1957-12-28 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1957.

GEORGE VI

VI AND THE POLITICIANS

THE speeds

0

N September 18, 1951, Mr Attlee, the Prime Minister, called at Buckingham Palace to give the King an account of what the Socialist Government was doing.

And what was it doing? With a parliamentary majority of six, it was merely struggling

on:

The King listened, then struck out gently on his own.

An

KING'S

KING'S HINT

a General Election

To advise, to encourage,

to warn....those are the duties of British monarchs. King George VI carried them out with a growing political awareness in his Baldwin, dealings with Chamberlain, Churchill, and Attlee. His Premiors found that he was

rubber stamp...... more

THE IMPROBABLE XING: PART 3

by A. J. P. TAYLOR

no

His doctors had just told him that he must have operation for lung cancer. He might not have long to live, and he wanted to leave a strong stable Guvernment for his daughter. He pro- posed to dissolve Parlia-

Nor was the monarch kept ment and have a General touches of political genius, his much better informed about the Election.

was not a wisdom that could be outbreak Would

I was the of war. rasily imparted. He acted front French Government, not the agree?

instinet: a nod here, a crack of King, who caused complications, The Prime Minister the lingers there. On paper be jumped at the suggestion. Was uncommunicative. And it He too was weary of the Was from paper that George VI

Attlee

Besides, though Baldwin had

liked to learn.

FIASCO

King was COON the

thrust

group of Tories revolted against Chamberlain after the Nasco in Norway, lie came to the Patace and resigned.

Government's precarious

NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN position. He knew that the

SUITED THE KING BETTER. Labour Party had NO FLASHES OF INSIGHT into the forefront. A sizable

NOR LONG PERIODS exhausted its programme. HERE,

RATHER THE Yet without this little push OF SILENCE from the King he might UNREMITTING INDUSTRY OF AN OLD FAMILY SOLICITOR. have drifted on. A striking

Chamberlain had been the illustration that the Crown

rigorous of Cabinet still plays an active part in workings of British

the politics.

THE SECRET SIDE

must

Ministers against Edward VII. Not on religious grounds. As a

Unitarian Chamberlain regard- ed marriage as a purely civil offair. But he was impatient with the delay which was, he thought, "bad for the Christmas trade."

What should happen next? According to all the precedents. Attlee,

leader of the second- largest party, should have been asked to form

Government, Only when he fatted and

falled could the would have net have been, enst wider.

be

The

I

dispelled the lingering suspicion not leaving the country when Bevin

was a man of broad is Majesty's-ships. trosp and experience which prang from Churchill's in one of

social questions. He might champloning of Edward VIII.

then announced well have prevented the com- George VI and Chamberlain that he tended to cross to bination of economie austerity had been business associates. France also. Churehili, furlous, and Annwetpl Indation into The King and Churchill

were sold

the Cabinet would not which the Socialist Government soon close personal friends. The allow it. Prime Minister became on paper "My dear Winston," and in conversation "F.M."

6

Every week Churchill lunched alone with the King. Later the Queen joined them. Servants And Churchill were excluded. could revent more freely than anywhere elec his inmost thoughts, on the conduct of the

war.

Churchli also brought the King into friendly touch with On other leading Ministera, more than one occasion George VI dined at 10, Downing Street, as the Prime Minister's muest- n constitutional innovation which did honour to both..

The King was a ready pupil. Fallently, persistently, he mas- tered the great problems of the with He dealt directly war, foreign rulers, though, of course, after receiving the approval of his constutional advisers.

The King at once gave way, but how Churchill was caught. He had to give way, too. King wrote to him:

The

drifted.

仕差

Dalton, by the other hand, though not much good figures, was resolutely cool to-. wards the Germans and steadily friendly towards the Jews.

** am a younger man 'than you, I am a saltor, and as King I am head of all these Services. is nothing I would like to spared the folly of German

With him t the Foreign There Office we might have been

do belter than to go to sea. but

He could hardly

In the backgrdühà, Before the cares of kingship... the miniature house presented to Princess Ellesbeth by the people of Wales,

HIGHER

THEY GRANTED.

WAGES — WHICH WERE READILY

have agreed to rearmament,

it fair have done worse than Bevin in A UNION AND DEMANDED at home. that you should then do the Middle East. rxactly what I should have Ilked to do myself?" •

However, the decision was - made,

The Socialist Govern. The dispute left no ranking ment was launched. Elterness, though Church!} still grumbled good-naturedly when King gave it steady, patien! he came to write his account of sympathy, The war.

SURPRISED

He wrote to Leopold III, EORGE VI continued to be urging him to leave Belgium

Jieve that he had in and not to become Hitler's Churchill » great Prime Minis- prisoner. He wrote to Petain In ter, as indeed he had, the hope of luring him agaitset the polley of collaboration,

+

The King too was the only Briton who could write ns an equal to President Roosevelt.

formed

And the

a

SHOOT AT SANDRING- RAM: "YOU HAVE HAD YOUR FUN; NOW 1 AKI GOING TO HAVE MINE.”

He was puzzled, too, when He spent his last Christmas:

Cabinet Minister, Aneurin surrounded

his by

ruhily. Bevan, declined 10 wear Dispite his weakness, he insisted, evening dress on the ground on making his usuel Christmas that it was upper-class uniform. broadcast: "My daughter will

have her In one instance he provided

next opportunity vital assistance. In 1947 the Britain was moving towards Christmas." Government was anxious to asetal democracy.. The King

The to move in the settle the future of India, found it hard

recorded Mountbatten was invited to go same direction.

time. as Viceroy. He refused; he work be out of his mind to

days, tackle "mn insoluble problem."

The King intervened.

undertake the task.

He

persuaded his cousin to TT

Within Fhim

BARGAIN

had message

to bo sentence at h The struggle lasted Wo

There was no break in the The King still royal routine tufted through the Government He sent His daughter would be wrong to biome papers. In 1045 the King expected

The fault lay with his and her husband off to Kenya, Conservative

and stood burcheaded at the air- vietory ut the a year the sub-continent of advisers. Not merely the General Election and was India was partitioned.

part India Court officials, but still more much surprised at the result became republle, though the Labour Ministers. They

Churchill himself.

altached to Still, still

the Com- had

no clear picture what he already knew the leading monwealth.

monarchy should

do Labour Ministers well and

democratic society. errried George

Aut

n's

wave forewell. Tuesday, February 6, was clear and cold, George was out shooting for six hours. In a

At the end of his day he said to his friends: "A good day'n VI never forgot the sport, gentlemen. I will expect o'clock on Com initial bargain which had you here at mine

The King welcomed every development which

the the members of

nonwealth to full freedom

He was King

Who Hitler everran Europe London become cluttered with accepted them readily.

The King per- foreign royally.

valuable 1

duty by The King and Attlee went remaining in London. Exiled through the list of the pro- rulers were merely an embar posed Cabinet together, And rassment: It was the King who it is likely that the tactfully suggested to kings, made some suggestions. queens, and presidents that they should withdraw *into rura! AL Ant rafe A:tter turning 10 stclusion.

Second thoughts. ile

This was the procedure when Asquith resigned In December Prosaic and hard-bitten, 1910. George V inquired of THIS is, we may say, the Chumberlain had tile time for Bohar Law before

secret side of British

monarchy. We are allowed

to study a King's person-

ality and to know the de-. tails of his private life. The story of his political acti

to

brought him to the Throne. Thursday." Ic was there beenuse his

The King dined quielly at

the first novereign brother had insisted on tharry home. Princess Margaret play- visit his Duminions while ing a divorced lady. Therefore ed the piano. George turned on on the Throne; Canada before the old rules had to be preserve 10 o'clock news to hear had the war, South Africa after 11. ed at Court, even though this about Princess Elizabeth. Then hud And he looked forward to the meant that certain Cabinet he went up to bed.

HOW HE HELPED A CABINET AT A MOMENT OF CRISIS

the ennventions of the Con-

vities comes to light only after his death; and con- temporaries join in conspiracy of silence to pre stitution. tend that it does not exist.

Like his falder Joseph 11 Was at heart A repubilean-a republic with himself as presi- British monarchy is sup- dent. Once embarked оп his posed to be purely a sym- pulley of appeasement, he often bol. The King is an ornate ignored the Cabinet, and sorne- figurehead, constantly dis- tis even the Foreign Secret- wry. He was not pedantically played: a father-figure, extet in hir treatment of the corporating the national King.

unity of the British people. A constitutional rule. lays In fact, George VI spent down that the Prime Minister

He brought the Monarchy

back to a "New Normal.

tional Government.

three-quarters of his time must have the King's permiss- Lloyd George as head of a Na- at his desk in the practical lon to leave the country: work of government. The Chamberlain announced round of ceremony was flight to Munich In the House diversion.

of Commons without consulting his colleagues or warning the

his

What is this practical King. The rule was forgotten by Chamberlain Dg well us by work?

others.

Theurists delight to re- Another rule provides that on peat Bagohot's definition of international agreement must the royal duties. ""To advise; have royal approval, before it is to encourage; and to warn." Our monarchs have always passed these limits.

concluded.

While at Munich Chamber loin signed with Hitler the de- claration for "Pence in our time"

this authority.

The Contemporaries thought that without Queen Victoria kept aloof from King was persistently ignored. political conflict. Her letters when publishert showed that

shu had been a violent and un-

scrupulous partisan.

A LETTER

George V intervened in VEORGE VI did not yet groep politics on more than one G this. He was unthly served Uccasion, usually with a moder- aling and beneficial effect. But by his private advisers. They had

RIGHT CHOICE

Churchill

Attiec

has

Was

was be

NO FUSS

As time went by George VI appointed Dalton to the time when the Royal Family Ministers could not enter the At 11 a servant brought him began to venture his own Foreign Office, and Bevin to would be equally at home in royal enclosure of Ascot,

Cocoa. He WOR reading a the Exchequer.

every Dominion.

magazine. Precedent was not followed opinions on policy,

Racked with ill-bealih, puzz}- in May 1940. George VI invitech

At 7.30 next moring the valet He was shocked

when Ad-

George VI gave worm ap ed where his duly lay, George to naire his suc- miral Darlan was recognised as on he changed them round which the Labour Government country Chamberlain

After some hours of reflec-proval to the

programine hy withdrew increastrudly to the chine with carly morning tea. cessor.

Ho Ife at Sandringham, The King did not move." provisional head of the French No doubt the decision Was State in North Africa, And he his. But was there no hint introduced the Welfare State, which he had always preferred. had died in his sleep shortly wrote to

after midnight, withdrawing expostu-

Ho accepted too its continuation from the King?

from life as quietly and modest- lating,

denied it, but the memory of of war-time austerity.

ly as he had lived. When in 1947 a new fuel The Print Minister was him- politicians is notoriously fickle.

crisis struck. Britain the King TN 1940 he had grave trouble walked.

At his funere! a ghost CHAMBERLAIN summoned self unhappy about this arrange- 1 would have been rzason-

in South Africa.

The Duke of Windsor Only N Hallfax and Churchill. These ment; and the King's complaint able for the

King to remark with great difficulty

with his right leg. A serious marched with the other royal weapon against that Bevin and Morrison would restrained from returning. was a useful a table. three, sitting round

operation on his spine saved H. Dukes, wearing the long naval The Americans.

be better apart. And perhaps

but his doctors knew that he greatcoat which had last been chose the next

there was B deeper factor.

had not long to live.

seen at the funeral of Ocorge V. TUE KING'S

On ocension the weapon turn- George VI ADVISERS

toolt

to casily TRIED TO SAVE APPEAR- cd against Church himself. Socialists from the working ANCES. THEY GAVE OUT

class. He was more doubtful THAT

about Old Elonians, particularly VET there were Umits to the was removed, the doctors Monarchy back to normal after saw that the other lung was the upset of the Abdication. about one whose father had King's sympathy. While he already affected.

He had stood with his people in. been a close friend of the Royal welcomed the endlig of poverty

But had he George met the and suffering, he was cooler Family.

Supreme a great war. towards

of death as he had equipped the Monarchy to meet some of the signs of challenge social equality,

met other challenges, without the needs of a stormy futuro? Only the future can provide the fuss or repining.

answer. HE WAS BOTH SHOCKED

SCARCELY AND PUZZLED WHEN THE

AT BUCKING. HE Churchill, SERVANTS.

HAM PALACE ORGANISED DOCTORS

Prime Minister.

CONSULTED

to

CHAMBERLAIN WAS In 1044 he proposed to accom- BEING

the AS pany

Allied Forces LEADER OF THE CONSER- Normandy on D Day. VATIVE PARTY, NOT AS A PRIME MINISTER WHO HAD

RESIGNED.

The real defence is that, with he did not scruple to abet the taken a leading part in toppling the German attack in France,

They had everyone was in too great intrigues

against Edward Vill over. of generals Lloyd George, the Prime Mini- forgotten that it was their duty hurry to observe the rules, ster, during the First World to defend the King from the War.

politicians, not to impose the will of the politicians on the

Now historians must turn the King. beam of their Inquiry on to

the political influence of George Not that George doubted the

VI.

wisdom of appeasement. When Chamberlain returned from

Besides, the King's mistake worked out all for the best.

used The King

extreme

was F fateful decision.

diplomacy in defeating this Whoever made the change, project. He invoked the rule i that the Prime Minister could not leave the country without

a his permission.

Though the Labour Party certainly insisted on Churchill, the decision came from the Conservatives, and they could

The King came to the Throne Munich, the King wrote to not repudiate it. Even so, for

with little more political know- hlm:- ledge than that possessed by any careful reader of the news- papers.

GEORGE V EDWARD PECULIARLY

UNLIKE

VII, HAD BEEN RELUCTANT

"This letter brings the barmost of welcomes to one who, by his patience and de- termination, has carned the larting gratitude fellow-countrymen out the Empire"

فرین

his

the first few weeks Churchill was received with cheers from the Labour benches and in cold, hostile alience on the Conserva- tive side,

manners

Winston Churchill had learn- through-ed his constitutional

before the First World War.;

He had a high,, romantle con- ception of the monarchy,

Bund deplored the way in which it had been slighted by his pre-

This judgment was singularly

TO SHARE POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE, EVEN WITH THE PRINCE OF WALES. THÊ DUKE OF YORK WAS TOLD Incorrect. NOTHING.

Six months later, when Hitler

Nor did George VI Jearh seized Prague, Chamberlain decessors, much, from Stanley Baldwin, his swung akainst appeasement. first Prime Ministor.

once more without warning the King:

With the abdication Baldi win's rolo

exhausted. WAR He remained only to see Georg VI safely crowned.

Carrying a granter burden of responsibility, than any British Primo Minister · has over done, he yet found: time to initiate tho Quoted from Fellig, Tecilie King into all the scorcts of gov

ernment. Such devolión

Chambertins,"

BOOT

Quoted from Churchill replied that he was "Second World War,"

-ZANIES

SHOCKED

In

1951 lung cancer WIB

, diagnosed. When the left George Vi had brought the

· DONT FORGET—HALF OF IT'S

·FORIYOUR LITTLE BOY HERE?

ON HIS FEET, DISTURBED HIS

ny GOING

THE END

"LOU HAVEN'T KISSED ME