1940-04-22 — Page 13

Monday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

April 22, 1940.

MAGAZINE

PAGE

Princess Elizabeth was 14 Yesterday: St. George's Day Is Celebrated To-morrow

Birthday of a fairy princess

NHE. PRINCESS ELIZA-

BETH was 14 years old yesterday. One day she may be Queen of England. It set me thinking.

I recalled an earlier Princesa, little Victoria Alexandrina of Kent, who at 17 came to the throne from the modest obscurity of Kensing- ton Palace; a palace; us nomebody said, "very pleasant to drink ten in."

and

This little girl began her educa- tion et ave with writing French, going on to "Moral Stories" and the "Conelse History of Eng- Iardi.'

J

At seven she was tackling Latin,

and had learnt almost by heart a

book on British trades.

She was the heiress of England, know it Her but, she did not mother, with

an

imaginativeness rare in any walk of life, thought the burden of such knowledge might be too much for the child.

Victoria, writing in after years, said that she was about. 12 when she came to understand her poal- tion, adding that the thought of responsibility to come made her very unhappy.

It was possible to keep Princess Victoria thus ignorant of her status. Princess Elizabeth has long been aware of what the future holds for her. It is difficult to dia- cover from her beautiful behaviour in public whether or not the thought distresses her,

Fairy Tale Stage

MY own daughter is still in the fairy tale stage with regard to Queens. To her they are all, and always, happy and glorious.

she

But the Princess must, being a quick and sensible child, have observed that her mother does not have much time to call her own. She must already be aware that Mummy has to do many things which fatigue

or bore her. And sometimes Bay to herself: must

only Daddy's wife, When I'm the Queen I shall have for me

more to do, because I shall -have-all-Daddy's-work-na-well-as- things like visiting exhibitions and giving parties to hundreds people,"

"Mummy

of

And it is no wild guess that sometimes with that picture of the future in mind, the child of 14 may feel a little wistfulness, # Hittle *Year.

Diost of us accept wlikout re- sistance what we are brought up to expect, and the Princess brought up to this job of being Queen of England. She does not go to school with ther girts. Perhaps a school would not be able to cram in the special know- ledge, fast enough.

Languages are important, a lot of time must go to them. History is important, if you are to bear a crown 900 years old, And this being a commercial age, no doubt she, too, like the earlier Princess, studies a book on British trades.

Play with other children? Not much of it, and not often. Do what you will to level things out, there can be, for this little girl, no chance to drink delight of battle with her peers.

She has no peers, in the sense of oquals. To assert that sho is a child like other children is the merest pretence. She has a toy

Sho

but it was an official gift. fs taken to the pantomime, the Tournament; but always in special always

PURE BOAT sees a men with his

She rarely

hat

apart..

is, and years

Her whole childhood must be, a childhood of only. Each one of these, public appearances, while it is partly a treat, is also partly a discipline.

Sho must accept it with all its implica- tions, the hus- band as soon

the children, the eternal the discipline which

two wheels, running out of petrol; obeying the rule of the road (1 hope) and seeing some beautiful country by the way.

ponible, By State Coach

.

must

nover fail.:

My daugh. ter, on the other hand, mey change her mind and her... plans.... a. dozen times between and... 16.

present

now

wants to bo

At

nho

vet. But if.

when school is over, she decides against that, the ekles will not fall, She can take her time about. marrying, She can have a scho-

lar's life or a former's.

She can, and must, sequire ex- perience of the world by knocking her sense and her wits against the sense and wits of other people.

If she wants money, she will have to carn it. If she wants power, she will have to fight for ft. Her life will be flexible, and her future very much of ber own making.

In other words, she will go through life as a man in a baby car goes darting freely here and there, taking dangerous corners on

THE Princess musi do her state Journey through life in a coach, keeping an unchanging

- pace, surrounded by guarda, mak- ing her own rule of the road, travelling along routes already polfeed and boflagged; Bucklagham Palace to the Abbey, Buckingham Palace to St. Paul's, Buckingham Palace to St. Stephen's.

No change of plans allowed, because a whole immezse organ-

isation hangs on the correct carrying

of these plans. No

happiness

No change of plans allowed, be- cause a whole immense organiza- tion hangs on the correct carrying

out of these plans. No hap pinass

tar,

Perhapa that Коса

100 There are many kinds of happl- ness, and one of the best of them doing a difficult job well,The Princess Elizabeth is being brought

la

up

to undertake one of the most dimcult and responsible jobs in the world; if she succeeds in it she will know one of the most satisfy- ing of the world's joya, A verse. from the Wisdom of Solomon comes to my mind.

"For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, show- ing herself favourably unto them In the ways, and meeteth them in every thought. For the very true beginning of her is the desire of discipline, and the care of dis cipline is love."

INANITY FARE

supposo Colman

when

Ronald

is a very olo man There'll still be those dimples

Of Shirley Timple's.

St. GEORGE

for

ENGLAND

IBBON has never been for-

Cr given for grossly libelling

our patron saint. Ho identi- flés him with George of Cap padocia, the Arian bishop of Alexandria from 356 to 361.

This George was born in a fuller's shop, and began his career as an army contraétor, He supplied the Roman army with bad pork, and made his fortune.

This did not prevent him from being made Bishop of Alexandria In place of the rightful Bishop. Athanasius, who had been turned out.

As Bishop, he resumed his pro- fiteering habits, which made him unpopular; and when Julian the Apostato restored the hopes of the pagans, they solzed Bishop George and literally tore him limb from Huib.

His unorthodox opiniona pre vented him from being canonised as a martyr.

This disreputable person is not the patron ruint of England.

A

The authentic George, was "military tribune"-that is to say a colonel in the Roman army, who was martyred during the list per- secution, in 303, and burled at

It Was Done Before

NORWEGIAN-

THE ruthless war the Ger-

the Scandinavians to-day is not the first attempt by Ger- many to establish herself in the north. With occasional and momentary success it has been going on for centuries.

The Huns came pouring from the. Steppes, to be broken at Chalons; the Turks came riding into the West, to be hammered by Charles Murtel; Islam came in arms, to be routed at Granada and shattered at Lepanto; the Sublime Porte sent its armies through the Balkans, to be held and put to flight at Vien-

before

But thess ralds from th

-THERMOPYLAE

:|

they said, as if they were spenking to-day of the Red Air Force., "So much the better," grunted Leonidos, In his short, Laconic way: - "We shali fight in the shade."

*

When the armies mei-2,000,000 against 1,000-Xerxes waited for four days, expecting a surrender. He even sent a herald saying, "Give up your arms." Again Leo- nidas answered him in the Spartan,

(or Laconic) fashion. "Come and get them," he said.

Xerxes ordered a detachment to charge and take the Greeks alive. The force advanced and broko. against the long pikes of the Grecks.

2,500 Years Ago

East, before the history of Britain began, when Rome was just a little town no one regårded the East made its mightiest effort against the West.

Two thousand five hundred and twenty years ago-In 600 D.C.- the power of Asia was 'centred in Persia. To, the throne of the Persina conquerors Cyrus, Darius, Cambyses-succeede

megalo.

Her Task Fixed mine named Xerxes, or, in Bib-

IF my daughter wants to raven-

But ously eat chocolate, sho may.

the King's daughter is on show: her gloves are fixtures, and choco- late, if it is eaten at all, comes decorously and in small

quantities

from a beautiful box.

She has never been a commoner, Bho has never known the pleasures and humillations of being one of a crowd.

Looking forward another four or five years 1.compare the probable lita of the Princess with the future of my own child. The one wiil, at: 10, have her task fixed. Sho cannot suddenly throw it Away, forget all the training of years, and decide that she will be a manne

·quin'or a medico instead,

Heal

legend, Ahasuerus. He turned his eyes to the West and saw the fount of our classical civilisation, Aliens independent of him and, ten years before victorious over his predecessor.

That insult, thought the now- crowned King, should bo avenged; and the Greeks, whoto colonists owned his sway," should. also send carth to him as token of their sub-

So, for five years (a five-year plan, perhaps) Xerxes bullt up an ormy and a feat. From India and Africa, from Medea and Kurdistan, from the Crimen he recruited: the Infantry `numbered 1,700,000; the sallors amounted to nearly 600,000 (counting transports as well as warships); the cavalry was a mero

80,000. Twenty-nine separate na- tions formed the forces-rather as they form the Russian troops to-day.

After months of preparation the army of Asin began to move, Xerxes had two bridges bullt over the Dardanciles; the eastward one against, the current, the westward -one ngainst the wind. It took the

army zoven days to cross them.

The city, states of democratic Greece were, Ike Europe to-day-- incapable of forming a united front. Half the states wanted to leave Athens to fight it out alone. But

forgot Sparta

her traditional rivalry and made common cause with Athens, and, as the military lender of Greece, assumed the ini- tintive, One of her two kings, Leonidos, was given the cornmand.

Ha determined to hold a pass (much as Horalius Gatermined to hold the bridgo). In the mountains, This was called Thermopylae-the Hot Gates. The force Leonidas controlled numbered 309 Spartans and about 4,000 mixed tribes- second-line fighting, men. Spies came to tra with tales of the ar chors who fired from horseback:

Their arrows darken the

sun,"

force. Finally,

Threa times Xerxes jumped from his throne ng he saw his army repulsed by this "con- temptible"!

Hittle

he ordered the Royal Bodyguard-the pick of the Persian force, nicknamed '!The Im- mortals" to charge. They. rode headlong up the pacs but tho Spartans did not move.

The next day was a repetition of the first. Leonidas managed his rollofs with. genius. But-Persia was wealthy and Greece was poor. One Greek, Ephialtes by name, sold a-military secret: thero was ori- other, hidden, 'difficult pass by which the Persians might take Leonidas in the rear. A large de- tachment came round:

Greeks warned the Spartan, of his danger, and he ordered the hulk of the allied troops away. The The plans volunteered to stay. The Spartans never retreated.

Leonidas led the little remnant of his force into the open ground, and charged headlong into an advancing forco: They turned the vanguard Into the sea. Leonidas, mindful of an oracle, which prophesied that either Sparth or her King must fall, was alain. -

The battle of Thermopylae won lost-but Greece, and with, Greece, Europe, was saved.

Lydda, where a sixth century church erected' In his honour still stands.

For some unknown reason he was called "the

great martyr," and legends, soon gathered round his nome. He was provided with a dragon as early as the sixth cen- tury, and with a horse in the

thirteenth, after the Fourth Cru-

sade. The horse, in his statute oft Constantinople, in the imperial palace used

neigh violently when a hostile army approached the city.

ta

He was adopted as patron saint of England by the Normans in re- cognition of the assistance which he gave to the Crusaders by ap- pearing among Cheir hurling Javelins at the Paynims. In the fourteenth century the Order of the Garter was placed under .bis patronage and his feast became a red-letter day in the Church Calender.

I have not heard that he helped us in any of the battles on the Western Front. Perhaps he felt that his equipment was rather out of date. So much for St. George..

Are we really a patriotic people? Foreigners think we are.

The Germans are fond of say- ing that the Englishman's molto is "My country, right or wong" used to think that this precious epigram was spoken by an Ameri- can, but

have run it to earth as

a toast given at Norfolk in the year after Waterloo by a gentleman of the curious name of Decatur,

I do not think it is true of our countrymen that they defend their country's actions with a bad con- sclence.

We

are not so demonstratively patriotic as most other nations,

We have an unusually large number of anti-patriots who, more or less sincerely, believe that Eng- Jand differs from other misguided rascals in never being in the right even by accident.

But there is another reason. In Rudyard Kipling's "Stulky and Co." there is a scene where a well- meaning valtor tries to rouse en- thusiasm among the boys by dam- boyant talk about "our country " It fell absolutely flat. That kind of thing, the boys thought, is iņ bad taste.

Kipling was quito right. The Englishman loves his country is a man loves his wife.

Privalely he is convinced that is the best and most charming woman in the world,' 'But as to boasting about her perfections, it is simply not done.

Again, a good deal of patriotism consists in hatred of other nations. We, I am thankful to say, dre bad haters.

We were worked up into hating Germany during the last war, and wo proved that. Lowell's words about the national character are sull true. The Englishman is not quarrelsome, but he has an inde- fatigable durability of fight In him,"

That we have short memories is Illustrated by the following story:

An American and an Engilali- man met casually and got on very well together. When they parted the American said, "Well, sir, I like you very well; but I must tell

you that I hate the English, I can't get over the burning of Washing

(This unfortunate incident ton." took place in 1813. As an act of reprisal, our troops burnt some public buildings in the American capital.}

"No. Dld we?" said the Eng- lithman in surprise,, "Yes," you did.”

"Well, that is really, disgrace- ful. I knew we burns Joan of Aro, but I thought Washington died in his bed!"

-W.RI.

RADIO FAVOURITES

ON

HIS-MASTER'S VOICE RECORDS

NELSON EDDY

DA1632—Senorita.

Sun-up to sundown. DA1083—Who are we to Bay, Soldiers of fortune. DA1590-8millor through.

A dream,

DA1583-The Rosary.

Perfoot day.

DA1337-UnUL

RICHARD CHOOKS' A ittle love, a file kiss. - DA1230—I'Ul. always be true,

Vienna, city of my dreams.

DA1304-Parted.

I love thee,

GIGLI

tiny hand. DB1538-La Boheme. Thy tiny

Faust. All ħall-thy dwelling. DA1372-Kiroleita. La Donne e mòbilo,

Don Pabqualo. Sogno wave e casio, DA1657-Standchen. (Schubert).

Wiegenlied. (Brahms).

TSANG FOOK PIANO COMPANY

MARINA HOUSE,

10 QUEEN'S ROAD C.

PHONE-24048.

Swan, Culbertson & Fritz

Investment Bankara and Brokers

Members of New York Cotton Exchange

Chicago Board of Trade

Manta Block Exchange

Winnipeg Grain Exchange

Commodity Exchange, Inc. Now Yerk

Canadian Commodity Exeliänge, Inc., Montresi

New York Coffee and Sugar Exchange

Hongkong Sharebrokers Association Shilligbal Stock Exchange

SHANGHAI, HONGKONG, MANILA and BUENOS AIRES

Cable Address: SWANSTOCK

CANADIAN GO Empress! CAN

PACIFIC.

RAILWAY LINES

CHEATERT TRAVEL

CANADIAN PACIFIC

STEAMSHIP

LINES

WORLDS GREATEST

TRAVEL

STATEM

Canada, United States and Europe

NEXT SAILING FROM HONGKONG THIRD WEEK IN MAY

(Omilting, Horiolulu)

NEXT SAILING TO MANILA SECOND WEEK IN MAY

Due to existing emergency, the consistency of prompt departures and arrivals of Canadian Pacific Steamships which has been main- Apply to Canadian Pacifio tained heretofore may be disturbed. representative for particulars of sailing dates.

Speed across the Pacife by luxurious EMPRESS Uncro, then re Victoria-stop over if you wish-and Vancouver in Canada's Evergreen Playground.

Fast AIR CONDITIONED trains from ship'a alde take you through the Majestic Canadian Rockies Lake Louise, Bani- 000 miles of glorious mountain scenery. Siop over anywhere you wish.

CANA

PACIFIC

EXPRESS

FOR FULL INFORMATION CONSULT YOUR TRAVEL AGENT. TOURIST OFFICES

of

UNION BUILDING TELEPHONE 20752

Canadian Pacific

PRESIDENT

LINER AILINGS

CANADIAN PACIFIC

HOTELS

GREATEST TRAVEL SYSTEM

SZANS

THE WORLD

TRANS-PACIFIC SERVICE

Fortnightly

To

SAN FRANCISCO & LOS ANGELES via Shanghai, japan & Honolulu ROUND-WORLD SERVICE

To

NEW YORK & BOSTON

Via

Manila, Singapore, Penang, Colombo, Bombay; Suox, Port Said, Alexandris, Naples, Genoa.

** AMERICAN * * PRESIDENT LINES

ROUND-WORLD SERVICE"

AGENTS FOK TWA, AND. UNITED AIR LINES

Telephone 28171

11, Pedder Street