The Daily Alaska empire., 1936-01-21
DEAD MONARCH DEMOCRATIC IN
 ENTIRE REIGN
Writers Pay Great Tribute to British Ruler
 Class by Himself

LONDON, Jan. 2l. - Whatever history may record of King George V, one thing seems certain-that writers will agree that he was one of the most democratic rulers that ever sat upon the British throne. In that respect, many already have gone a step forward and have placed him in a class by himself without qualification of comparison with his predecessors.
 Unlike most of the Kings of England, George V did not begin training in childhood for occupancy of the throne because he was the second son of King Edward VII He did not become the heir appar- ent until he reached the age of 27. upon the death in 1892 of his elder brother, Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence.
 Commanded Ship
 Meanwhile, George, who had been appointed in the naval service, went through the various grades from Cadet to Commander, and after his promotion to the latter rank in 1891 was placed in charge of H. M. s. Melampus. He re- linquished that command upon the
 aX death of Albert Victor as his duties as heir precluded him devoting himself exclusively to the navy. However, he continued his connec- ton with that branch of the serv- ice and was promoted to Captain in 1893; to Rear Admiral in 1901, and to Vice Admiral in 1903.
 Sailor King"
 Thus it was that when King George ascended the throne after the death of his father, King Ed ward VII, he became known as the sailor king" Great Britain had had sailor kings before, one of them, Edward III, having per- sonally commanded the British fleet at the battle of Sluys nearly 600 years before, so that what the new King was called did not concern the British people so much as what kind of ruler he was going to be. His subjects knew less about the new King personally perhaps than had ever been the case with a British people.
 Until he was 27, George was almost constantly at sea and from that time until he became King traveled extensively making all told six trips to Canada, three to India and Ceylon and twice to South Africa. The empire never had a sovereign who saw so much of the world and the dominions over which he was called to rule, nor one of whom the English peo- ple had seen so little. Before the beginning of his reign it was esti- mated that King George had trav- eled more than 150,000 miles by land and sea.
 Known Overseas
 Because of his long naval serv- ice and his frequent visits to the colonies, King George at first was probably better known to his peo- pie of the overseas dominions than to his English subjects at home. Thus, it was not surprising that during the early years of his reign frequent comparisons were made between the actively social and popular King Edward and the ap- parently contrary demeanor of his son.
 Whatever misunderstanding, if it might be called that, there was of King George at the beginning, it soon was dissipated by the King and his consort, Queen Mary, who in all their actions showed their desire to use their royal positions in the most public spirited man. ner.
 Did Own Thinking
 As a naval officer King George attracted no special attention, but long before his reign he impressed the English people as a man cap- able of thinking for himself and afterward demonstrated his cour- age to act independently. Return ing from his tour of the colonies in 1901 he made a speech at the Guildhall recounting his exper- fences and giving straightforward expression of the lessons he had
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