Sept. 10.
Several royal houses of Europe are domestically interested in the arrival of Prince Albert Axel Marie Gustave of Belgium. He is indeed a most favoured young man. Besides being the grandson of a reigning King and the son and heir of a Crown Prince, he is the nephew of two Princesses who one day should be Queens—of Italy and Denmark respectively. The Belgian and Swedish nations will however claim first interest in the birth of a son to the Duke of Brabant andthe lady who once was Princess Astrid of Sweden.
He inherits rich traditions, some of them of very recent lustre, personified as they are in the character of his royal grandfather who has lived and reigned exampled vicissitudes in the national fortune. The shadows of thee great War grow dim in many ways. They brood in others persistently over the world's endeavours to recover from that catastrophe. In the process ideas and stories of the War lose some of their original complexions, Reputations, once apparently secure, become tarnished. Motives once respected become tainted in clearer vision of to-day. Of Albert it can at least be said that the indomitable heroism which he and his nation displayed in 1914 still stands as a magnificent gesture of fidelity to the ideals of civilization, No mean heritage is that of the latest royal baby, Noe should his mother's country be forgotten. Swedish chivalry, culture and genius have long established themselves in the imaginations of the nations. At this particular moment honour is again being paid to the memory of one of those intrepid oxplorera who have carried the name of Sweden as high round the world as the exploits of her 17th Century soldiers and patriots under the leadership of Gustavus Adolphus. It may be more than 'a mere coincidence that the little prince among his names, bears that of the great statesman of that age, Axel Oxenstjerna, A community such as that which peoples the Settlement of Shanghai will not be slow to appreciate the solid worth of the achievements of the Swedish and Belgian merchants in the world's markets. They will therefore take special pleasure in rejoicing at this event which, in bringing strength to the dynasty of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha at Brussels, has an important bearing on the peace of Europe, Even a world 80 sophisticated as this has stil! much to learn. Events of recent years have brought about a severe reaction from the school of thought which relegated monarchies to the lumber rooms of medievalismi. The idea is again growing that there is something to be said for Kings, even when Presidents or Dictators are present. Otherwise Mr. George Bernard Shaw would written "The Apple and it would not have drawn audiences in joyous approval from many nations and many classes. So it is fitting that this happy event at Brussels should be saluted with apprecia significance and its power for cementing the long-standing cordial relations between two vigorous nations which have made valuable contributions to and sacrifices for the progress of the world.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.