Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-04-15

clear idea Of its meaning or not,
and it Is predicted that when the
end OF this war shall have arriv-
ed the world will have a clearer
conception Of its true import, for
the attention Of the people has
been invited 60 a contemplation
OF all its phases with the conse-
qucnt expectation that only its
highest and best definition will
satisfy for the expenditures OF the
blood Of heroes and the flooding
Of the world with a sorrow it will
take centuries to soften.
The doctrine Of the divine
rights OF kings is going to be Jolt
ed from its pedestal before the
war is finished, unless all iudica-
tions are false. and while there
may be in the future. kings and
potcntatcs who exercise a sort Of
sovereignty over the people. u
viii be because the people are
willing that they should hold
office by reason of the virtue
they possess and in interest they
manifest in the welfare cot the
people. Every revolution written
in the worlds history has present.
cd additional evidence that King.
are mortal and only ordinar, NOR
tails at that.
There are some kings who have
been prompt Co recognize The
changing order OF event. notably
among these are Albert oi Bel
gium and George ol England.
Both these sovcrcigus have en-
dcarcd themselves 10 the people
over whom they are supposed Co
rule. by, for the time being. at
least, forgetting the pomp and
glory of kingship and mingling
with their people as man with
man. 1t was England's king who
set a splendid example TO his pco-
pie by abolishing liquor from his
table and later by insisting that
the royal dining table show moth
ing that the common people of the
nation could not have. This king
gave his personal approval to the
home garden idea by operating
one of his own, and in this the
members of his own family have
assisted.
King Albert, of Belgium.
wanderer on the face of the earth,
has not spent any time in be
moaning his fate. or in seeking
some secluded retreat where he
can safely wait for the outcome of
the war. but he has. with his
equally rs brave life. taken his
place among the remnant of his
valiant army and is ready to fight
his way back to the throne from
whence he was ousted by the If
resiStible ourush of the hordes of
Germany But through all the
trying experience he has been
called upon to pass, he has shown
himself the fit king of a brave and
patriotic people So that when the
time comes for him to assume his
kingly Office again, it will be with
the approval of people who have
lived close 20 him. suffered with
him and learned to love him for
his manly qualities. The school
of democracy King Albert Is at
tending viii make him all the
more ht for the kingly privileges
and duties that await him.
As additional indication of the
growth Of democracy there comes
the information that King George
of England sends greetings 10 the
President of the great western
democracy Ou the occasion of the
first anniversary OF Americas en-
trance into the war; and while
the king Is engaged in framing
this recognition of democracy.
Queen Alexandra goes a bit
farther and sends greetings to
the women OF the United States.
These incidents are to be consid-
cred by no means as COndeSCcn-
sion ON the part of the British |
sovereign and his conSort, but the
Outpourings of a manly and
womanly heart
We of the United States will
also receive new and impressive |
lessons as to the meaning of de |
moCracy. Today the son of the |
millionaire and the son of the day |
laborer are fighting side BY side; |
the college graduate is driving a
motor truck with an ex-elevator
boy for his captain: one-time
chauffeur is a lieutenant of a COM
panv il which is the man who |
was once his employer. When
the war is over. not only will the
kings of earth have been given a
wider vision OF democracy. but
even democracy itself viii have 4
out grown its former proportions /
and lind placed in It's hands the
dcstiuy Of nations. We are fight
ing for q God-given privilege, let ]