The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-26
BY WILLIS THORNTON NEA Service Staff Correspondent


 Toronto, Ont, May 26.-The title King of Canada" rings oddly in American ears. It is still strange even to many Canadians.
 But as the royal train swings into the western provinces, it is ap- parent that one of the chief objects of the tour of George VI and Queen Elizabeth is to emphasize to Cana dians and to the world that the King of Canada is not mere title and formality, but living reality. That is why George VI took pains to sign acts of the Canadian parlia- ment in Ottawa, emphasizing that here was the King of Canada, ac- tually functioning in his North Am erican capital, making it in fact, as well as in theory, co-equal with his capital in London.
 This is widely discussed by Ca- nadians in the more lucid intervals of the pageantry and pomp of the royal visit. Many thoughtful Cana dians expect this visit to be follow ed by others, not only to Canada, but to Australia, South Africa and other dominions, making George VI the first British sovereign to reign actively in the capitals of several co-equal dominionS at once.
 The greater Ottawa becomes the less of shock it would be for the British Empire to find its sovereign spending more and more time there and less and less in London.
 KINGLY LINK
 Since 1881, when the Act of Vest minister was passed, the king is more than ever the sole link between the mother country and the indepen- dent dominions. Americans are prone to think of Canada as a sort of colony with a lot of home rule.
 That hasn't been true for many years, but since 1881 1t is extereme- ly misleading. Then Canada be- came "one of the autonomous com- munities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordi- nate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or foreign affairs, though united by a common al- legiance to the crown :"
 There you have it. Unless this common allegiance to the crown" is strong, Britain in European af- fairs is nothing but a small off, shore island with too big a navy.
 How strengthen this common al- legiance," and how show Europe its strength?
 The answer is what is being work ed out in the Canadian tour now partially complete, and which is to be garnished of with a brief visit to the United States.
 There are two classes Of men: those who have looked with their own eyes on king-emperor and his queen, and those who haven't. Within week. 100000 o the II 100000 Canadians have been changed from the second classifica- ton to the first. That is a fair guess at the number of his sub jects who have gazed on George VI and his queen since they landed a week ago.
 In four principal cities, king and queen have driven nearly l50 miles along prescribed routes between cheering and admiring ranks of peo- ple/ Before the four-week visit is concluded, it is perfectly possible that a majority of the 100000 Canadians will have personally look ed upon their king emperor and his queen.
 FOR QUEEN
 AND COUNTRY
 Anyone who does not believe this is visibly strengthening that single tie that holds the empire together and strengthens Britain's hand in Europe. is blind. And he did not hear, as I heard, one man say to another at lunch after the king and queen had passed under their eyes: "Who wouldn't fight for the queen now?"
 Such power lies in these public appearances of unaccustomed roy- alty that it is safe to say that scarcely no Canadian who has seen, the royal couple will ever be quite the same again. Even babes in arms carried to the curbs by loyal parents will be told of 1t later, and never forget it. I