“WHY I BELIEVE IN KING GEORGE.”

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143520, 8 June 1911, Page 8

“WHY I BELIEVE IN KING GEORGE.”

Mr. ,W. T. Stead, who dcsorib.es himself a& “editor, agitator, and ex-crimi-has been tellipg the British public why he believes in King George. His reasons are characteristic and interesting. Firstly.'he in . the King because the King believes in, him; secondly, because his Majesty in his outlook, on life believes very much os Mr. Stepd does; thirdly, because he is “straight”; fourthly, because ho is n. first-class sailor man ; fifthly. Mr. Stead to say: I believe in King George because he is the only British King ; who, has visited the Empire over which he mens, ■ and almost the only man in the three kingdoms who realises what it moans. When his father died, King George, taking stock deliberately of what was possible and what was not, resolutely decided that, although he could not emulate the achievements of K/rTg Edward as a diplomatist, ho could, and 1 with God’s grace would, make the Empire a palpable .reality, that .a sense ofVuch unity and grandonr. should become the common heritage of all his subjects. So be insisted upon going to the Delhi Durbar next December, and in the years to come ho intends

to revisit as-Kiiij' all the great dominions > which welcomed him as Prince. The King is a , sane Imperialist. He realises the burden, and .is not.dazzled by tlie glory of Empire. But he is keenly alive to its opportunities iand its responsibilities. Sixthly, I believe in. King George because, ! think'that ho will be a thoroughly Constitutional monarch,- who will nut allow his own political prejudices or his personal likes and dislikes, to deflect him .from the straight path of Constitutional duty. If he is still of the same opinions. a?

lie used to be when he was Prince of" "Wales,- there can he little symnathy on party grounds between him and Mr. Asquith. But party question. l : nrO' but skin deep. On the great fundamental question. “How is the King's v Government to be carried on? ,n he and bis Ministers will always bo at one. This does not imply that the King will bo a mere lay' figure. . On the contrary, ho will never allow the groat monarchical revival which we owe to Queen Victoria to lose any of, its force while he is on the Throne. , He. will, like his grandmother,, make a good stand-up fight for his own opinions. , Ho ..will use to the uttermost the legitimate flucncc of his position. But ho will s never forgot that the strength of his influence depends upon the loyalty with which ho recognises the;'authority of Parliament. Seventhly lastly, .1 believe in King George because I think he is a real human being, as impulsive, passionate, obstinate, prejudiced as I am myself- -