Evening star., 1943-06-09

a champion has fallen. The cham
2ion is Mrs. Roosevelt. No longer is
Mrs. Roosevelt the women's world
champion traveller. No longer Is our
First Lady the First Lady when it
comes to riding planes and trains,
wearing out shoe leather and COM
panions. No longer is she supreme
at the business of meeting railroad
conductors, mayors, assorted states
men and industrial leaders. No
longer can 1t be said OF her that she
is the most indefatigable gadabout
of them all. She has lost her title
to the Duchess of Kent.
This beautiful woman former
Princess of Greece, has in the past
year established a record for travel
ing that makes Mrs. Roosevelt al
most stay -at-home In comparison.
You don't have to accept my word
for this record. All you have to do
to know that today she stands alone
unchallanged Is to read copies Of the
London Times and read the Court
Circular every day
The Court Circular lists the activi-
ties and the whereabouts OF the
royal family. It tells where the King
and Queen were and what they were
doing. 1t tells of the doings of the
Princesses. Occasionally there is no
mention Of the King. Queen or
Princesses, which indicates they are
fortunate enough to get in a day Of
rest.
But the Duchess of Kent never has
a day to herself I have yet to read
the Circular and find no mention OF
her name. Looking back through
my file of the Times I find that the
Duchess has visited coal mines in
Wales, army camps In the Midlands.
country fairs in Sussex, poultry
farms in Essex. bomber stations
here, there and everywhere. fighter
bases from one side of England to
the other.
Also I find that she has opened
nursing homes. rest homes and en-
tertainmept centers. On other days
she has been the principal figure at
exhibits OF water colors, oils, pastels
and modern and ancient sculpture.
She has examined new locomo-
tives, inspected munitions factories.
taken the salutes of half hundred
regiments. given the once over to
arplane plants, Victory gardens and
aided in the sale of war bonds at
half the towns in England AS
nearly as can figure it out, she has
only three or four more miles to go
to beat Marco Polo's all-time record
for travel.
The Duchess must share her new
title with friend, however. This
friend Is the Lady Herbert. Always
the Court Circular, after telling of
the activities of the Duchess, has a
line reading: The Duchess was at
tended by the Lady Herbert"
When she was champion Mrs.
Roosevelt occasionally changed trav-
cling companions in order to give
the others rest, but the Lady Her.
bert never rests. She apparently
works on the theory that If the
Duchess can take it so can she and
she seems to have the ability to come
up smiling the next day after "a
hours of beating around the country
that would wear cut a Commando
captain.
Some Americans here are hopeful
that Mrs. Roosevelt will regain the
title when the war Is over and travel
in the United States settles down to
normal again, but I doubt 1t, much
as would like to see our country
get the title back.
In the first place, the Duchess has
quite pull over Mrs. Roosevelt in
age.
And, in the second place, the
Duchess has the Lady Herbert, who,
although I have never seen her,
must be one of the greatest seconds
of all times and a constant source
Of inspiration. My guess is that if
and when the Duchess loses the
title of international non-stayer- at
homer she will be succeeded by this
same Lady Herbert From all ap-
parances she is true Champion
one who cannot only sprint but can
60 the distance and not bother to
ask the condition of the track.
Distributed by McNaueht Syndicate. Incl