The Washington herald., 1911-09-10
ENGLAND'S RENAISSANCE
PREDICTED UNDER GEORGEV
H. G. Wells Declares Monarch Will Restore True
Conception of KingShip.

There is conviction widespread among
Us-his own words, perhaps, have done
most to create it-that King George is
inspired, as no recent predecessor has
been inspired, by the conception of king
ship; that his is to be no role of broad
Indifferent abstinence from the broad pro-
Cesses of our national and imperial devel-
opment. That greater public life, which IS
ABOVE party and above creed and sect,
has taken hold of his imagination; he is
to be no crowned image OF unity and
correlation, a layer of foundation stones
and a signature to documents, but an
actor in our drama. a living prince.
We, the innumerable democracy of in
dividually unimportant men,, have felt
the need for such a prince. Our con-
sciousness of defects. of fields of effort
untitled, of vast possibilities neglected
and slipping away from US forever, has
never really slumbercd again since the
Christening experiences Of the BoSr war.
Since then the national spirit, hampered
though it is by the traditions of party
government and d heavy legacy of in
tellectual and social heaviness, has been
in uneasy and inefficient revolt against
deadness, against stupidity and slackness,
against waste and hypocrisy in every
department of life.
Confidence in King.
We have come to see more and more
clearly how little we can hope for from
politicians, societies, and organized
movements in these essential things. 1t
is this that has invested the energy and
manhood, the united possibilities of the
new King with so radiant light of hope
for us.
Think what it may mean for us all
write as one of that great iIl-informed
multitude, sincerely and sravely patri-
otic, outside the echoes of court gossip
and the easy knowledge Of exalted So
ciety--if. our King does indeed care for
those wider and profounder things. Sup
pose. we have King at last who cares
for the advancement of science, who is
willing to do the hundred things that are
so easy in his position 10 increase re-
search, to honor and to share in scientific
thought.
Suppose we have King whose head
rises above the level of the court artist,
and who not only can, but will, appeal to
the latent and discouraged power or ar
tistic creation in our race. Suppose we
have a King who understands the need
for incessant. acute criticism to keep our
collective activities intelligent and eff
cient, and for a flow of bold, unham-
pered thought through every department
of the national life, King liberal with
out laxity and patriotic without pettiness
or vulgarity. Such. it seems to US who
wait at present almost inexpressively
outside the immediate clamors of mere
artificial loyalty, are the splendid possi-
bilities of the time.
England Not Decadent.
For England is no exhausted or decay
ing country 1t is rich with an unmeas-
ured capacity for generous responses. It
is a country burdened. indeed, but not
overwhelmed by the gigantic response
bilities OF empire. a little relaxed by
wealth and hampered, rather than en-
shaved. by certain shyness of tempera-
ment. a certain habltual timldity, sloven-
liness, and nsincerity OF mind. 1t Is q
little dfstrustful OF intellectual power and
enterprise. little awkward and ungra-
cious to bravo and beautiful things lit
tie too tolerant OF dun. well-meaning, and
Industrious men and arrogant old women.
II suffers hypocrites gladly, because It's
criticism is poor, and it Is wastefuily
harsh to frank unorthodoxy. But its
heart is sound II its Judgments fall short
OF acuteness and Il IT'S standards OF
achievement are low. Il needs but q