Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
HOLLANDS QUEEN
IS HARD WORKER
Permits Self Little Diversion
in Desire to Master Bust
ness of Ruling.

THE HAGUE, Holland up. - Queen
Wilhelmna of The Netherlands has
acquired reputation as the hardest
working crowned head of Europe. So
engrossed is she in mastering the
technical side of the royalty business
that she finds little time for the social
amenities associated with court life.
The strain is beginning to tell. The
youthful feminine ruler depicted oil
Dutch postage stamps has become a
48-year-old matron in looks as we'll as
in years More and more she shrinks
from publicity and public functions.
2"She works too hard" is the consensus
OF prominent Dutchmen.
Life at the Dutch court is strait
Aaced The queen is strongly religious.
devoted to the state church. and will
tolerate no flippancy. Only after long
hesitation did she, in the interests OF
international good will, consent to at
tend the closing session of the Olympic
games at Amsterdam, which happened
to fall on a Sunday. She will not stand
for short skirts in her encourage, and
at the few inevitable court functions OF
the year ladies' dresses may be only
moderately decollette. Rouge and lip
Rticks are taboo.
FrOwns on Modern Dances.
Queen Wilhelmina disapproves Of
nnodern dances. On the programs Of
taler two annual official parties in The
Hague and Amsterdam. terpsichore is
mot represented. Only the old, historic
.Dutch iolk dances occasionally staged
Mn her honor in the provinces seem to
Aind favor with her.
Much of the queens time is taken up
TTith study. Strong minded and self
%Willed as she is, she insists upon getting
bat the bottom of things. Her ministers
know that they cannot bluff" her.
sWhile recognizing that she is a con-
iEtitutional monarch. who must share
Their power with Parliament. she never
itheless impresses the stamp of her in
-dlividuality strongly upon governmental
affairs.
Most men whom she summons for
"a report are afraid of her" a savant
Ecf international fame told the Asso-
;ciated Press. "She holds decided views,
land unless one thoroughly masters
zones subject, one had better not differ
with her. The only thing that i'm
dresses her is knowledge"
In fact" continued this savan:,
k'there are really only two or three per-
Sons who can influence the queen. One
lis the vice chairman of the Dutch
Ecouncil of state, Count F. A. c. Van
sLynden Van Sandenburg. Another is
Prof De Wiser. D. D.. who by deliver
ing the opening address of the Olympic
games probably set the example for
her majesty to attend. A third is Gen.
SNYDER, whose influence, however, is
limited to military matters. He was a.
the acme of his power during the
World War, when the task of protecting
Hollands neutrality devolvec upon
him. The Queen then spent mucn
time at general staff headquarters"
Speech Is Big Event.
A function to which the Dutch al
ways look forward is the opening of
Parliament by a speech from the
Chrome. Queen Wilhelmina then
drives from her palace to the Hall OF
the knights in the golden carriage.
with her, in brilliant uniform, sits
Prince Consort Henry, and, since her
coming of age. also Crown Princess
Ouliana When Juliana was a little
girl she used to wave her parents
Eood-bye from a corner window Of the
nalace. The drive to the Hall OF the
iKnights is one of the few occasions on
which the Dutch people get look at
their Queen, and the streets are
icrowded for hours in advance. The
golden carriage was wedding present
Hrom the citizens of The Hague.
Queen Wilhelmina spends good
part of the year at her Summer resi-
Hence, Met Loo. several miles from
1.-THE Hague She is very fond OF this
ancestral abode, with which are assoc
niated many memories of her child
hood. It is here that she obtains what
Nelaxation she permits herself.
Gardening is her favorite pastln1e, ana
knore than once passersby have seen
a1er at Z am among her flowers,
tranping about in wooden shoes ana
cutting out weeds and trimming the
stalks like any Dutch peasant.
Painting Is Diversion.
Another pet diversion is water color
haunting. Wilhelmina has consistently
Eeclined to exhibit her artistic product.
6ut her teacher, F. Jansan, subdlrector
rof the Academy of Fine Arts at The
Hague. states that her abilities are UNI
usual. Her interest in art is furtner
Rttested by her regular visits to the
annual art expositions Music, on the
hther hand. rather bores her.
Equestrian sports are the only ones
Nor which she has fancy. In former
kears she could be seen on horseback
Hiding from The Hague to Schevenln-
zen. the popular spa. During the last
Ave wears, however. her outings have
S1een automobile trips. Her interest lE
riding continues. nevertheless, ana
Turing the Olympic games she was an
INTERESTED spectator OF the equestrian
events at Hilversum and Amsterdam.
For a sovereign ruling over the fat
Nest country in Europe to be passionate
N fond of the mountains is perhaps
somewhat unusual Queen Wilhelnina
casually spends the Summer with JUL
Nna and the Prince Consort in Norway,
Enough at times Switzerland is chosen.
sThe fjords and mountains OF Norway
have no more devoted admirer than
The Dutch Queen, and moths from
there are said to predominant IN ner
water color paintings.