The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-12-10
King of England Asked
to Give Up Sweetheart
or Abdicate His ThOne
American Born Mrs. Simpson
Takes Headlines as King
Fights Royal Custom
WILL PROBABLY ABDICATE,

King Edwards love affair with
American-born Mrs. Wallis Warfield
Simpson suddenly plunged the Brit
ish empire last week into its gravest
constitutional crisis in generations,
a crisis that brought talk of abdica-
ton and of resignation of the cabi-
net in a body.
The crisis was featured by bitter
controversy between the King ana
his cabinet, the latter demanding
that he forego his expected marri-
age with the recently-divorced wife
of British subject and the King
stubbornly insisting that his private
and personal affairs were none of
the governments business.
The developments produced the
biggest news story of the week-ex-
cept possibly President Roosevelt's
opening of the inter-American peace
conference at BuenoS Aires-over-
shadowing temporarily the interna-
tional crisis in Europe growing out
of the Spanish war. The story took
the big headlines in newspapers
throughout the world except in
Germany and Russia, where it was
not published.
Mrs. SimSpOn, much in the head
lines, of the press outside of Britain
in recent months because of her
friendship for the King, who had
her as his guest during the summer
on his vacation tours, recently di-
vorced her second husband in an
English court without bringing the
monarch's name into the proceeding
Her husband did not contest the di-
vorce.
King Edward stood firm Thursday
in his decision to retain both his
throne and the woman, confronted
with an ultimatum to give up one or
the other. The strong-willed mon
arch had given the empire one of it's
most anxious days. Twice he had
been closeted with Queen Mary, be-
fore and after 5Ominute argument
with Premier Baldwin, who emery
ed from Buckingham palace that
night grave of face and went i'm
mediately into conference with lead
ers of the House of Commons.
After a night of stormy conference
with his mother, Queen Mary and
with Prime Minister Baldwin, the
King returned to Buckingham pal
ace early Friday morning, only to
drive out at great speed and head
to Fort Belvedere lodge, where Mrs.
Simpson, alone save for servants,
was supposed to be waiting to learn
of the developments.
After Baldwin had told the House
of Commons Friday that the govern
ment would not yield to King Ed
wards suggested compromise" to
enable him to marry Mrs. Simpson
and keep the throne, the prime
minister motored to Belvedere to
make final appear to the sovereign
to put his empire above his love for
the American woman.
Meantime, it was announced Fri
day morning that Mrs. Simpson had
fled to France some time Thursday
night, stopped at hotel at Evreaux
and later departed for an unknown
destination, after making a tele-
phone call to London. She travelled
by automobile.
After making another effort to
persuade King Edward to give her
up, Premier Baldwin called a cabi-
net meeting for Saturday, and pro-
ceeded that evening again to the
Kings rural retreat for their third
conference in less than 48 hours.
The Prime Minister has promised
to make some definite announce
ment probably today. He and the