MARCEL HUTIN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3161, 13 August 1917, Page 6

MARCEL HUTIN

FAMOUS FRENCH WAR COMMENTATOR

A NEWS-GETTER PAR EXCELLENCE

Tho familiarity with which at all events tho more • intelligent newspaper readers in Britain have come to regard the French Press is directed not so.much to\vai?s tho journals themselves as towards tho distinguished men who writo for them. The anonymity of British journalism lias given newspapers a definite standing; in France the authority attaches itself by "a more or less natural law to the writers as they become well known, and is apt to carry the fortunate ones who gain popular favour to greater heights than anonymous journalism can hope to reach.

Across the Channel journalism is often the path to political lame, and tho journalist can be better known almost than the paper he serves. Tho power of tho newspaper, as such, is consequently somewhat curtailed, a fact which lias impressed' itself strongly upon those who in the two years of the war.have been watching the Parisian Press. On the outbreak of war France mobilised many of her finest journalists, a a inistake not made by either England or Germany, and_a mistako whicii she lias silice realised. Deprived of their first efficiency, and ouen left to less competent men, the French newspapers made serious mistakes, and by exaggeration and sensation lost a good deal of public confidence. Only now is the French Press regaining its hold upon the public, and its re-establishment in popular favour is largely due to the littlo band of brilliant journalists who are in a greater or lesser degree "war discoveries."

No French journalist is better known to-day to English readers than is 11. Marcel ilutin, tlio daily contributor to fliß ''Echo de Paris," whoso bulletins are largely reproduced in the Britisn Press, and are indeed cabled to almost every part of the world. M. Hutin lias mane a great name for himself during the war. He is talked of in I'rance, his authority is recognised, and he is quoted every day with respect. He is, indeed, from n popular point of view, one of tho greatest war successes of French journalism.

A Great News-oetter. This does not mean that he is a military critic, whose knowledge and elocution of strategy and tactics can be classed with, say, that ot the veteran Geseral de Lacroix, the extremely able military writer, whose reasoned articles in "'Lb Temp 3" ana the "Revuo Militaire General have for long been a delight to read. Hutin is aii entirely different type of journalist. His tactics and strategy are not those of the expert military man; he is firstly, secondly, and thirdly a newsgetter, and as such. he has found Jus proper place on the '• redaction of tho "Echo do aris," which places great value on its news columns. The war has "made" llarcel Hutin, inasmuch as it found him the opportunity for exercising his remarkable genius for securing news and for deducting the march of events froni what he has obtained. Before the war he occupied a position on the icho de Paris" similar, but not quite analogous to that of a political correspondent in England. He mado it his business to know everybody worth knowing at the Quai d'Orsay, all the Government oifices, the Embassies, and, in fact, eveiTwhtre where a knowledge of men might prove useful to his journalistic activities In such work lie became known as a liian of enterprise and resource his principal competitor being Jules Hedeman, the brilliant French journalist, who refused a. safe post on mobilisation, and died bravely at Verdun a few weeks ago. Hutin was fortunate 111 being connected with the "Echo de Pans because that journal's support of militoy preparation, and, in particular, tho Tluee Years' Law, brought him into close contact with the military authorities, so that when war broke out his sources ot information were valuable. One o fins greatest scores was on Julv dl, 1914, hen ne announced the fact that Great Britain would stand by France. It -was probably only deduction, but it was true, and the amazingly accurate prophecies which Hutin subsequently published made the "Echo de Paris" one of the greatest war successes in French journalism. Hutin's news in the Eastern theatre in particular lias been consistently good. . , This means mora-in France than perhans it does here, because the German official messages do not appear there, and thus one source of news-for what it is worth—is cut off. It would appear, however, that Hutin usually has some knowledge of what the German bulletins contain when they come in from the Eiffel Tower, now the wireless heart or Trance. He has frequently given to English as well as to French readers tho first inkling of impending moves in tho'East, and his versatility in this direction has extended to all other fronts. Ho does not write articles, but P"" what he has to say into comparativelj few pithy sentences, which are sometimes all the more interesting if one has tho facility for reading between the lines. One can always depend up° n him because he relies upon excellent sources of information for his deductions. We have no journalist m England who has made his name in exactly the same j Hutin is a somewhat fine-looking man, in tho prime of life, dark, with a strong moustache and smiling eyes which immediately attract. Personality counts i for much in a task such as his, and when one sees 'iL. Hutin. one instinctively 1 feels that he is a man who could not fail to be popular amongst those who have the direction of war aftairs hi the Remiblio. English journalism readily admits his prowess and his qualities and congratulates -him. upon tliem. Ho is. indeed, the war news-getter par excellence.