New-York tribune., 1910-07-15
KING AND CABINET
why George v Does Not Attend
Its Meetings.

a-,,D-,rht. 1910. by the Brentwood Company
- George shows no inclination TO
- with the suggestion that he should
- IN person and preside over the
- ,-,portant meetings of the Cabinet.
-. discussion was started by the some
- indiscreet publication by Lady Gif-
~ letter written by the late Sir
-,.hsrt GiTen as far hack as 1901, Just
-s.sr the death Of Queen Victoria, in which
= made such proposal He addressed
.,,,e letter 10 The London Times" but
s;s not send IL Lady Giffen found Il
er,oas his private papers. and published it
the other DAY
The objection 70 the idea is that II the
z-iag we're 10 preside at Cabinet meetings
bs would necessarily become identified with
,be political party in power TO such an
sxtert that his status as an impartial judge
s,5 srhiter between the rival political fac
,,o5s would be impaired. In fact he would
heobue 8 party man, which would be con-
.-srv 10 the spirit Of the British consti-
futon.
On the other hand, the King has per-
feet theoretical right 10 attend and pre-
SIDE a. Cabinet meetings. for the Cabinet
IS after all. nothing more nor less than
ere Of the committees Of his Privy Coun-
Gil and he very often presides at meet
'nss Of the Privy Council. But no British
sovereign has attended an actual meeting
of the Cabinet since the reign Of Queen
Anne, two centuries ago. In her time they
were always held at the odd hour OF 6
o'clock on Sunday evening. and she would
Invariably take the chair. They were the
only occasions when her subjects were per-
1litred 70 sit in her presence Not even
her husband, Prince George. was allowed
70 sit with her at meals. which she in
rerisbly took alone. and how strict was
etiquette n those DAYS may be seen by
the fact that when. nearly half & century
later. Queen Caroline, the consort of
George II dfned with the Prime Minister
Sir Robert Walpole in his Chelsea house.
Sir Robert, though her acknowledged fa-
yorite- cid not presume 10 sit at table
with her He stood behind her chair
throughout the dinner. and then left Lady
Wa pole 10 entertain the Queen while he
oined with the members Of her suite The
custorn Of kings attending Cabinet coun-
els was abandoned in the reign of George
J owing to his inability to speak or under
stand English and i may be remembered
That even George lis English was i'm
psTfect, and that he usually expressed
himself in French. which was the court
language in those 6evs
Emperor Nicholas, Emperor Francis Jo-
seph- the Sultan Of Turkey King Victor
Emmanuel King Albert of Belgium and
Queen Wilhelnina OF Holland never attend
Cabinet meetings. Nor does the Kaiser:
and II nay be remembered that his resent
rent ~ being kept from knowing what
went on 81 the Cabinet councils presided
over 6y the first Prince Bismarck was the
principal cause OF the downfall Of the Iron
Chancellor King Alfonso of Spain. on the
other hand. presides a. the meetings of the
Cabinet At Madrid and joins in its discus
stons- And 50, too. does the King OF Swe-
den. while all the more important meetings
ot the French Cabinet are held al the
E7ysee Palace, with President Fallieres in
The chair. in which he occasionally falls
asleep during the deliberations Here in
The United States. i IS needless TO say, the
President always takes the chair at the
meetings of the Cabinet. which are held at
Ire White House, and where the President
never gees u sleep-verv much. indeed, the
reverse