The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-26
THE TIMES DIsPATCH RICHMOND VA TUESDAY, MAY 1914

she was let severely alone BY all her
royal and imperial relatives; and even
the kind hearted and broad-mindcd
Duchess Charlotte of SAKE Mcinins en-.
eldest sister of the Kaiser. WAS com
/ RELIED on this account 10 hold aloof
| from her during the many years ,hat
she spcnt At Brcs.au. when her hus-
band. Duke Bernard OF SAKE McininScn
was in command OF the troops there.
In spite of her romantic marriage.
| there WAS nothing romantic In the
appearance of the cx-princess, at any
rate during the last twenty-five years
! OF her life. She was not even good
looking. while her lack of personal at
fractions was emphasized by the pc
culiarities of her dress.
| She used to show decided prefer
cncc FOR blouses of a violent red char
acter, which were naturally consts ucd
as Il manifestation 81 her socialist
views; wore her gray hair Gu, quite
short, masculine fashion. invariably
all ected mans hat. also somewhat
abbreviated and badly cut cloth skirts.
| of u dingy hue, and completed her
J toilette with those German hlth boots
which III England are known as W ell
ingtons. In fact, her appearance WAS
that of a freak, and furnished no evi-
dencc Whatsoever of the blueneSa OF
her blood, the iiusirious and historic
character OF her ancestry, Of her royal
ceedingly kind heart and great charity.
King Georges stay last week " the
great military camp OF AldcrShot with
/ the Queen, WAS in pursuance OF an an
Dual practice inauguratcd by Edward
VII. on his accession TO the throne.
/ near fourteen years ago. It's object IL
political, rather than military. king
Gcorga like his father. WISHES 10
"a llA tl.ats lA.a
Is the head of the army, and Its com
/ nanuer-in- chef.
When Queen Victoria came To the
| throne. in 1897, the Secretary of Nar
was very far from occupying the Inn
! portant position or POSSESSING the cX-
! tensivc powers which he now enjoys.
! AS 1t was obviously impossible for so
! young II girl To fulhll ali the duties of
communicative chief. the office was
delegated nrst TO Field Marshal Lord
/ liill, then to the great Duke Of Well
ington. and after that to her cousin.
the royal Duke of Cambridge. who held
il for ne;,> upon fifty years. untortu-
nately, he was not progressive, but
very conservative in his ideas, and OBJ
struCtcd reforms to such an extent that
the Secretary OF War. backed by Far
| lament. ana public sentiment, man
AGED by degrecs To usurp most of his
| authority. Ind, cd, the Office OF com
Z
! mere ornamental sinccurc that II
! Was abolished just about the time of
/ ,he accession To the throne OF the late
| King.
| Edward VII. was shrewd enough to
| realize that there would be diinculty
hbout recovering the powers Which
/ hau been usurrcd 10y the secretary OF
| var. AMI Indirectly by Parliament.
But he insisted upon being cousui,ed
! about everything relating to the army:
| mat every orucr should he given in
| his name rs the sup enc head OF tnc
army, according 10 the tcIin, OF the
| Constitution. The name If the SOW
| crciAn appears far moie frequently to-
day III connection with ni.tary mat
tcrs than ut any time duiiny The SHY
odd years 81 Queen Victoria totgn.
And IL Is with the object OF thorough
ly depressing upon both the soldiers
and the people, that as King he is. ;lc-
.oruiEs To the Constitution, the law
fui commander-ih-chic of the army,
that George V. tears himself away
from London in the height OF The sea-
son there To spend an entire week
! among the troops n the great uili-
tary camp OF Aldersiiot. and why in
| the autumn, he interrupts his holiday
| III tho Highlands OF Scotland and
travels all the way down 10 the mid
lands, or southern counties or England,
To spend another week. In pnttlc D.,
iion In the great annual manocu.Ies
and mimic war-the nearest approach
TO actual war that IL is possible to
have IN the piping times OF pc.,ce.
The King Is by profession and taste
not soldier. but a sailor, and ms sol
dicrinS At A!de!shoi III May and In the
autumn mahoeuvres Is solely for the
political purpose Of empha sizing. main
tanning and strengthening his SOW
ereiSn prcro6ativc as commander IN
chief
Copyright. 1914 H. the Brentwood
Company