EMPIRE’S GRIEF

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 46, 23 January 1936, Page 2

EMPIRE’S GRIEF

MR BALDWIN’S EXPRESSION. KING’S GREAT LOVE, CONCERN FOR EMPIRE. WELLINGTON, Jan. 23. Mi llio ns of listeners throughout the Empire heard the Prime Minister of Great Britain (Rt. Hon. Stanley Baldwin) speak in a broadcast address from London last night. His speech expressed the sorrow of the British people at the death of King George. It was because King George had served “his own generation by the will of God” that tlie news of his death had been heard everywhere with personal ' grief—not only at Home but also throughout the Empire and far beyond its bounds, said Mr Baldwin. The broadcast was received with exceptional clarity and Mr Baldwin, speaking deliberately, but with great (feeding, expressed not only Britain’s but also the Empire’s sorrow at the King’s death and their reverence of him as a sovereign. “ft is less than a month ago that the voice now silent was heard round the world—the King addressing his subjects—a lather seated with his family speaking to bis people, members of Iris wider family, with words of wisdom, courage and deep human sympathy, and it is as members, of that family that we are mourning him to-day,” said Mr Baldwin. “There must he millions who feel as I do, that a loving friend and counsellor has been taken from us. The world will seem a poorer and a colder place without liim, and the tones of that well-known voice are echoing in pur hearts to-day. “And our thoughts turn to the widowed Queen and to the bereaved family. And I do want to say a word to you about Queen Mary. 1 know that every heart in the Empire is sorrowing for her this night. It has often seemed to me a sail thing that in a married life so perfect, so happy as theirs was there lias to come that inevitable day when one is taken and the other is left, and one of the two lias to continue the pilgrimage to the end alone. Millions of people are j touched to their hearts and tears of sympathy will he shed with her. It 'must he a source of comfort to her, though we cannot tell her that, to know of that feeling, and she must know it from the demonstrations shown during that wonderful Jubilee summer. But may not this be a comfort to her, as it has been a comfort to others, that after all the one who is left is really carrying on the cross for the one who has gone before?” 1 The Prime Minister said that the King, knowing that he had in his wife one with whom he might have really intimate converse, had a source of comfort denied to others who knew not such companionship in marriage. Queen Mary was very close indeed in the bond of love to the hearts of the

people. I THE ROYAL BURDEN. | Speaking wilh evident emotion, the Prime .Minister went on to say that he found it dihicuit to know what to say of lus late _uaj'e»ty-«-iii the compass of a few minute's and within 24 hours of Ids death, tor upward of a quarter of a century King George had borne a burden of heavy responsibility, from winch he had had little respite. The whole world had been in a state of commotion, and, as a great man of the sixteenth century had phrased it, a raving world. The late King had played his part in it gallantly to the end. Tie (the Prime Minister) felt

thankful that His Majesty, after liis illness six years ago, had been spared to see his Jubilee, year. He had been profoundly touched by the love the nation had demonstrated to him and

Queen .Mary on that occasion. Jt was in those last months that lie really learned what he meant to Ins people. It was true that his laie .Majesty had inherited the Throne of Great Britain, hut lie had won 1 1 is own way into the hearts of his people. “I had a feeling which 1 expressed to my friends that lie was ready for the long journey he was so soon to take,” continued Mr Baldwin. “He was tired at times. I used to contrast

his lot with the lot of a politician, for we can have in our old age the privilege to live to ourselves, but the King’s burden was never lifted.” Air Baldwin referred to the effect of the loss of Princess Victoria, who bad been a very close link to the King. “There are few losses, as men and women get older, that strike so deep as those of contemporary relations.

There was no common, no ordinary bond between them, lint one much greater. King George would talk to her every night on the telephone to tell her what lie had been doing to cheer her up and keep her from feeling lonely. I think be felt her loss very keenly.” The last time Mr Baldwin bad seen King George had been when they had parted for their Christmas holidays. They bad rejoiced together, for each bad liked the same sort of holidays. “HOW IS THE EMPIRE?”

“It was only yesterday morning that the King’s secretary rang me up to tell me lie bad seen a change, and that he feared the end could not be long delayed. There is only one thing I can tell you. There can be no impropriety ia doing so, even though much that passes at such times must be sacred. “The King was having breaks of consciousness, and each time he was conscious he had some kind inquiry, or some kind observation of someone, or some words of gratitude to make. But he did say to his secretary, in a brief interval of consciousness : “ ‘How is the Empire ?’—an unusual phrase in that form. The secretary replied: “ ‘All is well, Sir, with the Em-

pire.’ , “The King then gave them a smile and relaxed once more into unconsciousness. In all that time of subconsciousness, just coming to the surface at odd moments, there was the same love of his people. It was with him to the end. King George, it is true, inherited bis position, but lie won his own way into the hearts of bis people. Behind the. pomp and pageantry incidental to his great position lie laboured night and day in doing his duty. THE NEW RULER.

“Wff can best honour the noble memory of King George by gathering around and sustaining the young King, on whom lias now fallen' one of the heaviest burdens that can rest upon the shoulders of fallible mortal man,” said Mr Baldwin. “While lie is no stranger to public duty lie is now summoned to face responsibilities more onerous, more exacting," and more continuous than any he has hitherto beeii asked to discharge.

'“He comes toy them in the prime of his power, which is already known throughout the length and breadth of his Empire. His great gifts of mind and heart he is now called upon to consecrate to his people. He inherits an example of kingly conduct of virtue, of wisdom, and of endurance. King George’s reign was marked by far-reaching constitutional and Parliamentary changes without precedent in our long history. He hands down in turn to his son the Throne he himself received from his father, and he hands it down with its foundations strengtli-

ened, its moral authority, its honour, and its dignity enhanced. It is an incomparable and alt-inspiring inheritance. The young King knows the confidence we all rcpo.sc in him and lie knows he commands not only allegiance; lie knows the affection and the prayers of countless multitudes are with him at this hour. “May God guide him aright, and may God save the King.”

THE FATAL ILLNESS.

UNUSUAL COINCIDENCE. KING EDWARD’S DEATH RECALLED. A coincidence marks the nature of the illness leading to King George’s death, for it was almost identical with that which took the life of his father oil May 6, 1910, from bronchial catarrh on which heart failure supervened. The last hour of the day is a tragic one for the Royal Family, for King Edward passed away at 11.45 p.m., and his son, King George, at 11.55 p.m. Like his . illustrious father, King George V died in the service of the nation. Like his father, too, he passed away peacefully. King Edward VII died in his sixtyeighth year from bronchitis and heart failure. He faced his illness, which followed a chill contracted at Biarritz, with courage and determination. It started with nasal catarrh and bronchial irritation. Bad paroxysms of coughing brought on failure of breath, anu oxygen was freely administered, but at 10 p.m., after flickers of consciousness. he relapsed into coma, and peacefully expired at 11.45 p.m. There are some very similar features concerning the manner in which the two kings contracted their fatal illnesses. Symptoms present in both cases were aggravated by inspections carried out on the grounds at Sand--1 ringham.