THE NORTHCLIFFE PRESS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 566, 2 December 1915, Page 7

THE NORTHCLIFFE PRESS.

DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS. *WE KNOW THE VALUE OF THESE JAUNDICED SHEETS."

By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright. (Received PeceHiber 2, 8;30 a.nv) ; LONDON, December 1., In the House of Commons, Mr Donald McNeill (Unionist), discussing Sir j. A. Simon's statement concerning the Northcliffe Press, said they had heard no allusion, to the article in the \ 1 Nation,'' saying it wotild be better to Ipse' war than to Jose voluntary service. Mr J. Hodge (Labour) said that while he did not think Lord Northcliffe wished to belittle the country, it was unfortunate that the" articles in •" The Times " and the '' Daily Mail'' had created a very uneasy feeling in France. . N Sir A. B. Markham (LiberalJ said that the journalists at the Home Office had' .singled out the '' Daily Mail" and 4 ' The. Tim£s" for unfair treatment, while the "Daily Chronicle" was allowed to go scot free.Lord Robert Cecil said it was a delusion to imagine that this was a case worked up by~gentlemen connected with another paper in order to injure "The Times." "Articles such as those referred to have," he added, ."a discouraging effect on our friends in the Balkans, tending to produce the impression that we are -done for, that we are not an earnest, and that our workmen are idlers and drunkards." Sir A.' Simon ladded':— "We in- Englandknow the .true.''-value of these jaundiced sheets, but they are a poiistant source disappointment to' our Allies, and distrust to neutrals, ..while the Germans have found in them their prinwpal dOnsolation. * ' The Foreign Office has constantly brought these influences under the notice of;the Home Office, 5 and several members have taunted the Government with being afraid to „ suppress The Times' the 'Daily Mail,' because, they were ..owned by [wealthy men." ' Mr Dillon charged the Northcliffe jPress with trying to embroil Britain with America at the most critical period of the •war. If the "Daily were shut down for a few weeks, he said, it would cool Lord Northcliffe considerably.