The Washington herald., 1921-10-23
ALL KINGS READY
TO ADVOCATE, SAYS
EX-KINC MANUEL
When Subjects Show De.
sire for Change Mon f,
archs Will StepAside.
(By Universal service)

(By Universal service.)
PARIS. Oct. 1-My only regret
is that / cannot return to my
country to live the life Of q simple
citizen. The feelings Of an exiied
king are those Of any other exile
love of his native soil outweighs
all other considerations and depri-
walton OF his right to return tran
sends in Importance even the fact
that he has lost . throne"
This Is what little King Manuel
| Of Portugal told a Newspaper man
in the first interview he has ever
granted, as they sat in two deep
fauteuils in the lobby of 4 Paris
hotel.
He was told Of . rumor afoot to
the effect that he was planning a
coup d'etat to regain his throne.
Such rumors are always In the
air where an exileA king 10 con-
cerned," he said, "and they are sell
dom true. I would like to return
to Portugal, but unless II 10 the
wish of my government II IL as a
private citizen that would return
and not as a king.
1T should not be overlooked.
however," and q strange Hash of
regal pride uplift his eyes. as 40
said this, that am still King of
Portugal. II exile-tfde. But still
King. It was the desire of my
people to try the republican form
Of government and I yielded to
their wish, as should any king
really democratic in the principle
of his government. have never
regretted that step.
You know" he continued earn
estly. his eyes solemn, II am Q
democrat At heart and In practice.
As a ruler never believed in the
divine right Of kings. knew that,
as q man, / was no more divine
than the humblest Of my subjects.
have never believed that q mon
arch should abrogate to himself
the privileges Of the Deity.
Happiness In Home Life.
Since my departure from Lisbon
have, found q certain happiness in
the added opportunities for home
life which have been given me in
the fact that the responsibilities OF
kingdom no longer rest on my
shoulders. / have been able to live
with her majesty, the Queen, as
any man likes to live with the wife
he loves. I have been happy in my
own home in England and In my
visits to my wife's loved France.
Those who conclude, however,
that am glad because I am rid of
the responsibilities Of government
would be wrong to attribute to me
sentiment so cowardly. You may
believe me when I say that no king
leaves power. without certain pangs
which must remain with him all
his life.
This 10 the age OF democracy,
and royalty must be content every
where to realize that the people
are now educated In their role of
governors.
The success OF the republic In
France Is 4 startling denomination
Of the ability Of the governed to
govern.
Every ruler in Europe. too, is
watching the republican idea as It
has developed and as II 10 evoly.
ing In the United States. We are
extremely interested In the Ameri-
can government for II 10 a proof
that the old order Of things has
gone foreevr.
"KIngs hold their mandates for
limited period-until the people
themselves could take the rsins of
government into their own hands
Now that our use IL gone we cheer
fully hand over our mandates to
those for whom they have been
prepared. We ask only that. II our
faults are remembered, that our
other qualities should be remsm-
bered also, and that In the full
flush of their success a. their own
rulers, the people should not har-
Dor grudges against Us who per-
formed that difficult function and
welded national sentiment for SO
many years.
You think, then" he was asked.
that the day Of kings IL done?"
Il would not commit myself, to
answer that question by an affirm
alive generality" he answered, but
II IL self-evident that the republI-
that II 10 now only In its infancy.
No one 10 more keenly alive TO that
fact than q, king himself.
In fact, I may say that there is
not q ruler In Europe on q throne
today who Is not prepared to step
from II a. soon a. his people-sll
portions Of them-cleaFly manifest
their opinion that the day for him
to surrender his mandate has
arrived"
This statement Of An ex-kinE In
close personal intimacy with the
King Of Great Britain and Spain.
and whose throne was the second
IN Europe to fall. 10 possibly the
most important royal admission
avar uttaPAd