The Woes of June
The Proclamation
The Earl of Kingston sat stiffly in the tall-backed armchair before the
gently swelling fire in the main lounge at the Carlton Club. Edwin King-Tenison
was ninth of his line and an imposing figure, his age an indeterminate
figure anywhere between forty and sixty. He had looked after himself well
since his service in the Boer War and remained an interested figure on
the periphery of politics in London. He sipped slowly from the tumbler
of good Irish whisky in his hand and gazed steadily at the excited knot
of gentlemen across the room, a scene of much coming and going over the
last couple of hours. He was in no hurry to prejudge evernts, but that
they were coming to a climax was clear to him.
He watched as the easily recognisable figure of Lord Curzon came swiftly
into the room. Conversation ceased and all eyes were turned towards him
as he drew a sheet of paper from out of one of the deep pockets of his
coat. That he had not allowed the stewards to remove his outer garments
was a sign of something important about to happen. Edwin slowly drew himself
up to full height, placing the tumbler on the green beige of the circular
table beside him, and slowly, all but unnoticed made his way towards the
hushed but excited group.
"At 11 a.m. this morning his Majesty King George V, King of Great
Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India makes the following announcement
. . ."
Now not a single sound could be heard. The bar staff had frozen in their
motions and were listening. The ancient duke apparently asleep in his
chair had dragged himself into wakefulness. All eyes were upon Curzon.
He resumed reading the proclamation . . .
----------
The big Rolls Royce slowed and pulled in off The Strand towars the courtyard
of Charing Cross Station.
"I am sorry, My Lord," the chauffeur addressed his passenger
in the rear, "But we cannot go any further in this."
Lord Robert Cecil surveyed the scene before them in Trafalgar Square.
Evenas they had made their way Westwards along The Strand the numbers
there had visibly swollen. Now a large crowd was gathering, soldiers and
sailors on leave swelling the numbers of office workers and tradesmen
who had been gathering there for the last couple of hours, most with a
sense that something momentous was about to happen, a priveleged few with
provate sources of information.
"Yes" Cecil agreed, "We will have to proceed the rest of the way by foot."
As they approached the entrance to Downing Street a police officer,
perhaps more alert than his fellows, perhaps better briefed, caught sight
of them and began ordering a group of constables to hold back the crowd.
Lord Robert was able to approach Number 10 with most of his dignity restored,
and was ushered into the main drawing room.
"Ah, Lord Robert"
Even before he had come fully through the doorway and made sense of the
scene before him, Lord Curzon was upon him, taking him by the arm and
leading him towards the large ornamental fireplace.
"I heard you were at the Inns ; I am glad you were able to make
it in time."
"There is quite a crowd growing" Lord Robert commented cautiously.
"The news is out" Curzon smiled a peculiar smile, then patted
his arm, "I have things I must be seeing to. Feel free to help yourself
if you tire of waiting for the wine steward"
With that Cecil found himself left alone for a moment, looking in mild
perplexity at the bottle of port upon the small ornamental table. He would
wait as dignity required and hope to catch the eye of one of the bustling
waiters. For the moment he cast his eye around the crowded room. Just
from those present he could see that it was clear that this was going
to be a largely Conservative-Unionist administration . . .
------------
"Everyone is here"
Lord Robert Cecil was suddenly aware of the Earl of Derby at his side.
It was not natural for the aristocrat to creep up on people but Cecil's
attention had been focussed so strongly elsewhere that he doubted whether
even an elephant could have failed to surprise him...
"Chamberlain, Curzon and Kitchener ?" Cecil raised his eyebrows
as he turned towarrds the other man, then frowned as he noticed the glass
of port in the other's hand. How had he been served, whilst he was still
standing here waiting, sending the occasional apparently unheeded signal
towards the overworked stewards ?
"It will certainly make for interesting cabinet meetings" Derby
agreed, his voice a mixture of concern and mild amusement. The feud between
Lord Curzon and Lord Kitchener went back to their days in India at the
start of the century, whilst the disagreements between Curzon and Austen
Chamberlain had been known to approach ugliness on many an occasion.
"George seems in a good mood, though" Cecil pointed out, referring
to Curzon by his given name and nodding imperceptibly towards where the
one-time Viceroy of India was deep in animated conversation with Lord
Reading, the Liberal peer who had been serving as Lord Chief Justice in
the previous administration.
Derby tapped him lightly on the arm and indicated the door with a movement of his eyes. Several other people fell quiet and watched as David Lloyd George and Andrew Bonar Law entered together still engaged in animated conversation.
Before Cecil could raise a comment at this occurrence, a door on the
far side of the room and a respected figure came out towards them with
a measured step and a piece of paper in his hands. Everyone present fell
silent as Arthur Balfour cleared his throat briefly, then setting the
paper down upon a stand thrust his knuckles into his lapels as was almost
his trademark and spoke.
"Gentlemen, an hour ago at Buckingham Palace, His Majesty King George
V received me in a private audience and asked if I was able to form a
government that would have the backing of the majority of the House. I
assured him that I was and presented a list of ministers for his approval.
The full cabinet appointments are as follows..."
Though glancing momentarily at the paper beside him as if to reassure
himself - or others - that what he was saying was real, AJB proceeded
to announce the holders of the great offices of state from memory.
"Lord George Curzon shall serve as Foreign Secretary, Andrew Bonar
Law as Home Secretary, Austen Chamberlain once more as Chancellor of the
Exchequer, Lord Reading as Lord Chancellor, David Lloyd George in the
new position of Minister of Munitions, Lord Kitchener at the War Office,
Arthur Henderson as Secretary for Education, Lord Derby as President of
the Board of Trade, Lord Robert Cecil as President of the Board of Agriculture,
Lord Lansdowne as Secretary for the Colonies and dominions, Edward Carson
as First Lord of the Admiralty, Walter Runciman as President of the Local
Government Board, Charles Hobhouse as Postmaster General ..."
The list continued into the more minor offices, everyone continuing to
listen to the elder statesman and, now once again, Prime Minister of Great
Britain and Ireland in respectful silence until he came to the conclusion
of the list.
By Jon' N. Davies
