Evening star., 1937-08-07
By NC. X. p


strates that as big story as
4 the abdication of an English
King cannot die down quickly, for
that opening article is ostensibly
given over TO the coronation, but its
real meat Is in discussions which the
author overheard of the comparative
merits OF thes new King and his de-
parted brother. The Britains who thus
discussed the situation were humble
East Enders of London, the occasion
of their talk was Coronation day and
the reporter who listened In was Miss
Lilo Linke, whose book. Allah De-
incidentally, is reviewed on
this page.
Miss Linke does not tell us why she
chose to be down in Londons drab
East End on the day when the entire
world was casting It's eyes toward
Westminster Abbey. but for reasons
sufficient for herself she gave the royal
procession a wide berth and fore
gathered instead with poor tenement
dwellers. They were all fixed to have
a great celebration, every house was
decorated and there were to be tea
parties for the children in the streets
and dancing for the groWnups. Then
1t ralned. They crowded back into
doorways and talked instead of
dancing. Miss Linke listened to the
talking.
There was certain ominous note.
'ad fine weather for is fathers coro-
naishun, an for the Jubilee. an all
Kings weather as they sy, An today
hits pourin.' Mus mean something,
mustn't it?'"
A man took up the idea. saying,
At always sy: Edward didn't habdi-
cate, e was sacked"
Asked to explain, he went one,
"'Well. it's like this . If Mrs. Simp-
son would come to the East End to-
day, she'd be welcome, she would.
She's clever lady, If ye know wot 1
mean. They'd ave bin the king and
queen o. the poor. The new King
we'll e might be awright, but the nobs
put i'm where e Is, and it's the nobs
ell look arfter.
Asked how he thought of the new
Queen, he shrugged and said, Don't
care for the way she smiles, It's sort
OF sweetsh, not natural-like
And OF the Princess Elizabeth,
She's stuck up, thass vot she Ia.
Me sister -in-law's aunt lives at San
dringham. She SCI she walks about
in the park az II she didn't ies own
the park, but the people"
1t was not. one gathers, particu-
larry festive occasion down in the East
End, but it must have been interest
ing. In the street where she stood,
says Miss Linke, there was hardly a
house without picture OF Edward in
its window. In other streets, however,
ne was not 20 popular. Two remarks
him. One man said:
when e went to Wales, they ad
harranged everything for I'm. but e
ran away an talked to the poor
Eth said neighbor, an e
promised to 'elp them. Leave it to
me, e sez. An wot did e do? Put
is tail between is legs an ran for all
is worth, II you don't mind my say
ing so
Well, anyway, the English are still
talking 1t over.
THE reviewer ought to have men
toned it before, OF course. But
she did not, for some unmemorable
reason or other. The new Literary
Digest, the periodical which resulted
from the merger Of the old Digest
with the Review Of Reviews, Is
quite likeable little sheet. Somehow
or other the reviewer feared that in
the merger the Digest qualities would
be lost and that the resulting publica-
ton would be Review of Reviews in
everything except name. But no
the old Digest formal fingers, and the
style inside the covers is much the
old Digest manner-only improved.
The new periodical ought TO do we'll
if the appallingly crowded condition
OF the digest field will allow that to
any one.
A CURIOUS article appears In the
August Forum. It IS called Il
Am Labor Organizer" and its author
prefers to remain anonymous. which
certainly is understandable. He tells
nothing about his calling which has
not been for long perfectly obvious
to any half-awake person, but he
tells 1t with a frankness which Is
puzzling. What is his purpose, one
wonders, as one reads his confession.
He is not, be 1t said, repentant He
Is not giving up his work which he
Admits-boasts, tndeed-is dishonest
both in tactics and in aims. Why,
then, one asks ones self, does he
come out 50 frankly with his indict-
ment? Is 1t that kind Of perverted
egotism which, eriminologists tell us,
makes the malefactor boast Of his
evil deeds? Or Is the simple fact
that a magazine article sells for $50?
One rather suspects the latter. Ger
tainly the anonymous author leads
his readers to believe that he would
do anything cheerfully for money;
indeed, he frankly says exactly that.
II am not working for love" he
announces with engaging openness
IT have helped any persons through
my work, it is only because in helping
them I am first advancing my own
future in this labor movement, and
to gain anything in this world you
have to give little first
As to what he conceives this labor
movement TO be, he is equally un-
incumbered by principles of any sort
What are our aims? I suppose
all organizers are working, the same
as I, to advance themselves as far
as possible in the movement, not
caring much whom they help or hurt.
The real aim back of all the money