Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-01
ORDER OF THE GARTER
Investment of King Haakon at
Windsor.
RARE AND BRILLIANT SHOW
German Minister of Agriculture Pad
bielski Quits.
DRESS REFORM IN BERLIN
History of the Famous Rubens Cell
ing in Whitehall That Is to Be
Observation-Disclosures New Play.
s,ec,a, corresnondence Of The Star.

which, from their comparative rarity, are
dearly loved by all .cockneys. However
self-contained and reserved Englishmen
may be. they cannot help being affected by
the joy and excitement of those around
nor refrain from Fastening to the scene of
splendor when they see the hurrying
crowds, the marching soldiers, the flying
carriages and hear the throb Of the drum
and the crash of musical instruments. The
Londoner with his highly-strung emotions,
is peculiarly susceptible to such influences,
and it would be a poor and trivial process
sion. indeed, that would not draw him to
line the curb In his multitudes. So there
was the usual pageant-hungry crowd
stretched in it's tens Of thousands from
Paddington, the station of arrival. to the
Guidhall.
The warmth of the welcome given to the
visitors was unmistakable. Both were al
ready fairly well known to Londoners. for
they were frequently seen about town In
the early years of their married life, and
before that Princess Maud had visited the
city on several occasions in the company OF
other members of the royal house. To her,
therefore, the heartiness of the cheering
could have been no surprising thing. King
Haakon did not conceal his feelings or
pleasure. AS 1 read his face he appeared
not recovered from the surprise even on
the last stage of the drive back to Padding
ton. London did the proper thing in the
best possible way.
So long a time is 1t since state ceremonial
has been frightened by such a feature that
the Chapter of the Noble Order of the Gar
ter. which was held in the magnificent
throne room at Windsor Castle, may be
regarded as unique to the present genera
ton. 1t is certain, at any rate, that the
observance had the attraction Of novelty
to King Haakon. for whose investment the
chapter has been called because nothing
of the sort has been seen since the year
1856. when there were two Investments
that of Napoleon III, in April, and that OF
Victor Emmanuel, then King of Sardinia
and afterward King Of Italy, in December
the only two by the way, which have taken
place in sixty years. Hence, 1t was also
King Edwards first appearance as the
ruling sovereign In this ceremonial.
Popular Imagination has clustered more
thickly round the Order of the Garter, prob
ably. than round any other of the honors
which the state bestows. Precisely what
this decoration originated In 1t Is impossible
to say. but there are many who are quite
content to accept the pretty story OF the
discovery of the Countess of Safisburys
garter upon the floor of public room by
King Edward III, and OF his famous ex-
clamation. "Honi soft Qut NAL y p09se'-
which, In modern circumstances, se{ deli
cately minded a monarch might betteff have
left unsaid. At any rate. those wofds con-
stitute the motto of the Garter to the pres
ent day, and IL they do not imply what the
king is supposed to have meant they make
as useful a saying do most others OF the
sort, and can always be exploited when one
wants to assail the extreme Puritans.
The ceremony of investment Is very or
nate and colorful, and the scene in the
throne room was one Of almost unexampled
brilliance in many ways. The Garter it
self Is the smallest part of the decoration,
which includes a mantle of dark velvet,
lined with white taffeta; a surcoat of GRIM
son velvet with star; hood of crimson
velvet; a black velvet hat, with diamonds
and ostrich and heron plumes; a golden col-
lar, and two badges known as the George"
and Lesser George" Altogether Royal
knight of the Garter in full regalia Is inn
posing enough for a place in a pantomfme
chorus. -
The German minister of agriculture, Gen.
Won Podbielski, has at length resigned. and
has thus ended a situation that has daily
been growing more acute. The German
people have been intensely interested in the
affair which has caused his resignation, as
the credit of the kaiser Is intimately con-
nected with 1t. When 1t becaL,e known
that Gen. Podbielski was interested in the
firm of Tippelskirch & Co., firm which
has been accused Of bribing German OH
GERS in order to secure army and colonial
contracts, 1t was felt at once that Podbiel-
ski was impossible.
A newspaper crusade was started against
him. and his resignation or dismissal de-
manded. That the kaiser, however, should
dismiss a minister merely because public
opinion demanded this was against all the
traditions of the house of Hohenzollern,
and Podbielski was retained in Office. The
reichstag met on the 18th and every German
in the empire has been waiting to see
whether the minister would have the eff
frontery to meet it, or whether he would
send in his resignation and furnish his
royal master with the much-needed golden
bridge.
Podbielski is a wholly unlettered man.
1t is believed that he cannot spell correctly
and his public utterances are ludicrously
ungrammatical. He has been simply pitch
and he are great friends. they hunt to-
gether and the minister has a wonderful
fund Of amusing stories which the kaiser
likes to hear; but these are poor qualfica-
ton for high office. 1t seems now that
Podbielsh has thought better of 1t. and has
sought relief from an impossible position
in resignation.
The ruling of Germany is not entirely in
the hands of the kaiser. There is one part
of his empire over which he has no power,
and that is women's fashions. But a men,
Der of the royal house has supplied this
shortcoming on the part Of William II. and
this Is his daughter-in-law, the crown
princess. Strange to say, the German en-
press never exercised the slightest infiu-
sort Is a tall. finely built woman, but some
how. though well-dressed. she was never
strikingly so: she had no influence what
ever on the fashions. But the crown prin-
cess has changed all this. She was brought
up for many years in France, and the
Rue de la Paix has no secrets for her AS
soon as she began to appear In Berlin So
ciety the couturieres Of the German capital
knew that there was new star In the
armament She Is extremely graceful in
her movements. and Is what couturieres
describe as "easy to dress"
The somewhat massive frame Of the en-
press. who towers good half-head above
her husband, Is. on the other hand, diff
cult to dress. The only time I have seen
her look well is at a gala performance at
the royal opera or some court function,
when she could wear her diamond tiara,
her jewels and low-necked dresses in heavy
velvet or some other regal-looking mate
rial Then II must be admitted, She looked
extremely well. but 1t was not style of
dressing that could influence the daily
fashion. 1t is to be hoped that the crown
princess will wheel Berlin into lne," for
goodness knows it needs II. 1t Is to be
hoped that her influence will get rid of that
horror known In Germany as reform"
dress. which is combination of q ser
wants wrapper and a dressing gown. The
sight of stout and elderly German lady
in one of these monstrosties with the
waist just under the arms. L. too terrible
for words.
The question of the salary of the haredf-