a revolutionary pamphlet, took part in amateur theatricals as
actor, manager, producer. He was--but for one thing--successful
in his job and could have held the position indefinitely. Indeed
the proprietor had held out the prospect of ultimate partnership.
But the sixteen-year-old editor insisted on using the columns of
the paper to air his revolutionary ideas in economics, politics and
religion.

Now the paper depended for such circulation as it had upon
tourists, holiday-makers and the members of English-speaking
colonies in Switzerland, mainly church-going; and upon the
advertising patronage of hotels financed by capitalists and de-
pendent upon members of the English-speaking bourgeoisie, not
likely to take kindly to revolutionary ideas in economics,
sociology, or theology. The objection of the Scots proprietor to
this use of his columns led repeatedly to 'words,' which finally
ended in the editor's resignation on the ground that his editorial
freedom had been curtailed in the interest of Philistine prejudice
and capitalist exploitation. His journalist conscience would not
permit him thus to 'prostitute his talents.'

On his return to England after a year or a little more in
Geneva, he was offered the editorship of an evening paper
then published in Ipswich. The paper sold mainly on the basis of
its racing and football news: 'all the winners.' He made up the
paper, tipped the winners (having not the slightest knowledge
of or interest in horse-racing), wrote the leaders, and merely
repeated his Geneva experience.

In a letter to his elder brother Harry ¹ the boy editor tells of
a characteristic difficulty with the manager (described as the
boss des bosses): 'In my notes one day I quoted a letter in
which the extravagance of General Booth (of the Salvation
Army), in travelling like a prince, in contrast with the penury
of the humble members of the S.A., etc., was pointed out. At the
end of the letter I added as a note: "Christ rode into Jerusalem
on an ass. Mr. Booth drove into Kimberley in a carriage and four
white horses. The first S.A. didn't pay as well as the present one."'
Well, for that truly not very witty, but certainly not very dread-
ful paragraph, the ignoramus of a manager kicked up the deuce
of a shine. He said it was impiety--" No gentleman could 'er

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