The Daily Mail of Thursday said, in a leading article
:— " The Times published yesterdayaleading article upon the future of British relations with France which was almost incendiary in conception and character. As the Times is an organ inspired by the Government and the medium through which not infrequently official views on foreign politics are printed for the consumption of Continental politicians, it would need only a few more such provocative articles to bring the issue of peace or war very near."
The " incendiary " article was, of course, simply an earnest appeal for a reversal of the policy that is breeding hate and resentment and the spirit of revenge in Germany. Rational people here hardly need to be told this, but the statement that the Times is " inspired by the Govern- ment " is so easily, and already so generally, believed abroad, that it should never be made by any responsible Englishman. It is a duty to contradict such a statement as often as one can, for it does incalculable harm. It causes foreigners to believe that genuine opinion is merely official propaganda. The Times is, of course, in an absolute and truly admirable sense, an independent newspaper.
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