Evening star., 1939-06-11
Ideals of the Western World
Are United by Visit of Royalty
King and Queens Trip Has Revealed That Peoples
Are One in Defense of Cherished
Human Liberties
By Thomas X. Henry,

What actually happened exceeded all
their expectations. Schedules had been
made out estimating the size of the
crowds to be expected at the various
stopping places across the continent.
These schedules gave headaches to those
in charge of making them and of get
ting the royal party routed through on
time without too great a physical strain.
Here was town of 1000. Two-thirds
of the population might be expected to
turn out, with some increment from the
loyal subjects in the back country. Was
such stop worth while? All sorts of
local pressure was being brought to bear
in favor of it. There were nice political
problems involved
But as the royal train moved across
Canada towns of 500 greeted the mon
archs with wildly enthusiastic crowds of
5000 or more. Cities of 20, 900 turned out
crowds Of 100000. Towns where hardly
word Of English is spoken Wed in their
welcoming with towns where nothing but
the Scotch dialect has been heard for
century. French Canada was as wildly
enthusiastic as Scotch Canada.
The conclusion Of the royal party has
been that today every ethnic element
in the dominion is enthusiastically loyal
to Canada and to the British Empire
which is symbolized by the crown.
Russians, Poles, Germans and Ukrainians
have broken the ties with their home.
lands and are overjoyed at the great
blessing which has come to them-that
OF living in free land where individual
men and women still count in the scheme
of things, where there are no concentra-
ton camps, no purges, no submergence
OF the individual in the absolute pattern
of the state, and still an opportunity for
a man by his own efforts to rise above
the circumstances of his birth. All the
newcomers realize that their best safe
guard for the preservation of this status
consists in that somewhat indefinite and
intangible thing symbolized by the gilt
crown on the royal train and by the
young man and young woman riding on
that train. They are enthusiastically
loyal to their guarantee of liberty In
this enthusiasm are submerged all their
racial nostalgias
Empire Stronger Than Ever.
This is the certainty which the
monarchs will take back to England
with them. The empire, so far as it is
represented on this side of the Atlantic,
is stronger than ever. Recent develop
ments in world affairs have inn
measurably strengthened bonds which
few years ago may have needed testing
for weak segments.
1t has been no holiday jaunt for the
King and Queen. They are just nearing
the end of probably the hardest purely
physical job ever undertaken by British
sovereigns. They are going back to
England with an overwhelming physical
WEAKNESS. There have been fears for
the health of members of the party.
Literally for hours at time day after
day, they have been on parade, making
their way slowly through cheering, wildly
excited masses of humanity.
This has a peculiar physical and psy-
Geological effect, often commented upon
by those who undergo the ordeal-and
few others in history have undergone
it to such an extent as George VI and
his c6nsort during this visit. 1t takes
about 10 minutes for the eye muscles
to become exhausted. From then on it
is a desperate effort against falling
asleep
They left Canada Wednesday night
after the most wearisome day of the
whole tour, with a sense of deep salts
faction in a job we'll done, the results
of which had exceeded their fondest ex-
pectations. But the biggest ordeal of all
remained before them. In the Dominion
they had been among their own people
from whom certain degree of enthusi-
asm might traditionally have been ex-
pected. Now they were stepping on
the soil of people who owed them no
loyalty, with whom their ancestors had
fought two wars. They had to be much
more careful of every step and every
word and face even larger crowds. What
happened is now history. They were re-
ceived here as enthusiastically as in
Canada itself Never before has the
head of state been greeted with such
acclaim by foreign country.
America Turns Out.
Ever since the Revolution there has
been an anti-British undercurrent among
the masses in the United States. 1t
could hardly have been lessened by the
constant additions of traditionally anti
British increments to the American
population. But mile after mile of their
way through the American countryside
the station platforms and sides of the
railroad tracks were maSsed with people.
Whole populations of towns. it seemed.
turned out for the barest f1eeting glimpse
of them. 1t all eliminated in Washing
ton Thursday when, Drawing the burning
sun of June MONDAY, perhaps the
greatest crowds in the city's history
massed to greet them.
Was this merely a friendly gesture?
Why should Americans traditionally dis
dainful except in rather snooty society
of the institution of kingship, be wildly
enthusiastic in greeting a king? They
are not his subjects. They owe the King
and Queen, as man and woman, only
respectful courtesy.
Probably various interpretations will
be given the phenomenon. But one in
depreciation is that today there Is q
greater loyalty symbolized by the reign
ing monarch of Great Britain than
loyalty to the farflung, loosely organized
British Empire. 1t has begun to crystal
lize only within the last year or so-the