Evening star., 1940-08-05
British Journalist
ellis Of RoyoI Visit
Book About King
And Queen Includes
Washington Impressions

And Queen includes
Washington Impressions
By James WaIdo F0srcsff.
It is less than II months since King
George vi and his gracious consort,
Queen Elizabeth, voyaged over the At
lantic to visit Canada and the United
States, but the spring and early sum-
mer OF 1899 seem to have been ages
ago. A second world war has intervened
between that time and this. Perhaps,
therefore, Merry America" the book
which H. r. Pratt Boorman has written
concerning Their Majesties' tour, may be
regarded as . chronicle Of ancient his
tory" Nothing really has occurred to
justify such suggestion, yet with equal
logic it may be argued that everything
has altered. Never again will life be
quite the same, but 1t also Is true that
enough will remain unchanged to rem
der the volume before us interesting
and helpful.
Mr.. Pratt Boorman is . newspaperman,
the editor and proprietor Of the Kent
Messenger, the county paper Of Kent.
issued at Maidstone. His book is at
tractively printed and artistically bound
"a collectors item," already an OBJ
ject Of ardent quest. Apparently the work
Of production was done under the au-
thors personal supervision. It bears
the stamp of his own enthusiasm. His
apologize reads, In part: II count 1t 4
privilege to have taken part In that
never-to-be- forgotten tour; I certainly
shall never forget it."
But Mr.. Pratt Boorman likewise Is
realistic in his attitude toward his theme.
'The King and the Queen are wonder
full ambassadors" he writes. "They do
not spare themselves. Canada might
not be standing so closely by us today in
our fight for liberty and freedom II 1t
had not been for the royal tour. Nor
should We have received, to the same
extent, the sympathy of the United States
Of America, sympathy which one day
other free nations hope may turn into
action in our fight for democracy"
Let there be no question. however, about
the justification of Mr.. Pratt Boorman's
faith and aspiration. He saw the vel
come accorded King George and Queen
Elizabeth in the Dominion; he saw, too,
the greeting which they were granted
when they crossed the border at Niagara
Falls and especially that which awaited
them in Washington. Their reception
was sincere.
Only IS of Mr.. Pratt Boormans 387
pages are devoted to Their Majesties'
visit to the Capital which British troops
burned in the reign of the Kings great
great-grandfather. The author heads
the chapter with the tribute: "The
Worlds Most Beautifully Planned City,"
He had come in advance of the royal
train and "was one Of the 10000 people
who jammed the Plaza outside the Union
Station" A photograph, introduced to
illustrate the text, shows President
Roosevelt in active conversation with the
King while the British and American
national anthems were played. ut was
. grand parade in honor of Their
Majesties Rumbling Army tanks and
hundreds of cavalry swung into forma-
ton, while above 10 flying fortress
bombers and ~ pursuit planes, from the
9th Pursuit Group, Langley Field, Va,
dipped in salute. From the Station
Plaza the procession turned into Della
ware avenue as thousands of people
clapped and cheered; a continual roar
was kept up as Their Majesties passed
hy ~
and detectives in straw hats running
along by the side Of the two royal cars,
while others stood on the running boards.
Police also faced the crowds, America
was taking no chances"
Mr.. Pratt Boorman notes especially
that right along the track, during the
whole of their visit to the States, soldiers
were placed every 100 yards" The King
and the Queen were more closely
watched, more carefully protected than
they had been in the Dominion or, for
that matter, at home in Britain.
Queen Elizabeth, Mr.. Pratt Boorman
explains, smiled sweetly" as she rode
with Mrs. Roosevelt to the White House,
but she carried parasol to keep of
the hot rays OF the sun, for the tenn
perature was about 100 degrees" Arriving
at the Executive Mansion, "the King
remarked on beautiful magnolia tree
which was in full bloom. This tree Is
historic, as 1t was planted by Andrew
jackson" Among those introduced to
Their Majesties was Mr.. Monty Snyder,
President Roosevelt's personal chauffeur.
The royal guests were escorted to the
East Room. 1T was here that Andrew
jackson entertained some of the most
miscellaneous gatherings the city ever
knew"
Mr.. Pratt Boorman then records the
fact that 'only 1,400 people were able to
be present at the garden party held in
the imposing British Embassy in Massa-
chusetts avenue, the first social event
in Washington given by a reigning SOW
ereign. So great was the demand for
tickets that announcers on the wireless
said, Don't buy ticket for the British
Embassy garden party, as bogus tickets
A>i, -