THE KING WAS THE PEOPLE’S FRIEND

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 306, 10 December 1936, Page 5

THE KING WAS THE PEOPLE’S FRIEND

COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR CUSTOM & PRECEDENT LIKED TO MEET AND MIX WITH COMMON PEOPLE ALMOST HORRIFIED HIS GUARDIANS AND ADVISERS Making a habit of seeing things he wanted to see, doing the things he wanted to do, and saying the things he wanted to say. King Edward has won a reputation as one of the most unorthodox monarchs that has sat on the Throne of England. He has at times shown a complete disregard for convention and precedent, his free-and-easy informality often embarrassing his Ministers. His attitude, however, has won him a position of unique distinction in the hearts of a great body of the people of England. People first became accustomed to his habit of doing many things in an unconventional way when he was Prince of Wales. In New Zealand, numerous stories circulate of unscheduled happenings on his.tour as Prince of Wales. Nearly every one is to his credit, revealing his spontaneous friendliness and complete lack of “side.” He has always been noted for a capacity to do or say the right thing at the right time.

“Almost Horrified His Guides.” As Prince of Wales he had remarkable receptions on his visits to the Dominions. Thousands flocked to see him, and he was subjected to a constand round of receptions and welcomes. He never appeared bored oD tired, was always happy in his speeches, and moved among the people in a way that almost horrified his guides and guardians. He had his hand shaken so many thousand times that he was using his left before he had gone very far in New Zealand, his right being out of action through the effect of constant pressure and movement from the righthand of enthusiastic and admiring Australians. He was termed “Britain’s most successful traveller” when he went to South America and was particularly popular in Canada. The late Will Rogers was aomng his friends, 'and declared that if the Prince of Wales visited the United States he would do more to cement the relations between the English and American peoples than all the statesmen who ever crossed the Atlantic.

He moved with common people and they liked him. He made friends in all ranks of society. He disliked being conducted and being guarded and was noted for his partiality for evading his detectives and bodyguard, or else dismissing them and going where he chose, meeting whom he chose, requiring only that their company should be interesting, whatever their rank in society. People became used to him doing things in an unconventional way. But it was. thought that he would have more regard for the traditional niceties of Royal conduct when he became King.

Man of the People. 'However, it has been found that while he felt seriously the heavy responsibilities which kingship entailed, he changed very little in his general mode of life. He was still, first ami foremost, a man of the people, and he continued to show a disregard for conventions that his advisers sought to impose upon him. Early in his reign be made a tour of the Scottish slums, and went into several of the most humble homes and chatted informally with the occupants. Such acts as these, while drawing himself still closer to the mass of the people, proved somewhat embarrassing to his advisers, but His Majesty never deviated from the course he had set himself. It is believed that his strong humanitarian impulses were first stirred when he was a lad at Oxford. The story goes that lie became associated with a humanitarian group, members of which took him through some of the slums in his own property. What he saw, according to the story, made such a strong impression on his mind that he protested to his father and mother against such conditions being allowed to continue. Subsequently these estates were sold and the slums cleared away.

Sees Things For Himself. Throughout his life the King has insisted on seeing things for himself. Just recently, he embarrased his advisers by his tour of the depressed areas in South Wales, and in insisting that such deplorable conditions as he saw must not continue. The Government was stirred to immediate action, and a cable message stated tha<t schemes for t)h|o assistance of the people in the depressed areas were being examined with a view to early application. Early this month Tie inspected units of the Home Fleet of Portland. Heavy rain was falling. 'rhe King discarded his waterproof as he entered the lift to go on deck to inspect 1000 men of H.M.S. Courageout. The captain suggested that he might resume his waterproof. “I don’t care a damn about myself,” replied, the King, “but the men are gejtting soaked. Can’t you get them under cover?” The King insisted on meeting the men of the lower deck. At a concert in the evening the men, dressed as old-time sailors, sang shanties. Eight stokers and two seamen played jazz tunes, to which the King beat time. Two thousand bluejackets later tilled the hangar of the Courageous. They were community' singing—a sort of

finale to the smoking concert. The King, near the finish, told the leader of the band to play “Tipperary.” and then he went among the men. As the band started the tune, the sailors crowded around the King, singing lustily. As he was walking back io his seat, the banjo, the concertinas, and the' mouth-Organs, struck up a new chorus. The bluejackets sang it roaringly. Il was, “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow.”

Hyde Park Incident. The sensational incident at Hyde Park Corner, in London, when His Majesty was returning from a Guards ceremony in July, led to a frenzied demonstration of loy'ally. Throughout the incident His Majesty remained unperturbed, and as news of the revolver incident spread through London the entire populace showed .thankfulness at his escape by fervent demonstrations of affection and loyadty. That, escape of the King, coining so soon after his accession to the Throne, convinced the authorities that he should be more carefully guarded in his public appearances, but His Majesty does not appear to have been impressed by the fears of the authorities, as he has continued to 'move as he pleases wherever he goes. The unmarried state of' the King has excited much interest and speculation ?or many years. No foreign princess has visited England, and the King has made no trip to the Continent for a number of years past without setting in motion a current of matrimonial speculation, but always he has confounded the prophets, and it has come to be regarded as an accepted fact that he would remain single.