the truth must be told no matter how desperate the crisis- He had confidence in his countrymen. He believed that the hiding of unpalatable facts was uriworthy of British courage, and that no good purpose could be served by creating a spirit of false optimism. Thus, through his newspapers, he told of the shortage of munitions, and Avas denounced almost as a traitor. But a new munitions organisation came into being and eventually a sufficiency of shells was provided. He became Director of Propaganda in Enemy Countries, and if proof of the importance of his work in this connection is wanted, it is to be found in the action of the German Government in striking a medal as evidence of the manner in which he was hated in that country. An Englishman who is thoroughly hated in Germany cannot bs other than a great patriot in his own land. Lord Northcliffe had his faults, but they were the faults of a strong man, and in so far as they offended sections of his countrymen they must be forgiven because of his outstanding virtues. The war period saw only the culmination of his patriotic activities. During the preceding decade bis papers were among the strongest supporters of Lord Roberts' plea for preparedness, a plea which fell on deaf ears far too long. In the realm of mechanical invention he holds a high place.

British aviation owes much to his encouragement in its initial days. Motor-car development received an impetus from hiin, ' and for supremacy in submarines he was an intense advocate. His career has come to a comparatively early end, but he lived to wield power during the greatest crisis in British history and to wield it for his country's good.