February 22, 1918 - Washington Birthday dinner, and Lord Northcliffe

Don Martin diary entry for Friday, February 22, 1918: 

Went to the office at noon. Wrote a 1-½ column story on the airmen and their importance, chivalry, etc. Ordered a morning suit at Gillet’s. Got my passport back at the Bow Street station and came to my room to dress for the Washington birthday dinner at Connaught rooms. [Grand Connaught Rooms is one of London’s most impressive, stylish and opulent event venues, situated in Covent Garden.] to the dinner with Russell and Underwood. Had a meatless meal. [Admiral William] Sims of our Navy [commander of all United States naval forces operating in Europe] gave a very humorous speech. Went to Fleet St. for short time time and returned to hotel at midnight.

Germans marching on Petrograd. Bolsheviks now preparing to resist. Looks to me as if Russia is the big prize of the war and Germany will have it unless the Allies (with Japan) are able to do something quickly.

Weather pretty good.

      Don Martin wrote this cabled dispatch on Thursday, according to his dairy, but finished it after midnight and dated it Friday. This article  about newspaper-government intrigue was published in the New York Herald on Saturday, February 23, 1918.
It involved Alfred Harnsworth, 1^st Viscount Northcliffe, who dominated the British press ‘as it never has been before or since by one man’. He was owner of the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror. He helped bring Lloyd George to the premiership in 1916. Lloyd George had appointed him director for propaganda.

Alfred Harnsworth,
1st Viscount Northcliffe

   SEES THE TRAIL OF NORTHCLIFFE IN PROSECUTION

Editor of the London Morning Post Tells the Herald His Position as a War Critic

REPINGTON ARTICLE PUBLISHED AS A TEST

Mr. Gwynne Believes the Premier Is Too Closely Allied

with Lord Northcliffe and His Papers

[Special Despatch to the Herald via Commercial Cable Company’s System]

Herald Bureau, No. 130 Fleet Street, London, Friday

     The conviction of Howell A. Gwynne, editor, and Colonel C. A. Repington, military correspondent, of the Morning Post, is only the latest development of the tempest raging in England over the newspaper control exercised by the government.

     Colonel Repington, who formerly was on Lord Northcliffe’s staff, was not bothered until he began to write for the Morning Post, which is independent and opposed to Premier Lloyd George because it feels that he is too closely allied with Lord Northcliffe and his newspapers.

     The Gwynne-Repington case is ended, but it is only one phase of the controversy growing out of the Versailles conference and the sidetracking of General Robertson. All England is aroused.

     Mr. Gwynne in an interview with the New York Herald correspondent said that no appeal of this case would be made, because he feels the country ought to get on with the war and overlook political quarrels. He emphasized the fact that no attempt was made and no evidence was produced to show that the Post furnished information to the enemy.

Mr. Gwynne’s Interview

     “I am very glad to discuss this important matter with the Herald,” said Mr. Gwynne. “The defence of the Realm act was spread wide to catch every one. We would be caught, we knew, when publishing Colonel Repington’s article violating the letter of the law.

     “Our attitude was that Mr. Lloyd George was interfering too much with the soldiers and that friction existed between the government’s military advisers and himself.

     “We believed General Robertson to be the best military authority and strategist in England, and we backed the military advisers. When the Robertson matter broke we felt that, even though we were breaking the letter of the law, we should take ink and pay the penalty attached. We are perfectly able to do so, but this matter will affect the entire press of England.

     “The phrase ‘of use to the enemy’ was not included ion the charge against us, nor was it necessary to prove that information was given to the enemy to find a conviction. As shown by our case, no such charge was made against me and no evidence was produced to show that we furnished such information.

     “What we printed about the Versailles conference already was known to Germany France and Italy. Every one knew but England, and we thought England was entitled to know.

     “The Post has decided against appealing from the conviction. We should not bear a burden belonging to the entire press, and, furthermore, this is too busy a time. Minds which would be occupied with matters of a political nature should be devoted to the task the nation and the Allies have before them. This is a time for concerted action and no time for political quarrels by new statesmen.

     “The Outlook, which quoted the Lokal Anzeiger and printed the same thing we did, was not subjected to prosecution. Therefore it looks as if the Post was singled out for special treatment. An independent newspaper like the Post is likely to run afoul of many obstacles when insisting on telling the truth about the situation even though respecting regulations. 

     “No private friends or enemies should one have when running a newspaper or a government. This is one criticism against Lord Northcliffe. I believe him to be entirely patriotic, but his friends and his enemies of a personal character are his worst fault.

     “Lord Northcliffe is tied to the tail of others, and that should not be with a newspaper owner or a government official. When he has taken a post in the government he cannot be free from criticism.

     “Lord Northcliffe has taken a position; Lord Rothermere, his brother, is Air Minister; Lord Beaverbrook has just received a post from the government. Mr. Dalzell and others also own newspapers and hold government posts.

     “The situation is not to the liking of the English people. It is not fair to the government nor to the newspapers. The consequence is that a newspaper like the Post bumps against every one when printing the news.

     “We are through with the case and will pay the fine. Our skirts are clear and we feel that we and every one else should get on with the war, which is the important thing.”