The Eleventh Man

Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, 52, second Viscount Rothermere, owns London's stoutly Tory Daily Mail* (circ. 2,280,000) and for three years fiery, loquacious Frank Owen, 44, has been the editor. But it has long been common knowledge in Fleet Street that the real boss wears a petticoat.

For several years, pretty, vivacious Lady Ann Rothermere, 36, has tried to run the Mail from Warwick House. Without consulting Editor Owen, she often summoned staffers to her home to assign stories or suggest new features. Six months ago, Stuart MacLean, advertising manager of the Mail and a friend of "Annie's," was appointed managing director of the paper. Overbearing, tight-pursed Director Mac-Lean moved in on editorial authority, in some cases firing, shuffling and promoting editorial staffers, without consulting Editor Owen. (Complained one Mailman: "He wants to run the paper, but he thinks he can run it like a cash register.") Owen fought back, but fought a losing battle. In recent months, eight top editorial executives and writers and two directors have been fired or quit. Last week, as fed up with Warwick House as Warwick House was with him, Frank Owen quit.

At 23, as a proteegee of Liberal Lloyd George, Owen was Parliament's youngest member. At 32, he became the liberal editor of Lord Beaverbrook's Tory Evening Standard. At 41, he moved further to the right, joined the Mail. Last week the onetime Welsh wonder boy of British journalism went back to the Beaver. He signed on to do a bylined column for Beaverbrook's Daily Express.

-As well as the Evening News, Sunday Dispatch and various provincial papers.

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