YELLOW JOURNALISM.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10830, 24 November 1906, Page 5 (Supplement)

YELLOW JOURNALISM.

Those who want Yellow Journalism at its best — or worst— should not be content with the comparatively mild examples which have blossomed- forth m or near Fleet Street. They ' should go to the fountain head, to the glass of fashion and the mould of form— to the Sunday edition of the New York American and Journal, the success of which inspired the Yellow Press of this sida to an abortive attempt to establish the seven-day newspaper m the United Kingdom. Are the Americans as cute as we sometimes imagine them ? Would really clever peo-. pie stomach this year m and year, out? The questions .frame themselves as one glances through the vulgar pages of the New York American. The get-up is that of the child's— the very young child's— picture book. The illustrations sprawl over the pages m blue and red and yellow, and each tale and article is explained iri^big type as who should say: "This is a cow ; this is her tail ; m such a way she lays the morning milk." It would be quite useless to communicate these American stories to the British Marines ; the lies are too obvious; the corroborative details too crude. But the editor and his merry, men must surely know their readers, and the Sunday edition has a huge circulation.

GREAT ON KING EDWARD,

The American Yellow journal always knows iar more about King Edward than his own subjects— nay, far more than King Edward knows about himself. At this momeit, it appears) it is well informed upon the King's strange sleeping sickness: Imagine that line m letters au inch deep across a page 16in wide, followed m, type half an: inch deep by the following sub-heading: — All England Worried by the Mysterious Malady of King Edward, Who Falls Asleep at .'•■-""'■ Most Awkward Moments, and Has to be Officially Pinched. The lack of enterprise of our Yellow Press is shown by the. fact that none of them has published this important information. But let-us give the story. The "awkward moments" of King Edward are illustrated and described m considerable detail;- The^ 'Official Pincher" is shown fulfilling,his office. When Mr and Mrs Longworth ; (son-in-law and daughter of President Roosevelt) were dining with him, it is- stated, . the King "fell fast asleep." ;We quote the delicious anecdote: —

Towards the close of this dinner, the King was observed to iall fast asleep. He did this at a moment when Airs Longworth was giving him details of the daily life of her "father, a subject m which His Majesty had expressed the •• profoundest interest. .... His , Majesty did not regain consciousness until the close of the; dinner, when one of his Aides-de-Camp,jgot up and poked him in' the ribs. . His .Majesty afterwards felt deeply .mortified by what had happened. '-.'.'" Tfye Yellow' artist did not read the story as . attentively as we have done, for m his picture, measuring 9in square", the Official Pincher is shown tickling King Edward on the back of the head with a white wand, what time President Roosevelt's daughter looks into his face with affectionate interest; 'In two other illustrations the same cunning hand shows the King (If Dozing .While the German Emperor Discourses on "Matters of Vast Moment, and (2) Snoring While His Prime Minister Reads a State Document of Great Importance. In the latter case the British Crown has fallen to an angle of forty-five degrees. : Sir Frederick Treves and Sir William firoadbent "have been m frequent consultation," but it seems that an American specialist is be called m. If the reader has swallowed that, we will proceed.,; — Surgical Operation, for Evil. — Two pages of the L same' number are devoted to an article with nine large illustrations to show hOw American surgeons turn bad little boys into good little hoys. It has been discovered that sin and stupidity are located at particular spots m the human head. .All you have to do is to cut out these spots and bey presto 1 the bad becomes goodi We are given authentic portraits of "Little Spurgeon Weltv, Who was a Moral Rascal, but was Made Over into a Sweet and Charming Boy By Cutting out His Wicked. Spot," and of "Miss- Edith- Wells, Who was an Untruthful Girl but Who Has Been Changed into a Worthy Young Woman."' '■•••"

* —School for Brides. — Another attractive page \is all about AHSS THOROLD'S SELECT FITTING SCHOOL FOR BRIDES ELECT, which the sub-heading tells 'iiSj is "Very English. Very Smart, and Most Exclusive, Unique Preparatory {"fchoolfor Marriage, and Has at Present -'300 Pupils, Being Finished to Make Husband s Happy.' The mistress is Aiiss Lee Thorold, "slim, straight— a typical Englishwoman of the best class," who- makes "a man feel like taking off his shoes as at a mosque." And listen to the testimonials of her late pupils'- husbands : — ' Mabel is a living example of the force of your training. If I felt lonely at her absence, let me say that what you have made her fully atones for it. From a Montana rancher. — I thought, my wife was O.K. before marViage, but now I know she is absolute perfection. Alixed with this sort of thing we have one or two doses of Horror. A gruesoiuu page, which looks like a nightmare, describes Japan's Tragedy of love, Jealousy, Leprosy, and-. -Wholesale Poisoning." There are three' pictures bf murders' and another showing how "Osaburo, Covered with Blood, Flees to the Mountains." But, bless his innocent heart, the Yellow Journalist never forgets the children. The back page, m colors, is for the home, and has something for everybody. Let us trust that the children keep closely to their corner. — Daily News.