March 3.
The King happily chose David's Day for his first broadcast to the Empire. As David he is best known within the intimacies of his family. As Prince of Wales he has, fas he pointed out, been long known to the World. Thus the occasion was fitly used to impress upon the Empire that in the King then speaking it was listening to "the same man" who had made it his duty to get to know "the people of nearly every country In the world under all conditions and in all circumstances." His Majesty's voice, especially when heard directly, was wonderfully clear. To those who. had not heard him before at any Iength—few can have been altoget~ her unfamiliar with it—the accent of his own generation gave a reminder of the passing of years within the space of a few short weeks, The King, like his much~ loved father, has an admirable way with the microphone. He brings to it a mode of pronunciation which is peculiarly adapted to the catholic requirements of a world-wide message. He approaches closely the standardized vocalization which, the experts of the cinema studio maintain, reconciles the differing modes of English as spoken in five continents; it finds the right common denominator of accent and emphasis; it is neither purist nor affected. His Majesty's voice has the vigour of manhood in its prime. In. his delivery on Sunday there was plain ly discernible a deeper note which marked the gravity of the change in his high estate. 'There was, no doubt, the trace of the emotional strain' through which he had cently passed. There was also the evidence of the sense of responsibility now resting in him on the Throne, His dutiful tribute to his late father was touching in its simplicity and self-effacing affection. Tt occupied the greater portion of his message; it thereby added all the more force to his own personal appeal.
Tt was well said the other day that no British King had a greater right than His Majesty to claim wide knowledge of the world. There are, not only among his subjects, $0 many people who can say that they have either met him personally or have some indirect point of contuct with him, as a man. As 8 he made it his duty' his fellow-men. To. those with whom he discussed the obligations of his calling, he frequently averred that, for hiro, the study of humanity was the chief need. It is not surprising, therefore, that in his first message to the Empire, he should reaffirm that philosophy. The Prince has become merged in the Sovereign. He is still the same man who will endeavour to use and extend his knowledge of hhis people in their diversified conditions for the due discharge of his supreme functions through the Crown as the symbol of the Empire's uriily and the tie which binds to-"gether the peoples within that Empire. Modestly identifying himself with his subjects in the endeavour to preserve their common heritage, His Majesty surely struck note which will have stirred all who heard him to loyal sympathy and Joyal duty. Commending himself by fal reverence to his father's memory, he was able deftly to establish the new allegiance under the old ery: "God Save the King."
The message does more than mark the beginning of the new reign. It has come at a time when lowering clouds are apprehensively perceived on the international horizon. The King made no attempt to refer to them or to the anxieties which they provoke. He Empire could continue to look the Crown for comradeship in bid for the traditional spirit of cohesion with which the Empire has faced
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.