Bread-&-Butter

Tireless Alan Frederick Lascelles, acting private secretary to George VI, was kept busy last week during Their Majesties' home-bound tour of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and

Newfoundland, writing bread-&-butter letters to their U. S. hosts. King George, of course, addressed President Franklin in person:

"The kindness shown to us personally by you both was endorsed by your fellow countrymen and countrywomen with a cordiality that has stirred our hearts.

"In Washington, in New York and, indeed, wherever we have been in the United States, we have been accorded a reception of which the friendliness was unmistakable.

"Though this was our first visit to your great country, and though it was necessarily only a brief one, it has given us memories of kindly feeling and goodwill that we shall always treasure."

But if future anthropologists ever have to plot the world's transition from male to female dominance they may well refer to Their Majesties' visit as early evidence. The most pointed aftermath came from women involved.

> Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth broadcast from Halifax: "To the people of Canada and to all the kind people in the United States who welcomed us so warmly last week, to one and all on this great, friendly continent, I say thank you, God be with you and God bless you. Au revoir et Dieu vous benisse."

> Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Roosevelt, in her unique column, My Day, let go with both barrels of a female news-sense.

"The Queen told us that when she talked to her two young daughters over the telephone yesterday they were much amused that she was about to go to luncheon, when the younger one was about to go to bed. They were not in the least interested in the heat of Washington because they have been having a heat wave in London. . . .

"We stood and waved, but my mother-in-law reminded us of the old superstition that one must not watch people out of sight, so before they turned the bend we were back in our cars and on our way home. . .

"At Hyde Park the servants* we brought from Washington suffered from a jinx which followed its course in three mishaps! My mother-in-law's serving table in the dining room has a center standard. Too many dishes were put on one side, and in the middle of the dinner the table tipped over. No one could think for a minute because of the noise of breaking china.

"Later in the evening with a tray full of glasses, water, ginger ale and bottles, one of our men going into the big library slipped and dropped the entire tray on the floor. And, as a final catastrophe, on Sunday afternoon my husband, moving backward across the grass by the swimming pool, almost sat on another tray of glasses and pop bottles!

"On each occasion Their Majesties remained completely calm and undisturbed. . . ."

> Portcullis Pursuivant Anthony Richard Wagner of London's College of Arms revealed that Her Majesty is distantly related to George Washington and Robert E. Lee.

> The U. S. Secret Service (through Frank J. Wilson, chief) announced: "The thing that sticks out is that no one seemed to want to do them any harm."

>At Prince Edward Island, King George declared he and his wife hoped to return "at some future time"--with their two daughters.

> Mrs. Roosevelt went on Crooner Kate Smith's radio hour, which sells Swans Down cake flour and Calumet baking powder, seven days after Kate had sung to George and Elizabeth at the State dinner at the White House.

Mrs. R. (recalling the White House musicale): ". . . The heat seemed to be too much for Their Majesties, and two of my boys whisked them out on the south portico for a breath of fresh air. . . ."

Kate: "I would sort of like to know what they said after the party was over. . . ."

Mrs. R. : ". . . As soon as the King heard that you were to 'be among our guests, he asked: 'Will she sing her song, When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain?' and the President assured him that you would -- for he himself had requested it. You see, while the Royal party was traveling through the mountains ... at night . . . some of the people on the train saw the moon come over the mountain.

They began to sing your song . . . and the King asked them about it ... and about you. . . ."

Kate : "But, there is one question I want to ask you. Do you always have to ad dress them as 'Your Majesties'?"

Mrs. R. : "Strangely enough, you are not the only person who asked me that and I think many Americans want to know. As a matter of fact, after address ing them formally you just address the King as Sir and the Queen as Ma'am. . . ."

Kate: "Well, I wonder just what did impress them most of all, Mrs. Roose velt."

Mrs. R. : "Undoubtedly the welcome they received everywhere. They seemed particularly happy to find that the people of this country were so interested in them, and so enthusiastic in their welcome, be cause they -- the King and Queen -- felt that meant a real cementing of goodwill between the nations . . . and their great desire is to bring about a feeling that it is possible for nations to settle their differ ences . . . without going to war about it. . ."

*Mother Roosevelt's English butler took his vacation during Their Majesties' visit, reportedly because he could not bear to serve them hot dogs.

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