"WHY I BELIEVE IN KING GEORGE"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 6, 1 July 1911, Page 10

"WHY I BELIEVE IN KING GEORGE"

MR. W. 'A STEAD'fc VIEWS. Mr. W. T. StLad, who diescribes himself •* "editor., agjitator, ai d ex-eriminal," has been telling 't'rtf British public why ho believes in King George. His reasons are characteristic and interesting. Firstly, he believes in the King because the King believes in him; second, because his Majesty in his outlook of life believes very much as -Mr. Stead does; thirdly, because he. is a first-class sailor man; fifthly, Mr. Stead goes on to say: I believe in King George because he is the only British King who has visited the Kmpire over which he reigns, and almost, the only man in the three kingdoms who realises what if means. When his father died, King George., taking stock delib- ' erately of what was possible and what] was not, resolutely decided that, although he could not emulate the achievements of King Kdward as a diplomatist, he could, and with God's grace would, make the Kmpire a palpable'realil.y, (hat a sense of Mich unity aol \ grandeur snould become the common heritage of all his subjects. So he insisted "up,,,, going to the Delhi Durbar next December, and in the years to come he intends to re-visit as King all (he great dominions which welcomed him as Prince. The King is a sane Imperialist, He realises the burden, and is not dazzled by the glory of Kmpire. But.he is keenly' alive to the opportunities and its responsibilities. Sixthly, 1 believe in King George because [ think that he will he a thoroughly Constitutional monarch, who will not allow his own political prejudices or j his personal likes and dislikes to deflect. ' him from the siraight. path of Constitutional duty, ff he is still of the same { opinions as he used to be when he was •' Prince of Wales, there can he little sym- : pathy on party grounds between him and l Mr. Asquith. But party questions are but skin deep. On the gerat fundamental ] question, "How is the King's Government J to be carried on?" he and his Ministers ' will always be at one. This does not ! imply that the King will be a mere lay ' figure. On the contrary, be will never ' allow the great monarcliial revival which ' we owe to Queen Victoria to lose any ' of its force while he is on the throne. : He will, like his grandmother, make a ' good stand-up tight for his own opinions. ] He will use to the uttermost, the legitimate influence of his position. But he will never forget that the strength of his influence depends upon the loyalty with which he recognises the authority of Parliament. Seventhly, and lastly, 1 believe in King George because 1 think he is a real human being, as impulsive, passionate, obstinate, prejudiced as 1 am myself.