A LETTER FROM LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 17284, 24 February 1920, Page 9

A LETTER FROM LONDON

[By Oxm. Own Correspondent.] Januarv 1, .NEW YEAR'S HONORS. The New Year's honors list is somewhat uninteresting, because of absence of any names that vividly strike the popular imagination. Bat it* is a merited recognition in the mam of admirable and quiet service to the country and the Empire during our rough hour. The medical profession shines forth conspicuously and deservedly. Except Lord Lister, one'eannot recall another precedent for the. peerage conferred on Sir Bert-rand Dawson, the' King's physician, and one of the most enthusiastic and popular as well as distinguished of the London Hospital men. He is a broad, genial, iron-grey doctor, typical, save for a moustache with twirled ends, and a great authority on liver complaints, without a trace of " liver" in his own breezy composition. The other new barons—Sir George Riddell, the newspaper lawyer, and Sir Albert Stanley, of "the Underground—are well-known." people. - The latter, by the way, will certainly be dubbed "Lord Straphanger" by the* irreverent Cockney humorists. Mr A. J. Balfour (who himself remains just plain " Mr." with the coveted O.M) has secured the C.B. for his capable private secretary. But this is the only personal distinction of the sort, so the' gossips infer that it is true about the Government not contemplating any General Election nonsense. Sound good service and public spirit find recognition in this list, and interesting examples are those familiar, even household, names, Cain and Bird, the ono among the baronets and the other among the knights. NEXT FOR CANADA.

The Duke of Devonshire's term ci office as Governor-General of Canada is drawing to a close, and those acquainted- wUh the inner history of his first appointment do not expect that His Grace will ext,-n:l tie period. Ho has many important interests that call for his presence in this comurvs and though he has been splendidly im-tecl by tho Canadians generally. he' : s ou'te anxious to resume English* life and 'surroundings. The interesting question arises, therefore, a.s to his successor. From what- one hears, it- will probably be the Earl of Athlone. brother of the Queen, who will succeed the duke. The earl would, but for special considerations that aro--e owing to the war, have assumed the Governor-Generalship when the Duke of Devonshire was appointed.

KAISER A.ND KING GEORGE. The latest rumor from Amrron.gen is that the ex-Kaiser is drawing up his own personal exculpation, am] intends Fending it t-o King George." Even if this story were true, whieh is rather loss than certain, there would be technical difficulties in the way. 1 believe the strict- etiquette of the position, whieh would certainly be carefully preserved, would prevent" any such embarrassment being thrust upon the King. It- would be a very abject, attitude for the ex-Kaiser to adopt, moreover, remembering his special animus against the reigning family in England. When his private American dentist, Mr Davics, was leaving Germany for home the Kaiser saw him. and said: "If you see my cousin. King George, in London, tick him well for me." This statement is fully recorded in the American dentist's diary." the: prince and the renown. The Prince of AVales made fast friends with the officers and men of H.M.S. Renown during his recent American tour; so it is not surprising that he will travel in the same ship on his Australian visit. Apart from the personal aspect, however, the Prince has a seaman's affection for the ship which took him across the Atlantic during the autumn gales. His choice is suppoited by naval opinion, for the Repulse and the Renown are recognised ai the most comfortable vessels of the Grand Fleet. Internally their ward r.joms. cabins, and Admiral's quarters are a vast improvement on those of pre-war ships, being larger and better ventilated than in any other capital sliip, with the. .possible exception of the Hood. In rough weather their great size and freeboard make for comfort, although in this respect a warship is necessarily handicapped bv her weight ami top hamper. " While the Prince, was in America the Renown weathered a hurricane oil her voyage from the West Indies—a severe test for anv warship. Since her return to England she has been fitted with additional armor protection, which will not improve her sea-going qualities. But the Prince of y. ales is a good sailor, and will be as interested as anyone to observe, the effect of the alterations in Lad wea-.her. SIR WILLIAM OSLER.

It was my fortune to meet (.he late Sh William CUer more than once or twice, and he always impressed me. like Sn Frederick Troves and other great professional figures, by the amazing versatiik-.-of his intellect. In fact, the common '< observation of life tends to convince one that the great doctor, surgeon, lawyer, o; engineer, who is a fool outside his own particular line is a myth. The reallv distinguished men in all'walk.; of life are all- : round men. And this axiom is especial'-/ true when applied to military men. Our Aldershot tradition that a great soldier is; a soldier and nothing else," and that any! exceptional ability outside soldiering is a '■. proof of mediocrity, will not stand .\ : animation. Sir "William Osier is. like other famous people, niot.t pomijarlv famous for a saying he never utfeieo. He did not assert that a man is ton old at <)0. And he never recommended the lethal , chamber for sexagenarians. But he was a fervent opponent of intellectual conservatism. He was interested in tonsils—except when they were alive. THE MTKADO'S .M.ARKKT. It British manufacturers were not :n ! full up with orders that they a:e unable ! to entertain new business, 'a promisin' i field for their enterprise lies in Japan! I The Government of that country is supple- ] intuiting her rather inadequate railway service with motor lorri.-s. "and, ! hear, substantial orders have been plated wito American manufacturers. Th.e Government is not buying from public money, but ha.-: adopted the somewhat novel o'au of subsidising building in that country and assisting purchases abroad, whilrt at the same time making a grant towards the upkeep of the vehicles for a period of five years. Apparently ihis development was due to the quick' realisation by the .Japanese oi the important part in transport operations the motor vehicle played during the war. and this lesson was driven home, by the use made by the British authorities .if motor lorries during tin; railway strike. The Americans, although they sell motors and materials for their manufacture to the Japanese, take quite a keen interest in the enterprise, and point out that it greatly I increases Japan's efficiency as a military power. THE NEW BLACK ROD. Since the office of Chief Torturer or High Executioner was abolished, the most sinister-sounding title in this country has; I been Black Rod. But in point of fact : it has been held by a succession of the j most amiable and shy old veterans of the Army and Navy imaginable. Nothing could be more, incongrons than the deep dramatic thrill reverberated through the House of Commons by the hoarse shout " Black Rod 1 " followed by the quiet fmbling advent of that dread functionary himself—a dear old boy carrying, with nervous embarrassment, a sort, of wand, and desperately trying to get one more squint at his message, type-written inside his cocked hat, before reaching the table So far from Black Rod putting the wind up the House of Commons, it is the House of Commons that gets dreadfully on the .nerves of Black Rod. Often he" has had to be helped out by the clerks at the table prompting him, and the Speaker always regards him with a half-quizsical smile. All this apropos the rumor that the late Admiral Sir Henry Stephenson's oost is to be filled by Lieut.-Genera? Sir William Pu!-tc-ney, an old warrior of forgotten far-off' wars, who was nevertheless not too old to play quite an active part in the last war as j i Commander of'the Third Corps at Mons. j ! VANISHING BADGES. ! One cannot avoid noticing how slowly but surely the ex-service men are discarding their ribbons and badges. After the fighting was oyer, aad, when large jmm-

bers of soldiers were being demobilised and i returning to civilian life, nearly every ether ' man one met' was wearing some mark of iwar and service. With not many excep- ! tions officers, on returning to civil life, I discarded all signs of the Army. Probably ! many of them would have liked to preserve f some outward and visible sign of the great ! comradeship, like the rankers did; bvt | etiquette, was too much for them. No such ! snobb-ary affected the n.c.o.s and men, the [ vast majority of whom sported their rib- j bons on their waistcoats, and certainly , their old service badge'on their coat. Now these souvenirs, too, are vanishing in London. Only the demobilised busman or railway porter, whoso uniform affords the ! excuse for wearing these marks of service ; in his work-day attire, and the silver j button men, any longer use the tokens \>i I the past. One cannot help thinking it is • a pity. Old comrades should h:r»e° some i means of recognising each other. Why the badges have been discarded it is difficult to guess. Certainly not because the no longer interested in the most interesting part of their lives. THE GRENADIER. Probably the last exception to the rule ' of utter civiliauism will be the ex-Guards. I Men who have served in the Guards are more proud of the prestige of their corps ' than some other ex-service men. Not because the Guards really did better than ; anyone else in the war," but because, curi- j ousiy enough, of their special and unenvi- j able reputation for severity of discipline. ! The ex-Guardsman likes to show that ho - served in a corps d'elite, and not in any ! . "cushie mob.'' Homeward bound from Fleet street last night on top of a crowded tramcar, on which were a"nv number of pretty obvious ex service men, I noticed that only one man had his regimental badge "up." The one exception" was a nice-looking, smartly-dressed and trimmed young fellow, about 27 years old, who looked to be of the " working class," but wore a very decent suit, a soft felt hat" and useful-looking gloves. And in his coat button was 'the badge—as well polished as ever he wore it on parade in the ; old days—of the Grenadier Guards. And I could not help admiring the. stamp of men turned out by the system so much condemned by Mr Stephen' Graham. | CINDERELLA ' AT OLD DRURY. The Boxing Night performances were well patronised ; but all the theatres, music halls, and kiuenins in London cannotcontain more than a small fraction of LonI don's seven or eight million people, and London as a whole spent its Boxing- Night at it.s own fiicside. Quite a. notable crowd assembled at Drury Lane, of course, for the annual pantomime, which is this year 'Cinderella.' the charming young lady whose glass shoe, which "in 'the "ancient j French original was fur. was turned into , glass by a translatorV, hr.pey blunder; and I the show (C'-tainly justifies, hy its fresh- ! ness, its prettiness. and its vivacious fun, | the deep attachment of old Drury Lane to I Christmas pantomime. Hie principal bov : or Pnnce Chnrming of the show was the j graceful Miss Marie Blanche, who has quite the most delightful .smile of any lady at present on the stage, and from the moment she appears walking through the woods, playing quite charmingly on her violin, she takes all hearts. Miss Florence Smithson is th? Cindeielia, and sang with all her usual air of sweet simplicity. COMEDIANS SCORE. But tile comedians are the real heroes of this year's Drury Lane pantomime. Mr Will Evans is really droll in the Cleveland refined way that is quite captivating without being ever in the least wounding! „As the Baroucs- he abstains from the established red-nose conditions of the" funny woman" part in such shows, and gives instead a screamingly funny study of a typical middle-class'matron, with' just a touch of the profiteer's wife genre. Mr Stanley Lupino, whose very name is a j classic in Christmas pantomime, is exceedI in gly amusing as a page with innumerable ; side shows; and Miss Lily Ling, another | exceedingly clever and original lady from J the North Country, makes one of the big i humorous successes of the pantomime in the role of one of the " uedy .sisters." Only I a, real arist could achieve* such success in. i such a role, and Miss Lang certainly does jso There are some amusing topical songs, in which Mr Lloyd George and the brothers Geddes will find a special and piquant interest, but very few promising sentimental songs. The v . ; ir is not mentioned. The scenery and ballets are really excellent. The ballroom scene, is the best, and it might almost challengo comparison with one of the scenes out of the Russian ballet. -MUTT AND JEFF. There arc many good hearty laughs packed into the pantomime- before the'indefatigable comedians hr-.vc had time to spar up tc -Civil other, 1;p: quite one of I he best was evoked by the topical song sung j by Prince Charming and his suite apropos I the- invitations to the famous Cinderella ! ball. Different distinguished, names are ! cleverly worked in, and each, verse ends I with the refrain, vociferously rendered: ! "And we must invite the Geddes.'' Two strangers are- introduced into the Drury ■ Lane •Cindeielia' this year—great alien's , to our English fairy tales, but familiar to kir.ema allies—in the astonishinidv faithful presentation of Mutt and Jeff. "Their appearance is perfect. One understands that their makJ-uu has been superintended by : Mr Bud Fisher; but. apart iroiu their '. comical resemblance to two amusing and ; popular drolls, they are rather flat at present. Time is perhap> needed for the proper development ol' humor, and also of their real American accent. Like Dr Johnson, when he was assured the smart youn;; man would tie very entertain- , ing presently, we can wait.