Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-12-17
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
By GEORG STRANDVOLD

/
testing pressure because of his avowe,
infatuation with an American woman
Mrs. Wallis Simpson, twice divort ed
and, therefore, objected to by thu
Baldwin government, the English
church. Queen Mother Mary and, gen
orally, that invisible, but forcefu
thing called tradition. When once the
matter of the kings love affair hat
become known in his own country
events moved with startling swiftness
On Wednesday it was reported that
the king had made up his mind tt
abdicate; the following day that re,
port was verified, for he sent word
to the cabinet to that effect, and in
the two houses of parliament his
declaration of abdication was read
followed-in the commOns-by a de-
tailed statement given by Prime Min
lister Stanley Baldwin.
Farewell to Empire.
The necessity for observing a num-
her of complicated formalities had to
be recognized, also the kings re-
nouncing the throne of Great Britain
and India had to be approved by par
lament. That approval was given on
Friday, and soon thereafter Edward
dined with his mother and brothers
at farewell banquet at Winds or
castle. Hardly had he finished that
sorrowful meal when he appeared be-
fore microphone to say farewell to
his far-flung empire-his speech was
heard in this country, toO-and a NOV
ing message it was. He said, among
other things, that he was unable to
discharge the duties of the throne
without the help and support "of the
woman l love-; he referred to the
fact that his successor enjoyed the
blessings of home, of wife and chill
dren, and asserted that his decision
to abdicate had been made by him
alone. THE other PERSON most deep
ly concerned" (Mrs. SIMPSON, had
tried to dissuade him, but he had
made up his mind, and now all he
had to do was to swear his allegiance
to his brother and successor, and to
assure the people~that if and When
ever he in his private station might
be of service to his native country, he
would respond.
A few hours later the former king
went to Portsmouth, there embarked
aboard warship for Boulogne, and
travelled by train across parts of
France and Switzerland to an estate
near Vienna where he, for the time
being, is the guest of Baron Eugene
ROtschild while Mrs. Simpson remains
at Cannes, southern France, to which
place she fled couple of weeks ago
in order to avoid reporters and news
photographers. Her final divorce de-
cree is expected late in April, and
when that has been handed down.
she is free to marry Edward.
In the meantime he has been made
duke of Windsor, and is still consid-
cred member of the British royal
house.
New King.
Edward we'll out of the way, his
brother, the duke of York, was pro-
George vi; without. apparently, pos
sessing outstanding abilities in any
one field. he is well liked; he is quiet
and unassuming, likes to tinker with
motors and machinery, represents the
safe and sane" element in his coun-
try-and Britons once more feel that
calm hand guides their destination.
King George is said to be so utterly
unlike his abdicated brother in all
things that they are even described
as OppOSites.
Queen Elizabeth, the new kings
wife, is not of royal birth but is a
member of an old Scottish family of
aristocracy; they have two daughters,
the elder of whom, Elizabeth-now 10
is the heir to the British throne
Thus ends one of the most amazing
chapters of any country's dynastic his
tory-and the world looks elsewhere
for it's daily allotment of excitement
Spanish Situation.
First of all, the still progressing
civil war in Spain attracts attention.
Fascist rebels are still, from time to
time, bombarding Madrid, the capital
city, and every little while they at
tempt an artillery attack, but, it ap-
pears that they have poor luck. At
least, they have not made any real
progress, and informed opinion has it
that Madrid is able to defend itself
for quite long time yet.
Upon the complaint of the legiti-
mate Spanish government that Ger
many, Italy and Portugal had vio-
lated the Empower neutrality agree
ment signed couple of months back,
the League of Nations Council met at
Geneva last week. There was appar-
ent strong dislike-the Council
members would rather not deal with
this touchy matter. And they didn't,
except in a roundabout way. Great
Britain and France proposed that the
League machinery should be thrown
behind the neutrality agreement thus
compelling it's enforcement, but that
did not suit several powers, notably
Russia and Germany. They were in