The condition of the country was really calling for some kind of plan , though what kind of plan he was unable to say .sx To explore the matter any further meant calling in experts , and he distrusted experts .sx They always produced inconvenient conclusions , derived from a study of facts rather than from a study of what was agreeable to the ideas of his party .sx He always retained a deep affection for his party , although he was premier of the Fifth National Government which had , rightly , sunk the pettifogging differences of party in order to help the nation to lurch from crisis to crisis with an air of unity .sx Economic conditions were in a state of flux .sx He knew that because all the professional economists , most of his colleagues , even the bankers , and every business man he met , all said so .sx Anxious to avoid the repetition of this cliche , the Prime Minister stated privately and officially that " there was considerable movement in world economics .sx " He was confronted with the spectacle of a State in which old-established industries were collapsing at an alarming rate , while obscure and little-known trades and industrial activities were swelling into perplexing prosperity .sx The most striking example of a rejuvenated industry was that of bicycle-manufacturing .sx There was an enormous increase too in electrical development and the use of electrical appliances .sx The gas industry was suffering greatly .sx The few townships and boroughs that clung to the archaic method of lighting their streets by gas were being compelled , occasionally by riot and violence on the part of their ratepayers , to substitute electric lighting .sx Gas-light had been rendered obsolete years before by the metallic filament electric lamp , but it had persisted partly from inertia , partly because of long-term supply contracts , and partly because of the capable propaganda of gas-supply .sx organisations .sx In pre-Voe days it was tolerated , but the use of gas was incompatible with the sensitiveness of a nation of Voe-takers .sx A gas-works , with its aura of harsh stenches , which drowned out every other smell in the vicinity , was too offensive to endure .sx Gas companies found it was impossible to employ labour , in spite of the offer of higher and higher wages .sx They advertised more intensively than ever to prove that gas was :sx Hygienic .sx Efficient .sx Pleasant .sx Cool .sx Safe .sx Bright .sx Clean .sx Odourless .sx Easy to use .sx Nice to live with .sx Better than anything else .sx But still the obtuse consumers continued to believe the evidence of their own noses .sx Frantic research work was undertaken to discover how to reduce , or in some way to blanket , the emission of odours from gas-works .sx For more than a century gas companies had polluted the atmosphere about their works , using the Divine Right of industry to indulge in civic wrongs .sx " It must be all right if it pays " had been England's industrial motto , so it was only by a piercing pain in the pocket that the gas-supply concerns were driven to reform the noxious carelessness of their industrial technique .sx Meanwhile they were struggling to get legislation passed which would restrict the extension of electrical schemes ( they had triedthis before without success ) , and to restrain the sale of Voe .sx This had also been attempted by other combines , but the bills had been dropped because there were too many Voetakers in the House .sx At last a personal appeal was made by the representatives of the gas industry to the Prime Minister .sx A Deputation had visited No .sx 10 Downing Street .sx " I can only say , " said the Prime Minister , when he received it , " that at this time when there is so much movement in the field of world economics , that it is inexpedient to consider any legislative restrictions upon the natural laws of supply and demand .sx " " I think , " said the chief of the Deputation , " that you do not fully appreciate , sir , that the gas industry is doomed unless something is done .sx " " I trust not , I trust not , " said the Prime Minister .sx After the Deputation had left he found that he had placated its members by promising to open a new research laboratory in Surrey , where the gas companies were concentrating their effort to remove the disabilities they endured in this new and sensitive world .sx Three weeks later the Prime Minister officially opened the laboratory , which had been hastily erected in a secluded and beautiful stretch of country .sx A small wood of well-grown oaks had been cut down to accommodate sheds and pits , and already the preliminary experimental work had blackened most of the surviving trees in the vicinity and had changed the surrounding green fields to a murky yellow .sx The Prime Minister was told that the engineers in charge of the work were very pleased with the progress they had made .sx After he had inspected a few acres packed with incomprehensible apparatus and had been introduced to the .sx powerful emanations from various pools of bituminous ooze , he addressed an assortment of silk-hatted gas officials , bowler-hatted pressmen and workmen in dungarees .sx There were no sightseers .sx He delivered one of his neat , well-turned speeches , packed with references to conditions which were no longer in force and lightened by hopes of changes that were no longer possible or even desirable .sx In smooth-worn phrases he concluded :sx " I may remind you that it is a long road that has no turning , and I think I can say , without undue optimism , that we have turned the corner .sx And what better evidence have we of the new spirit in industry than the passionate desire for progress and improvement that actuates the great industrial undertakings of to-day , and of which this new laboratory which I have pleasure in declaring open is so emphatic a proof ?sx " It was unfortunate that the Minister of Health should have elected on the same day to have opened in the north of England one of the latest electric power stations , an occasion which had caused him to say that such an event was the surest proof that industry had determined to sweep away obsolete and archaic forms of power and was looking forward to better and brighter and cleaner conditions .sx These speeches of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health were reported side by side on the front page of the first issue of the Morning Star , which was the new paper launched by de Rojaques , shortly after his discussion with Frankby and Claughton .sx One of the London dailies had collapsed under a sinking circulation which was coupled with a sinking revenue from advertising , because as the .sx circulation dropped the advertising became less and less effective .sx The paper was snuffed out , and de Rojaques acquired the plant and the presses and concentrated on the task of organising the birth of a new paper .sx He decided to call it the Morning Star .sx " Have we not seen , my Frankby , a morning star of great promise rise in the sky since you and I have worked together ?sx " he asked .sx He got a young man to edit the paper .sx When Frankby first saw the editor he recognised him .sx " Weren't you one of the reporters who worried me at the very beginning of this business ?sx " he asked .sx " Yes , " said the editor ; " my name is Anderlin .sx I blew the whole yarn to the Daily Leader about de Rojaques' interest in the show from the start .sx He knows that .sx He doesn't bear any malice , although he was pretty mad at the time .sx " " I don't think much of your editor , " said Frankby to de Rojaques later ; " he's just a nosey little reporter .sx I thought you'd have got somebody who didn't belong to that Fleet Street crew .sx " De Rojaques shrugged his shoulders .sx " Anderlin is a Jew , " he said , " therefore he is efficient .sx Anderlin has been connected with several papers , and he's experienced .sx He can extract news .sx He knows Fleet Street from the inside .sx He is a Voe-taker .sx He is completely without a moral sense .sx He will obey my instructions , simply because I am his employer , and never question them , and he will be far more efficient than a man who's morally convinced that what I want to do is the right thing .sx For example , my Frankby , I said that the first leading article in the first number of the paper had to explain that the Morning Star would probably be the last newspaper to appear in this .sx country , and that it was only to be regarded as a stop-gap until broadcasting had completely taken the place of newspapers .sx That I believe .sx That Anderlin does not believe .sx He thinks the press is eternal .sx I am thankful that I could never even wish to believe anything so horrible ; but Anderlin wrote that leading article , and it was convincing and clear and able .sx When he sells himself he does it thoroughly .sx " " I understand , " said Leslie Neston , the advertising director of the Daily Leader Newspaper Publishing Company , " that the advertising manager of the Morning Star is not allowed to try and get new business .sx " " Oh , yeah !sx " said Upton Narquall , of Echo Publications ( 1923 ) Ltd. They were drinking madeira together in the Voe-lounge of Gallotti's .sx " Fact , " said Neston , " I assure you .sx The poor boob wears out his pants waiting for the stuff to come in by the post .sx " Narquall grinned .sx " They seem to collect it all right , don't they ?sx " he said .sx " Fifty per cent of it is from the de Rojaques combine for Voe and perfumes and what-not .sx " " Have another one on me , old boy .sx " " Thanks , " said Neston .sx " I shouldn't be surprised , " he added , " if they don't plump out some dam' fool announcement to the effect that they don't want advertisements .sx " Within a few days his remark came true .sx The Morning Star appeared with a leading article entitled :sx ADVERTISING IN NEWSPAPERS .sx " You pay a penny for the Morning Star , " the articlebegan , " but with the cost of paper , machinery and labour each copy of the paper at present costs 2d .sx to produce .sx Our circulation is 322,400 .sx This circulation we hope to increase to the point when it will be possible to produce the Morning Star at a cost of less than 1d .sx , so that we shall be able to sell the paper at a profit .sx It is our aim to do this , as we do not believe that newspapers should have to rely upon the money they make from selling space for advertising purposes .sx We do not want advertisements , but we will take them if they are thrust upon us , and we will charge 10 for a single-column inch of space .sx We will reject all advertisements that in our view are advertising goods which are not worth having or which are definitely harmful .sx In the case of advertisements for goods that are harmful we propose publishing warnings against them in these columns .sx That , briefly , is our policy with regard to advertising .sx " " I don't profess to know anything about newspaper-publishing , " said Claughton to de Rojaques , " but isn't this a little too strong ?sx " De Rojaques patted him on the shoulder .sx " Your caution , my dear Claughton , " he said , " is entrancing .sx Few things have ever suffered from being a little too strong .sx Do you know why all the other newspapers are going to fail ?sx It is because they are not strong enough .sx It is because they are nervous and dare not tell the truth about anything unless it is something weak which they think cannot hurt them .sx They are so tactful .sx They are so considerate to vested interests .sx They are so kind to the Government or to the .sx Opposition .sx You may wonder why I take such an interest in the newspapers of this country , and why I do not concentrate on the French newspaper which I own .sx It is because in England there is a challenge about newspaper owning .sx It is believed that nobody outside Fleet Street can possibly succeed .sx Also , I want the United States of Europe to be a reality , and the newspaper in which the English believe and which puts the case for the United States of Europe will bring them nearer to becoming real , bring them away from the dream state into the life and thought of Europe .sx The English admire and believe anything that is honest .sx The Morning Star will be honest .sx " " Well , it won't pay , " said Claughton .sx " What do I care if it pays or not ?sx " said de Rojaques .sx " But you are wrong ; I think it will .sx "