The New York herald., 1922-06-25
gibbs SEES Youth
TYPIFIED IN THE
PRINCE OF WALES
His Homecoming Cause Of
Cheerfulness to All Eng
lish Classes.
STANDS FOR TRADITION
Represents Feeling of Peo-
pie for British Power, but
Withal Very Human.
UNDER FIRE AT 'FRONT.'
Now Older in Years and
knowledge, He Stands for
Rising England.
UNDER FIRE AT FRONT
BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

Special Cable to THE New YORK HERALD.
LONDON, June 24.-For a time, as
mentioned last week, there is a per-
ceptible pause between the acts of our
international drama. The great po-
ftical players have retired behind the
scenes, the curtain has been rung
down; the great world public is glad
OF respite from the sensational melo-
drama in which too many crises hap
pen to shake the nerves. This cer-
tainly is the mood of England
Few people take the slightest inter-
est in the proceedings of the Hague
conference, which comes as an anti
climax to Genoa. They are heartily
glad there is still another chance of
peace in Ireland. Fine weather. the
beautiful countryside, the fixed belief
that they are pulling away from the
black days, buoy up the British with
more optimism than / have known
among them during the last two years.
They are getting the holiday spirit
and don't want to be bothered with
serious problems, such as future war
or international finance.
The homecoming of the Prince of
Wales Is one cause of cheerfulness
and satisfaction to all classes in Eng
lish life. To foreigners it may seem
absurd to say the return of the Boy
Prince should be a source Of happi-
ness and peace of mind to millions of
humble men and women in mean
streets and small villages who have
never seen him. Yet l think it is true
that just this welcome back to the
Prince, who has been travelling in the
Far East. has uplifted the spirit Of
men going to city offices and women
putting their children to bed. young
girls tapping over typewriters-all
manner of men and women of high and
low degree.
Represents n Tradition.
One may scoff at that as exactly the
sentiment of the British people for
royalty, or jeer at it as the sob in
stinct of race. But I think there is
more in 1t than that. The Prince or
Wales by his name and title stands
certainly for the old traditions OF
splendor, power. romance. which be-
longed for centuries to British folk
and cannot be forgotten so long as
they read the plays of Shakespeare,
the chronicles of F'roissart and the
hero of old tales of their history.
Those traditions seemed threatened
lately. The Prince himself on this
Journey of his to India and the East
has had to face threats dangerous to
his life and menacing to the Empire.
There were times lately when ugly
messages, or at least messages con-
tanning hints of sinister happenings,
came from the correspondents In IN
dian cities so that people at home were
afraid of accidents to that boy who
went unarmed except by a CHEEKY
smile through cities in revolt. Reading
between the lines there was not soul
in England who did not realize that
rebellion on a great scale in India was
nossible. that the loss of India would
he tho beginning of the breaking up
of the Empire itself.
With ireland demanding republic
fighting murderously between north
and south: with England oraineo III
blood and treasure after the enormous
devastating warfare. there was appre-
bension that the old tradition of power
which gathered round the name of the
prince of Wales in history might be
,,assinr. like so many other things IN
,ha aftermath of Armageddon. Those
thoughts. vague and unconscious IN
+ha popular mind. account not little
for the sigh of relief that comes from
tho British people because he came
hack again without hurt and leit De-
b,na him good will wherever he went
In his jaunty way.
A Very Human Boy.
Put more than that is in the per-
eonaI manner which calls out vast
crowds to greet him. He. in par
ticular way, is our own boy. He rep
resents in the searchlight thrown on
him In his supreme youth those very
ouslities of boyhood which all the
world loves He is the very type OF all
those legions of English boys VINO
went out to war in France and f1an-
ders. as he went with them. If he were
better than they he would not pe
liked half SO we'll. II he were nobler
he would not be so much In the home
circle of peoples hearts.
It might be good for the British
r-,,nire IL he we're brainy, studious
youth like Queen Victoria's Prince
consort. but nobody suspects Wales OF
being passionately devoted to scholar
ship. He might be of an exalted
spiritual type, earnestly engaged In
the prayer that he may fulfill his high
destiny and lead his people to new
-. - tootx az tba cheerv face