The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-12

Many matrons with daughters ana wards still to bring out and others whose charges have hung heavy on their hands through several seasons would be de- lighted to welcome the young American
 millionaire who has yet to attain his ma
 jority.
 Put speculation is not altogether sordid
 Both branches of the Astor family are
 dearly loved by the British people gen
 orally. The dead colonel was great fav
 orte in England.
 Mir and Mrs. William Waldorf Astor
 and their son, who Is rising to promi-
 hence as member of the house of com
 mons. are eourttd by the most exclusive
 circles For his fathers sake and for
 his own, Vincent Astor was lionized when
 he was last here, a fine, lovable, manly
 } oung man. The people of this metropolis
 sympathzed very heartily with the Astor
 family when word was received here that
 the gallant colonel had gone down with
 the ship, and after the period of mourn
 ing is over. London will gladly do its
 part to assist the heir to tighten, If not
 forget his sorrow.
 Mrs J. Bruce Ismay has also been
 subject of much sympathy here. The
 people of London are not usually given to
 excessive exhibition of emotion, either
 through pleasure or pain. In the case of Mrs. Ismay there was an exceptionally strong note of popular condolence, large ly because it was felt that the attacks made upon her husband during the prog ress of the Senate inquiry were unjusti- fed. In society, where both Mrs. Ismay
 and her husband are influential and pipu- lar, there was d genuine desire to com fort the wife of the shpowner who was being baited and badgered so unmerci- fully. But she was so utterly heart
 broken over the sad affair that even now
 she thinks of little else except the lost liner and the dead that went down with the Titanic. London will not shake. off the gloom of that terrible calamity for many weeks to come.
 We shall soon be celebrating the King birthday. and congratulating the new knights baronets and peers. It is more than probable that several names well known on the other side of the Atlantic will figure in the list, which is going to be a short one, according to those nearest
 the ears of his majestys advisers. Most
 of those mentioned as likely to be includ- ed are civilians. King George ha> at least ono characteristic in common with the third of the English Georges-he is fond Of the farmers and likes to sprinkle the
 oats with the gloss of his prerogatives. It is a common misconception that L e
 crown has little to say in the granting | O. new DtltnlS tl ilbbiiiiN. <No q iiie'esei of fact the Kings word Is final and his will absolute in the granting of the mean | est rank under the warrant of his name.
 It is qiute true that the list is made up 1 by the chief officers of the cabinet, the | premier and lord president of the coun- l Gil and lord privy seal having usually the l delicate task of paying political debts through a stroke of the royal pen. But 1 the King can strike his pen through the l list when a name occurs which fails to meet the royal favor and many cases of | this kind have occurred, even in recent | years.
 | An amusing incident. Illustrating this survival of regal power to reward or
 punish with parchment, happened dur l ing the last reign. MT. Balfour was oilme minister at the time and influence | had been brought to bear upon the con
 servatlve cabinet to help wealthy brew CT, whose purse had been wide open dur
 ing the previous general election. to the
 broad pennon of brony Either through l error or underground artfice the clerks | at Sumerset House in preparing the draft 1 list and warrants for the Kings sigma | ture, boosted the brewer into an earldom. | The King was at Sandringham when the 1 list was laid on his breakfast table. He ran down the names casually until he l came to that of the brewer; Edward $ l face expanded in a smile when his eyes twinkied over the clerkly written an- nouncement: "I think not. Knollys. If