"PILLAR OF DISHONOR"

NZ Truth, Issue 1207, 17 January 1929, Page 15

"PILLAR OF DISHONOR"

Ordeal for Dutch Princess When She Becomes Engaged

Princess Juliana, of Holland, heiress to ' the throne of the " Netherlands, will be pilloried upon the announcement of her engagement, no matter who the bridegroom may be.

IN other words, her name and that oi —the intended bridegroom will be exhibited upon a post, humorously called the "pillar of dishonor," m the Women Students' Club of Leyden University; Juliana will not be spared the "disgrace." The Dutch Crown Princess probably will look back upon her college days as the happiest of her life. She enjoys more freedom at Leyden than she can possibly indulge m at the Royal Castle at The Hague, where a rigid court atmosphere prevails. j How rigid these restrictions are maybe judged from the remark the nineteen;- year - old Princess, made when told she could matriculate at Leyden. "Fine. Then I can wear high heels." At Leyden everything possible is done to permit her to live a carefree life. To be sure, a Secret Service man shadows her unobtrusively. And at her villa at Katwyk on the North Sea, about 10 miles from Leyden, the Princess and four girl friends who live with her are more than adequately chaperoned by ladies m waiting. But aside from this Juliana leads the life of a normal college 'girl. When the Crown Princess entered Leyden a year ago, she stated emphatically that she wished 'to be treated just like any other student. Hence, when she joined the Women Students' Club, she did what is customary for all freshmen to do — called on the members, of the Executive Committee at their various boarding houses. "My daughter offered to reverse the process and call on the Princess," the mother of one of them : said, "but she would not have it. She came as simply and modestly and, I may add, as bashfully as any new student." Like any other freshman, she sat on the floor whenever dui'ing a lecture or some other club function there weren't enough seats. ""-.'■' The only concession made to; her position is the fact- that all the "classes which she attends are held' in the same classroom. It is on the second floor of the main hall and can be reached only by an open staircase. princess Juliana's studies comprise international and public la/sy, Dutch history, Dutch literature, French, German and theology. As Holland Jias a State church, it was felt desirable that the Princess t study theological lore, especially church history. One of her professors described her as "standing half way between the orthodox and the modernist schools of Dutch Protestant theology." As to the range of her reading the professor said: "The Princess reads on the most

I varied topics. She is particularly fond i of literature, especially of contemporar rieous writers, but also studies with in- > terest such works as Trotzky's book ■ on the Russian revolution. Her com- > ment on it, was, "Trotzky, is certainly a man of strong views;"\ Each year the freshmen members 1 compete m writing a class song. Juliana entered the contest with 1 120 girls. Her song was accepted as the best. Juliana's club is now housed m a spacious mansion, the home of a late burgomaster, only a few doors from the university main hall. "Princess' Juliana's joining helped our . club considerably," one of the trustees .-' said. "To acquire this property, we had to issue bonds, and the fact that the Princess took a generous share of them naturally helped us elsewhere." Among the students and townsfolk of Leyden Princess Juliana is generally known as a "good fellow." She loves to go shopping, to munch cakes m some pastry shop, to explore the winding streets of centuries-old Leyden. Like her father, she is musical. She plays the violin and attends the local concerts regularly. From her r mother she has inhei-ited a certain talent for painting. Ice skating iS; about the only outdoor sport of which Princess Juliana is fond. Her mother tried m vain to interest her m horseback riding. She loves camping, however, and during the summer often spends the week-end at Apeldoorn, where she and her friends have a tent. She travels there m the, ordinary interurbari: omnibus. Lipsticks and roiige are unknown quantities to this healthy, buxom . Dutch lass. Whether she wbiild prefer bobbed' hair and shorter ; skirts than her mother permits has ; not been disclosed; v : The four young, ladies who share the . villa at Katwyk with' her are two daughters of the Rev. Michelin of The Hague, a Frehch Huguenot preacher, Miss de Bfauw, whose father is Dean of the Dutch v Barristers, and Miss Rosenboom, daughter; of a former Governor- General of; 7 the Dutch East Indies. This quintet of Leyden co-eds is so congenial that all Katwyk speaks, of them as the "jolly sea star," with the image of a five-pointed star fish m ■mind. .'' '.. /'■;•".- '-;''; While other people are breaking their heads oyer the question who vn^l be the Prince Consort, the husband of Juliana, the 'sole heir, of the. House of .Orange herself declines to bother about it- ■'