The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-10
THRONE SPEECH
IS NOT WRITTEN
BY HIS MAJESTY
Remarkable Ceremony MARKS
ConvocatiOn of Lords.
Customary Search for BOMBS
and Assassins Is Made.
ceremony IS 300 YEARS OLD
Absence of Royal Regaila Due
to Wars Presence.
Lloyd George Author OF Speech
Read From Parchment.
Remarkable Ceremony MARKS
ConvocatiOn of Lords.
Customary Search for BOMBS
and Assassins Is Made.
CEREMONY IS 300 YEARS old
Lloyd George Author OF Speech
Read From Parchment.

London, Feb. 1O.-Pomp OF royalIEe
ana state mark the convocatloh Oh
IL rliament by the king with his speech
from the throne. The opening Oh the
pre- mt session by King George la9C
wednesday was, for several reasons reasons
unique in the history OF tne ~ tbe
Kingdom. For the first time IN the
history of Great Britain on IKE oc5
cnsion did the queen appear garpeo
in black This and further ellmlha-
ton OF the regal splendor that Gus
tomarily marks this great event Were
occasioned by the fact that the hatIoii
is engaged in terrible war.
IT was the seventh session OF the
second parliament of the reign or ms
gracious majesty, King George the
Fifth, and it couldn't have been prop
erIv launched if the cellars and vaults
at Westminster hadn't been previously
searched for possible imitators or Guy
FawIes and his fellow conspirators IN
"gunpowder. treason and plot.
SO, at o'clock a. m, just as they
have done regularly for more than
500 years on the opening day of each
new session. a squad of grey bearded
veterans. clad in their picturesque
Elizabethan uniforms of scarlet ana
gold, and armed with ancient halberos
and lanterns began solemnly noslng
around thru the communicating
trenches and dugcuts beneath the leg
islative chambers.
Bomb Searchers Report.
Not until these ''Beefeaters," as the
yeomen of the guard are popularity
termed, had formally reported to the
scrgeants-at-arms of the lords and
commons that diligent search had
failed to disclose the presence of any
lurking assassins, gunpowder. German
spies, high-explosive bombs, suffra-
gets, or poison-gas tanks. and this in
formation had been tremendously
conveyed to buckingham Palace. did
the king and queen prepare for their
journey to the house of parliament.
Some precedents have been merely
modified by the war. For example,
the king, instead of wearing his gor-
geous field marshars dress uniform,
appeared in khaki Also. the process
sion from Buckingham to Westmin-
ster was considerably sfmplified. Their
r1ajesties rode in the usual state coach,
but it was drawn by six black horses
instead of the eight cream-colored
Hanovarians formerly used on such
occasions. There wasn't the custom
arily large outturning of the populace
along the route.
Many Court Attendants.
Arriving at the entrance to the
house of lords, the king and queen
were greeted by the officers of state
and conducted to the robing room.
whence, after donning their royal
robes, they proceeded to the thrones
escorted by the usual heralds, trum-
peters and court officials carrying
their regalia.
The floor of the chamber was
packed with members of the nobility
while in the gallery were peeresses, so
ciety leaders, representatives of the
diplomatic corps and other distin-
guished spectators.
The gentleman usher of the Black
Rod was dispatched to summon the
faithful commons" OF the latter,
only about sixty were able to squeeze
in and crowd around the bar of the
house.
A conspicuous figure in black robes.
gold chain and full bottomed wig, the
new lord chancellor, then advanced 70
the steps of the throne and kneeling,
presented to his majesty the parch-
ment roll wherein a speech carefully
prepared for him by Lloyd George and
his fellow cabineteers, but by pleasing
fiction known as the kings speech,
was inscribed. King George read the
address in clear, firm tones.
At the conclusion of the speech the
king and queen left the chamber and
returned by the same route to the
palace.
No Top Hats and Dress Suits.
Meantime the commons were as
sembling in their own hall Some of
the members had appeared as early rs
; o'clock to register their claims for
favorable seats for the session. bv
placing their hats thereon. Here an
other damaged precedent. In the old
days before the war it would have
been almost sacrilege to appear at any
session, especially the opening day Of
parliament. in any other headgear
than top hat. Today there was a
considerable sprinkling of derbies. soft
SLOUGH hats and khaki caps-for 4
liberal percentage of the commons are
now in the kings army.
1t is not expected that much legis-
latlon of Importance will be forthcom-
ing until Easter time, when the gov
eminent will present the new budget
Of taxation wherein it is likely that