CAPITAL CHARMED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1939, Page 5

CAPITAL CHARMED

HER MAJESTY CAPTIVATES 'EVERYBODY “PICTURES DO NOT DO HER JUSTICE.” EMBASSY GARDEN PARTY. WASHINGTON, June 9. The high spot of the day yesterday was the procession marking their Majesties’ arrival. If they had any doubt about what the American reception was likely to be it was settled quickly, for a crowd estimated at 500,000 lined the capital’s streets and filled the roofs and windows of buildings along the route, even clinging to statues. They, cheered enthusiastically, waved flags, and in general demonstrated how the Royal couple have won American hearts. The Queen in particular captivated everybody. , Tonight Washington is humming with 1 comments on her charm, graciousness and- beauty, the most common remark being, “Her pictures certainly do not do her justice.” After meeting the diplomats at the White House and lunching with President and Mrs Roosevelt and their family, their Majesties, escorted by the Roosevelts, took a 31 miles sightseeing tour of the capital and the surrounding countryside, affording an opportunity to thousands of additional Washington citizens to see and cheer them.

Their Majesties the returned to the White House, changed attire, and started for the British Embassy garden party. They paused in the White House grounds to receive gifts from 8000 cheering Scouts, 3000 of whom were girls. The Queen wore a white tucked knit gown with lace insets, a large white picture hat with a small knot of flowers and white lace, and a ruffled parasol, a diamond bracelet, pearl earrings, and a pearl necklace. DAY OF TORRID HEAT.

Their Majesties, beplumed diplomats, and 1400 favoured Americans gathered in the British Embassy's four-acre garden and talked about the weather. It was a topic they could not avoid because the temperature was 91 degrees. The sun beat down unmercifully, wilting and ruining specially-made dresses

starched wing collars, and carefullypressed trousers. To Lady Lindsay’s relief the rain which had been forecast failed to materialise. The British Ambassador, Sir Ronald Lindsay, escorted the King through the packed garden. His Majesty spoke longest to Admiral Byrd, and also chatted with the new Soviet Ambassador, M. Constantine Oumansky. Later the King had tea with the financier, Mr J. P. Morgan. The Queen sat with Mrs Leahy, wile of Admiral Leahy, Mrs Garner, the Vice-Presi-dent’s wife, Mrs Bingham, widow of the former Ambassador to England, and Mrs Malin Craig, wife of the Army Chief of Staff'. The male guests had been told they might wear linens if they preferred, but most of them donned morning clothes. For weeks the ladies had been debating whether to curtsey to the Queen. The upshot was that about half did so, and the remainder, following the lead of Mrs Roosevelt, merely shook hands. The Queen chatted for five minutes with Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt, who waved a gold fan throughout. The Queen’s dress evoked murmurs of admiration. Actually she appeared the coolest person present. WORK FOR RED CROSS. The heat was so intense and the crowd so dense during the procession that ambulance attendants, Red Cross doctors and nurses treated nearly 500 for heat prostration, while one death is reported—that of an unidentified hawker of boxes for people to stand on. In the down-torn sector, where the crowds were closest packed, there was an epidemic of faintings, somebody falling over every few minutes. Many of the spectators had been waiting since early morning in order to be sure of vantage points. The intervening hours before the parade took thir toll in sapped vitality from the heat and lack of food and drink.

The curiosity and interest in Royalty has been far greater than expected, indicating that New York crowds when their Majesties arrive there on Saturday are likely to break all records and tax the resources of the police and other agencies. The most conservative estimates places the number of people who will see their Majesties in New York at 2.000,000.

Since it required 8000 soldiers, sailors and marines and 1500 policemen and firemen to .patrol the procession route and restrain the crowd in Washington, it is evident that New York is facing a problem. It is planned to have 200,000 American war veterans in uniform lining the New York parade route.