THE PRINCE OF WALES

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 22

THE PRINCE OF WALES

(Written for--"The P<

"Its Royal House has given to the British people the finest team of firstgrade - workers in the world" is the summing-up of a representative American observer. First in that team, under its Captain the King, is the Prince of Wales, the Ambassador of the Empire, indefatigable worker for its unity and its prosperity.

A "first-rate worker" aptly describes the Prince. He was not as a boy tempted by his natural gifts to shirk the hard toil of a dutiful apprenticeship for the position he had to fill. He is not tempted today to make easy work of his tasks. He brings to everything the team spirit of a good sportsman, working for his side rather than for personal renown; and a modesty in self-judgment which forbids him to reckon on facile success and prompts him to put every ounce of energy into what' he has to do,; ■ The tally of his achievements since,:l9l4 makes,a record that few of thb .world's workers could equal ■••:' ::■ :.'; ■'.'• .'

The World War . cut short the Prince's term at Qxford. J^xoiii the Universities there had; begun the trek of the splendid youth of Britain to the battlefield, and the Prinde was eager to be in the van. Within a week of the declaration of war he was at work with his regiment, the Grenadier Guards. " But his wish to go out at once to the Front: had to yield to other considerations; he could plead —but was obliged to obey. In November, 1914, he crossed to France and then there was a period during which he had to use all his resolution before he was allowed to stake his share in the work and risks of war. His spirit i refused to 'accept■■ iuiything' more of shelter and of privilege; than his com-1 rades enjoyed; and in time he had his way. '■■ . ■■••;; ■'.. ■; , SERVICE INiWABTIME. Thus the Prince's first" work as Ambassador of Empire- was done in those years 1914-18.; On the Western, the Italian, and the Eastern Front, his duties brought him into touch with all the national units of the great Imperial Forces. He/was as well-known to, and as good friends with, Canadians, Anzacs, Soiith Africans, and Newfoundlanders .as With, the Mother Country regiments. In consequence now, whatever part of the Empire he .visits, he encounters old comrades .of the trenches, and can plunge with them into reminiscences of the trials the dangersi the prides, the joys of the great campaign. As a member of that glorious Fellowship, the Army in the Field, the Prince established

AN AMBASSADOR OF EMPIRE

stf.'-_by Sir Frank Fox.) :f

himself as a man among men.ineeding: no help of pomp or ceremony 16 make good.

The Prince on active service was an indefatigable worker. ; His "leaves" were- sfew i and,:short;; his observance of every routine duty was punctualand rigid/ Going about'his tasks,;he usually employed a bicycle, arid many' aTsenibr* officer has memories of aii< early embarrassment when, "a youngv ster pushed up on a bike, propped it up against'the wall of my quarter, came in, saluted, and,. bless me! It* was:the Prince;bf Wales." \. , ; In August^ .1919, tfiie> Prince started:] on >an Empire >'tour of tfewfburi'dlahtf and Canada .'(on his way home paying' a friendly.visitto" the .United States).' Warmly welcomed from the first; the; impression he made everywhere; created a growing enthusiasm. \ WhW ther as a comrade of the War, greeting ex-servicemen as a Prince of the Royal House meeting the statesmen of Canada; as a sportsman showing his appreciation of the fishing, the shooting, and the life of the cattle ranches;: as a representative of the guardian white race receiving the homage of the Indian trifies, he was always right. "He has sympathy, courage, industry —the full outfit for his job," was the Canadian judgment; and when ... his Royal Highness decided to buy a Canadian ranch, this was accepted as proof that he liked Canada as much as Canada liked him. Returning at the end of 1919 to receive the enthusiastic thanks of his own countrymen, the Prince was called away early the next year for a tour of the West Indies, New Zealand the British Pacific, Colonies, and Australia. -At Bridgetown, Barbados the Empire's Ambassador took occasion to give the right answer to foolish rumours, then current, that the British Empire might seek relief from the harsh financial burdens of the World War by the sale of some of her colonies.

I need hardly say that the" King's subjects arc-not for sale to other Governments. Their destiny as free men is in their own hands. Your future is for yourselves to shape.

Visits to 'Panama, San Diego (California) and Honolulu were paid on the way to Fiji. After a warm welcome in Fiji the Prince went on to New Zealand, and his greeting there was led by his soldier comrades. Passing to Australia, the Prince had to undergo a fresh test. He had been enthusiastically heralded juv advance

by the. Returned soldiers asa "dinkum digger," and how he impressed Australia may be gauged by a contemporary opinion:—

The Prince of Wales, like Caesar, came, saw, and conquered. .. . Before the Prince landed, the popular idea of princes was of something haughty and remqte, but this smiling, appealing, youthful man, so pleased to meet with approval, has shown otherwise to the people of the democratic monarchy of the Empire. VISIT TO INDIA AND BURMA. After a year at home, the Prince started again on his travels to make a tour of India and Burma, and to pay a visit to Japan. The Indian tour undoubtedly did much to stay a tide of disaffection which had been coming up^sin.ce the war in that part of the Empire. The leaders of the sedition, fearing that this would be so, did their utmost to induce the Indians to boycott the welcome to the Hoyal visitor. The boycott failed completely almost everywhere. When it showed its head the Prince faced the situation gallantly, and by courage and sympathy won through. In Burma and in the Princely States of India the Prince had the warmest of welcomes. Before the Imperial Durbar at Delhi, the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar—better known to. the Empire as cricketer K. S. Ranjit-sinhji--described the Prince aptly as "the lovable, the tactful, the experienced Ambassador of fellow-feeling atod • ; All the'rEmpire save one Dominion had now been visited.'and the Prince devoted the next three years of his busy life to the Home Country. , In-1925 the Prince remembered that there was yet one part.of the Empire •vyith which he had not, got into personal touch, and he visited South Africa', and North and South Rhodesia. What influence would he have there among the Boers? They are-a.race as resolute and proud as' our own, who, within his own lifetime, had been fighting a stern war 'against the British Empire; and had not that year shown yet the full assent to cordial co-operation evident today. SOUTH AFRICAN TRIBUTE. The question was answered on this tour. At Stellenbosch, the spiritual home of the Boers, the oldest Dutch settlement of South Africa, the young Afrikanders gave their verdict:— We have come here today, your Highness, because'we like, to see a man, and we': cheered because we know a man' when we see one. Our presence here is intended as a tribute to your manliness, which the most persistent attempts .of the whole world have not been able to spoil! This is, however, riot the only reason for our. enthusiasm over your visit. Next, to a real man there is nothing we love better than a real sportsman, no matter for what side he happens to be playing, and it is a special pleasure to us to welcome here, today, "one of the finest and most dar--ing of sportsmen of the British Isles. The influence of tne Prince's visit in promoting good will was remarked everywhere. On his way home the Prince visited the Argentine, Chile, and Uruguay, reviving memories there

of the Empire's great work in the past for South American liberty.

In 1927 the Prince of Wales again visited Canada, and in 1928 Africa. In 1931, with his brother, Prince George, he paid a second visit to South America, and opened the British Empire Trade Exhibition at Buenos Aires. This was a sign of the new era of British trade enterprise, the era which recognises'that the time has passed "when the .outside world was competing for our products, and has come when we must compete for its orders.

Since 1931 "the Ambassador of the Empire" has devoted his energies chiefly to the Home Country, especially as a missioner of good will to those who%uffer most harshly frc'm the economic crisis which followed on the World War. In a speech of eloquent appeal in January, 1932, when the National Council of Social Service was founded under his presidency, the Prince indicated with real insight the right key to the problem—personal service by the more fortunate towards those who are the sufferers from unemployment and distress. • IMPLEMENTING AN IDEAL. To proclaim an ideal and then to leave it to others to implement his advice, is not at all the Prince's way. Following that speech he undertook a series of personal visits to the chief industrial areas of the Kingdom, -and, mingling with the people, learned at first-hand the nature of their difficulties and sought in every direction ways of help and encouragement. As landlord and as employer he is a model for all and sets himself the highest example of personal service. Of great value to the Empire is the interest the Prince takes in the development of the modern aspects of industry. As a traveller the Prince use's the aeroplane whenever possible. : As a. student of the new problems, of manufacture he recognises that the era has come when electrical power must reinforce, and to some extent replace, steam power. But withal there is ever in his mind the feeling that the man is more important than the machine; that the peoples of the Empire can uphold their place in the world only by maintaining their traditional character and spirit of good fellowship. Of the Prince himself as a man it was well said in a sketch of him published some time ago:— "His strength is in his character, in his sense of duty, his dignity. His power lies in his charm and appeal to all with whom he comes in contact, whatever- be their class, creed, or race. And that charm, that appeal, are derived unquestionably from one cause —the Prince's utter freedom from affectation.

. "I doubt not he often reminds himself that in the normal course of nature he must one day carry on the labours of a very typical English gentleman of the old school; one who in a changing, feverish world saw where his stern duty lay and made restraint, self-effacement, and simplicity of life the keynotes of a rare patriotism. The whole world today wishes the Prince consolation in a hard life of which he must at times feel utterly weary, and good luck in x a great destiny which can never cease to,give him pride."