Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-16
BY III. ]. j. SARGENT.


LONDON, December Is (N.A.N.Ao.
Summing up the character OF King
George VI, it can be said that he Is
man of strong will-power who is not
easily to be swerved from path which
he has chosen; a man reserved some
what in his friendships, but still out
spoken and frank and with q high
sense Of duty.
Although it was only on the death
OF George that he became heir pre-
sumptive, his training for the kingship
has been as adequate as it could have
been had he been the heir. He has.
as a result of his position as a second
son, been deprived Of much OF that
popularity which naturally surrounds
the heir to the throne. but he has,
none the less, earned the respect and
trust of the British people for his con-
scientious devotion to his duties and
for his we'll earned reputation as a
model husband and father against
whom scandal has never been able to
breathe even whisper
George vi undoubtedly lacks some
Of the qualities of his brother Edward,
who had brilliance, originality, pop
ular bearing and an easy approach,
but. on the other hand, he has certain
qualities which Edward lacked. He IS
steadier, less impulsive, with more per-
severance and a greater sense OF duty.
He has, too. a great asset In pelng
happily married to a true and GOOD
wife and history might have been diff
ferent il Edward had had that advan-
tage before his accession.
Qualified for Royal Burdens.
George may not jump at once into
popularity, but there is every reason
to believe that he is fully capable and
well qualified to take up the royal
burden laid down by his brother, and
that British history Will not deplore
the dramatic events of the last week,
which shook the British Empire to its
foundations. but left it as solid and
stable as ever.
A fact which was noted with in
terest by all sections of the public
during the week of crisis was the COM
radeship and complete absence OF
rivalry among the four royal brothers.
Throughout the ordeal they stuck to-
gether. and. when Edward turned to
his brothers for intimate sympathy
and disinterested advice. he received
them in full measure A family 10y
atty of the best kind kept them to-
gether, as they always had been, and
the contrast between the sons OF
George III, century ago, who always
was at loggerheads with his sons, and
the sons of George v was startling.
A feature which struck foreign OBJ
servers of the crisis more than any
thing else was the calm and dignified
manner in which the British people
took the unexpected blow of their
Kings abdication. 1t Is safe to as
sert that there are very few countries
in the world where such dramatic
event would have been carried out
without tremendous commotion and
public excitement and probably with
troops in the street ready to quell
demonstrations.
No Person Arrested.
But, in Great Britain, this revolu-
tionary change took place without the
slightest attempt by any section of the
public to create disaffection or dis
order Not single extra policeman
was put on duty and not single per-
son was arrested, for the people were
content to leave the handling of the
affair in the hands of their chosen
%nf }xyne tv On
never for moment was there any
question of a conflict between the
crown and Parliament.
Nor did any one think for a second
of abolition of the monarchy and es-
Establishment of a British republic, for
the monarchial system is ingrained in
the hearts Of all Englishmen from the
highest to the lowest, and, in fact, it is
the working classes who are the most
fervent admirers of royalty. Edwards
abdication was a blow to them, for 1t
came so utterly unexpectedly. as it
must be remembered that the name of
Mrs Wallis Simpson meant nothing
whatever to SO per cent of the popu-
lace, whose newspapers never mem
toned her until after the storm broke.
The remaining ! per cent had an
mixing for some time past that all was
not well, but it was only fraction of
this per cent who were aware that
Edward was seriously contemplating
abdication They knew that, as the
Prince of Wales, he frequently told
friends that he did not want to be
King, which he considered an an
achronism In this modern age, and
that he only took up the succession
with the utmost personal reluctance.
There are a good many people now