Evening star., 1925-03-17
Illness of England's Monarch
Brings Editorial Speculation

The recent Illness of King George
V of Great Britain and his physicians
decision that a sea voyage is essen
tial to his complete recovery bring
forth expressions of sympathy from
the press. Some editors think that
his absence will in no way affect the
British Empire. Others, though con-
sidering him merely a "figurehead"
regard his absence from active par
ticipation in affairs with apprehen-
sion.
1T is not easy to be a King, nor is
1t always pleasant" observes the San
Francisco Bulletin, which adds,
Grippe has not respected the person
Of King George of England" The
Sprin gf1eld News believes "the mon
arch is as apt TO get the common all
ments Of the race as Is the peasant
and he needs to be ordered around by
his personal attendants much like the
clerk and the laborer, Kings in these
days do not quibble when the doctor
takes the scepter. and in an advisory
capacity virtually commands. For,
after everything is said and done, a
King is no better than his humblest
subject when it comes to feeling
badly"
The Boston Traveller thinks there
was a heap of philosophy in King
Georges remark that "even kings
must obey" when told by his physi-
clans that he must give up smoking.
The Traveller says: Not because the
British King is q constitutional and
not absolute monarch did he respond
thus meekly to the mandate of his
physicians, but because, as regards
personal health, no King enjoys any
more exemptions than the humblest
Of his subjects"
Were sorry King George had the
flu. We're sorry for anybody who
gets that pesky bug" says the Bing-
hamton Press. "Yet there seems to
be a silver lining In the clouded royal
outlook. The Kings physicians have
ordered him Off to the sunny south
land for his health" The Press con-
tinues: His royal sons appear to go
and come as they please, but father
has to stay on the Job. a martyr to
duty He has a tougher time than
an American President Because
President can go up in Vermont and
pitch hay, and that's pleasant work
If you don't have to do it and there's
an election coming on
The Kings illness brings to the at
tention of the American public a pc
culiar duirk in English thought that
it is hard to understand, declares the
Nashville Tennessean, which adds:
so far as the government is con-
cerned George might disappear on
the face of the globe and his absence
would never have been noted, and his
duties and privileges are so circum-
scribed that he has little or no possi-
bility of doing anything for the peo-
ple or against them. And yet they
stand in reverent silence before his
palace when he Is sick; they permit
themselves to be taxed to keep up the
royal family in splendor. and they
never see the humor of 1t. 1t looks
silly to us over here, but the British
ers seem to like 1t, and they have to
pay for 1t, and if they want to go in
for that peculiar variety of amuse-
ment 1t is no concern of. ours"
when King George sets sail on a
cruise to regain his<health, England
will be without a member of the royal
family to assume the perfunctory du-
ties of the regency" says the Louis
Vile Courier journal. THE Prince of
Wales is shortly to leave for Africa
and South America. The Duke of
York is already away on hunting
trip. Though Prince Henry will re-
main. 1t is hardly likely that he will
be given an opportunity to exercise
the functioES." The Philadelphia
Public Ledger remarks, Even though