WHOLE WORLD INTERESTED

Southland Times, Issue 23199, 14 May 1937, Page 5

WHOLE WORLD INTERESTED

AMERICA’S CLOSE FRIENDSHIP

TRIBUTES IN MANY LANDS BRITONS CELEBRATE IN WAR-TORN SPAIN (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received May 13, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 12. The extraordinary interest of America in the Coronation is reflected in accounts spreading over many pages of the newspapers, the wide and lengthy radio broadcasts and the general comment of the people, besides many fetes and celebrations held in the larger communities throughout the country, says a message from New York. Editorial comment, while not without reference to the Duke of Windsor, has been generally dignified and respectful, the more responsible newspapers referring to the common heritage of Britain and America, noting the striking unity of the Empire and stressing that unity as an assurance of the peace of the world.

The Americans are obviously interested in the most minute detail of the ceremonies, which the newspapers are reproducing completely, ana the radio companies estimate that 75,000,000 persons listened-in to the broadcast, which began at 1 o’clock in the morning and lasted for 24 hours. Taxi-cabs equipped with radios, and loudspeakers in many of the large cities broadcast accounts of the proceedings to streets, night clubs, schools and institutions, and generally made it P° s “ sible for everyone at any time and anywhere not to miss any detail. The comment heard generally by journalists in direct contact with the people, moreover, showed deep goodwill on the part of Americans towards the Monarch and the British people. Anglo-American Amity

Prayers were held in many churches throughout the country, especially St. John’s Cathedral, New York, and Washington Cathedral. Many dinners and balls were given by the English Speaking Union, a banquet in New York being attended by 1000 and a ball by 5000. The British Ambassador to Washington (Sir Ronald Lindsay) gave a garden party at the Embassy. Thousands of speeches on various affairs emphasized Anglo-American friendship. In Canada the services included a meeting in the square at Parliament Hill, Ottawa, which was attended by 50,000 people. Addresses of loyalty and devotion were delivered by the Gover-nor-General (Lord Tweedsmuir) and other officials. Church services were held everywhere and there were parades and ceremonies in hundreds of towns and villages. Regal salutes boomed from batteries in many places; boy scouts lighted a chain of fires from Halifax to Vancouver; thousands of memorial trees were planted; and in the border towns the ceremonies in many cases were attended by neighbouring American mayors and other officials, including the Governor of Michigan (Mr Frank Murphy). In Bermuda and other British possessions in the western hemisphere addresses of loyalty were delivered and there were military parades, pageants and balls. France Ustcns-in No event except the Great War has ever monopolized such an amount of space in the French newspapers as the Coronation. Crowds in the hotels and cafes listened to the broadcast. The Italian Consulate was the only consulate at Geneva not beflagged. Malta was ablaze' with red, white and blue. A feature of the celebrations at Hong Kong was a Chinese procession in which there were gorgeous tableaux and two dragons. Tibetan hill folk came from remote hamlets to see the celebrations at Simla.

The Prime Minister of Belgian (Dr Paul van Zeeland) gave a Coronation ball in Brussels. The Italian Press ignored the Coronation, but the Osservatore Romano, the Vatican City newspaper, published a full report and many, people listened to the broadcast in their homes. The whole of the German Press devoted its front pages to reports from London. In Singapore 150,000 watched a military parade. The Britons in Madrid, to the accompaniment of the detonation of insurgent shells, celebrated the Coronation, a small party of 60 toasting the King. Britons in Barcelona also gathered at the British Club and drank the health of their Majesties.

10 WORDS IN ITALY’S NEWSPAPERS OFFICIAL REPORT ONLY (Received May' 13, 10 35 p.m.) ROME, May 13. Italian newspapers published only the official Stefani agency’s 10-word communication: “The Coronation of King George of England took place this morning.” HITLER’S MESSAGE TO THE KING * KIND COMMENT BY NAZI PRESS (Received May 12, 8.30 p.m.) BERLIN, May 12. Herr Hitler telegraphed Coronation congratulations to King George, saying: “May your Majesty be granted a long and happy reign for the welfare of Britain, Ireland, the overseas British Dominions and India, as well as in the interests of preservation of world peace.” In contrast with Italy, where, because of the withdrawal of correspondents from London, nothing is being published about the Coronation except in the Vatican City newspaper Osservatore Romano, the German Press is taking the liveliest Interest, its editorials being couched in the friendliest terms. _, The Berliner Tageblatt says: The British Monarchy can count on the loyalty of its entire peoples, including the Socialists. Millions of British subjects look up to it as the bearer of a great idea of political and family life.” The Nachtausgabe, in a full page article headed “Like a Fairy Tale from the Arabian Nights,” says that the whole power, width and greatness of the British Empire, with its multitude of nations, races, and peoples, are united in the Coronation to express themselves to the fullest in this gathering of nations. Scores of papers allude to the British Empire as ’‘a big family united by the Crown.”