Imperial Garter

The daughter dominions of the British Empire do not share good Mother England's intimacy with the potent little yellowmen of Nippon. Due primarily to the influence of Canada, New Zealand and Australia - all leery of Japanese immigrants -Great Britain is no longer the formal ally of Japan. But informal relations continue close and cordial between the first and third greatest naval Powers. Last week wise Mother England sent one of her very nicest sons -downy-lipped Henry, the Duke of Gloucester, third son of George V. -to bestow the Most Noble Order of the Garter on His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.

The arrival of the Duke of Gloucester in Tokyo created a hostess problem almost as interesting as Washington's strange affair of Mrs. Gann. Positively the Empress Nagako could not serve. She is with child. Therefore the Sublime Emperor, Hirohito Tenno, descendant of the Sun Goddess, promoted to the rank of hostess for a day the gracious Princess Setsu, wife of the Emperor's next older brother and heir, Prince Chichibu. Not so long ago Miss Setsu Matsudaira was a pupil at the Friends (Quaker) School in Washington, D. C.. where her father was until recently Japanese Ambassador. Last week she stood in a smart Paris frock at the right hand of the Son of Heaven, and made gracious small talk in soft, Washingtonian English with the British Prince.

When greetings had been exchanged upon the Tokyo station platform, the Sublime Tenno indicated that Prince Chichibu should ride publicly into the city with the Duke of Gloucester, while His Majesty hastened off in an unheralded limousine to his wife. She has born him two daughters-- one of whom has died. If the child is not a son this time, the Empire will indeed mourn.

The rite of investiture with the gold and purple Garter was neatly performed next day by the Duke of Gloucester, just below the well-turned knee of the Son of Heaven. A few hours later the Order of the Chrysanthemum was bestowed upon Prince Henry -tit for tat -by the owlishly spectacled Emperor.

Not unnaturally Japanese editors thought their readers would be interested last week in hearing about Donna Rachele Mussolini, whose condition was announced almost simultaneously with that of the Empress. Potent mother of three sons and a daughter, Donna Mussolini last week donned an apron and sturdily dished out a hot luncheon to 70 workmen on her husband's "model farm" at Forli in the north of Italy. Males who find themselves in the south of Italy this summer should avoid being jeered at or reviled for failure to observe an old Sicilian custom:

Doff your hat and bow respectfully to every woman -lady or peasant -who appears to be approaching motherhood. The theory of such courteous obseisance to Life is similar to that which prompts gentlemen to uncover when Death passes in a hearse.