KING GEORGE’S MOMENTOUS SPEECH

New Zealand Tablet, 12 February 1920, Page 39

KING GEORGE’S MOMENTOUS SPEECH

(By Barney O’Hea.)

The prosperous, well-fed gentlemanbearing the hallmark of the profiteer in every lineament of his ponderous carcaselaid down the newspaper- on - his knee, took - off his spectacles, and wiped them carefuly with his handkerchief. To the other two men sitting in the parlor of a stylish hotel he remarked: •‘A splendid utterance of the King’s at the. Guildhall, last week. “A splendid utterance indeed!” >- “To be sure,” said the journalist, “it was a notable utterance.” ! “His Majesty, sir,” said the profiteer, “has the gift of expressing himself in such felicitous phrase, that anything he says carries inspiration.” “What did he say?” inquired a common ,person in the room. “He gave voice to sentiments that should awaken the I common people to a sense of their shortcomings,” replied the plutocratic ’gentleman. “But what —” commenced the common person, when the journalist interposed : “It is not often I have seen so much wisdom crystallised into a single sentence as King George’s weighty words at the Guildhall contain. “He has the happy knack of driving home his point in a single sentence,” said the profiteer. k':S-% ; ’ The common person again made an essay to obtain some information regarding the King’s deliverance. “What did his Majesty say?” he inquired. “May . I see your newspaper?” But Piute raised the paper and adjusted his glasses. "The deliverance,” he said ponderously', “requires study from many viewpoints. Ah! what a contrast his Majesty’s utterances are to our time-serving political demagogues.” “The very words of the Daily Quail, and my own sentiments, too,” said the journalist. “How poor and washy and windy the speeches of Asquith and Co. are, compared with the crisp, clear-cut and incisive pronouncement of King George.” “If you’ll excuse me for saying so, I fail to agree with your condemnation of Mr. Asquith’s speeches,” butted in the common person. “His speeches are on a plane immeasurably higher than the addresses with which England has become familiarised by her public men. I think it is the belief of most who are competent to express an authoritative opinion on the subject that my belief is well founded. Not having heard or read King George’s latest speech, I’m unable to express any comment on it as a contribution to our literature.” The profiteer and the journalist ignored the remarks of the common person expressing himself as only' common persons can. “The “Daily Quail,” said Piute, “interprets the notable utterance as a warning to be careful. But the democracy is too stupid to be influenced even by the weighty words of our beloved sovereign.” “The Daily Quail,” said the journalist, “is a very capable interpreter of public men’s views, and in this instance I believe it has grasped the King’s meaning. Let us hope the democracy will also grasp it.” The common person’s tongue again was loosed. “The Daily Quail,” he said, “was best described by the late Lord' Salisbury, who said it was a journal written for schoolboys by schoolboys. I say it is typical of the lick-spittle journalism of this country, if you will forgive me for saying so.” Piute and the journalist frowned the common person dowri. “The deliverance is couched in such terms that there is no mistaking its point; even to the average intelligence of those of plebian mould its meaning must be intelligible,” said Piute, with a furtive look at the common person. “All point in the utterance, sir all point,” said the journalist. “It is also pleasing to know’ that the utterance has been cabled to the press throughout the Empire.” ‘ . . “But will you not tell me what his Majesty said if you have not forgotten it?” said the common person, sarcastically. “Tell the gentleman what his Majesty said,” requested Piute of the journalist impatiently. ' “His Majesty saidAh, well, he said —. Lend him the paper and let him read it for himself,” said the journalist. ' Piute handed the newspaper to the common person. Scrutinising the columns of the paper, his eye lit on the heading, “The King' at the Guildhall.”“His Majesty Coigns a Phrase.” — “A Notable Deliverance.” The paper said that his Majesty at the Guildhall made use of a phrase which would become historical. His remarks might be crystallised into that telling phrase he'

gave utterance to, which would be read all over the Empire by his loyal subjects, and serve as a -clarion-call to action by his devoted people. His Majesty said: “Wake up, England!” .. ~' v - Oamaru, January 20. • -