The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-05
DUKE OF YORK s
BETROTHAL
APPROVED
Labor Party Organ Sounds
Protest Over Rush for
Publicity.
By DAVID nj. CHURCH.
International News Service.


has ever seen.
/ The stiff solemnity that usually
/ surrounds royal, betrothals has
been notably lacking in the present
case. The Duke OF York is q fine.
Iclean-cut example Of British man.
hood. Lady Elizabeth is a whole
some, enthusiastic young English
lgirl. The betrothal Of the two has
been treated as the betrothal Of
Iany two popular members Of the
younger set. F'or3nality has been
dropped, and newspapers have even
lprinted pictures Of the betrOthed
BERTHE and Lady Betty"
i Approved by British.
There is no doubt that Great
Britain approves the match, and
the old saying that "All the world
lloves a lover" holds good. hut
there have been discordant notes.
The Daily Herald, the organ of
the Labor party, has sounded q
protest which is tart enough to be
Interesting to American readers.
4 Everybody likes to see. happy
couple and wishes the best OF luck
4 to the Duke Of York and his bride
elect" says the Daily Herald.
Fortune has certainly been kind
to them: the poverty, worry and
; strain that knock at most doors
in most streets are little likely to
come their way.
i When mans in love with q
beautiful maid tbs q wonderful
sight to see-wonderful, but not
uncommon, and perhaps all the
more wonderful because it may
happen anywhere and at any time.
=
n been made over the royal engage
nent strikes one as artificial and
tiresome. Is il not true that one
of the best wishes that can be sent
to an engaged couple is for peace
and privacy7
Sees Rush for Publicity.
Not long ago it was thought
advisable for the royal family to
engage a press agent and so to
keep the British people more close
ly informed Of its doings. 1t was
probably wise decision, for press
agents are useful-in moderation.
but the happy mean between a
foolish retfcence and a helter-slSel-
ter rush for publicity Is not always
easy to maintain. There was the
press agent on one side and the
flunky press on the other, and be
tween the two the platter has GER
tain1y been heaped high with
trivialities.
u ''It hardly seems natural that a
young woman in the first Joy and
i pride of what must be the greatest
thing in her life should pour out
her feelings to the emissaries of
the millionaire press who tlnrong
about her door. 1t may be thought
lpriggish to call love sacred but it
Is generally normal for lovers to be
a little shy and self-absorbed-'the
world unheeding, by the world for.
got
Contrary to English Spirit.
"But that is not the new way
with our royalty, or with the news.
papers that fill their columns with
gossip about what is surely the
concern Of nobody but the lovers
themselves. It appears to be be
lieved that all this invasion OF pri
vacies is a very good piece Of bust
ness for the cause Of royalty. This
is view we cannot share. English
people prefer to conceal their deep
est feelings, not to shout them in
the market place.
I'VE have many letters from oh
scure people suggesting that this
blaze of publicity is not creating
the expected results The letters
are not those Of mean-spirited or
Jealous people who grudge prince
and his bride their happiness. The
idea Is simply that the world does
not stand still because two young
people are happy.
Poet is Moved"
Here, for instance, are verses
sent to US by One OF the Forget
ten:
"'The morn was cold, and wet, and
chill,
Rain splashed upon the dank news
Where, sprawled in letters broad
! and tall
$50 large they almost seemed tc
1.-THE DUKE OF YORK
ENGAGEDr'
"'What matter that both feet wer,
wet?
Stomach with hunger sharply set
One thought triumphant dimmed i
all,
Inspired by letters proud and tall
1.-THE DUKE OF YORK
ENGAGEDv'
: Though I, with thousands, tramr
the street.
A den to live in-"scraps'' to eat
May hearts with love be over1oyed
Forgotten by the Unemployed!
THE DUKE OF YORK
ENGAGED"
"'AH else beside seems now a.
naught-
The rights" and homes for which
we fought
, Forget! But do not cease to cram
The press with photos, "tripe" and
> Jam!
1.-THE DUKE OF YORK
ENGAGED"'
; There was a time when Queer
, Victoria made herself unpopular by
, her great and lasting absorption ir
[ private grief Now the wheel hal
; turned a full circle. and the public
: is surfeited. with the intimacies OF
a royal love match to such an ex
i tent that the general and genuine
: good wishes for a happy marriage
' are likely to be tainted by a revol,
+. against the silly pretension that 1,
is the only thing which counts in
the. world today"
Its Spring. Frog Thinks.