The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-22
BRITISH KING IS
RESTRICTED IN
ACTIONS
Monarch Is Hedged About by
Tradition and Rules OF
Binding Character.
By international News servioa.


LONDON. Feb. Political
changes recently in Britain have
led to a discussion regarding the
powers Of the King. Many people
think that king has almost un.
limited sway. AS a matter Of fact,
In Britain. no man IL more hedged
around by rules and regulations
than its sovereign.
In the first place King George
must remain a Protestant. Should
ne become a Roman Catholic he
would have to renounce his throne,
In the same way, he must not be.
come a Free-mason; had he hap
pened to be one at the time Of his
accession he would have been oh.
lged at once to resign from the
cra1t. AS a matter Of fact, King
George was never initiated.
Apart from religion and law. the
Alng Is bound rigidly by many
rules, both social and political. For
instance, on becoming the monarch
he must immediately withdraw
from any clubs to which he has
hitherto belonged; and again. he
never writes a personal letter to
/ anyone outside his immediate DER.
sonal circle; all his other private
correspondence Is conducted through
secretaries.
Invites Himself.
Again. according to rule, he must
not accept any invitation to dine
or stay with one OF his subjects.
On the contrary, when, for in.
stance, he wishes to stay with Lord
Derby in order to see the grand
national race run at Liverpool, he
has to invite himself.
The Kings position toward the
law Is also somewhat anomalous.
AS a general theory, he is regarded
as above the law; in practice, how.
ever, he has to obey it like any.
one else. He is not in position
to play any tricks with the recog.
nized legal system of the country.
He can issue, with the advice
OF his ministers. royal proclama.
tons which have the force Of law;
but the proclamation is only bind
ing so far as it is based upon an
existing statute.
He cannot set up private tribu-
nails, nor can he add to the juris.
dictlon of a court. And by a
special act of parliament it has
also been decided that the King, If
he were to lose a suit brought
against him by the revenue author.
ties, would be liable to pay all
costs. On the other hand, sub.
ject cannot sue the King except
| by what is known as a petition
Of right" leave to issue which has
to be obtained from the attorney
general.
Can't Break Law.
The King, according to the law
Of the land, cannot possibly com.
init an offense. Any wrong or in
jury suffered by a subject at his
hands is attributed to the ''mis.
takes of his advisers"
Therefore it happens that the
King il the only person in Great
Britain who cannot arrest q sus-
pected felon, even II he caught a
| burglar entering Buckingham Pal.
ace. The reason for this is that no
action for wrongful arrest could be
brought againsl him. and hence II
the man caught were proved in.
nocent 1t would be q case Of q
wrong without remedy.
The King cannot impose any
taxation without first securing the
consent of the House of Com.
III IS. SO severe is this restric-
ton that the King cannot create
any new post, with new fees, or
} add new fees to existing posts, be-
cause this would be regarded as
equivalent to new taxation. The
good old days of the Stuarts have
gone, when King Charles could
raise taxes how and when he
pleased