28 DECEMBER 1951, Page 4

The King acts in most things on the advice of

his Ministers. When he acts on his own be is likely to be very well advised. Rarely was he more so than when, with the world knowing nothing about it, he conferred a C.B.E. on Miss Ruth Draper. Everyone who has once seen (or, as in my case, seen many times) that unique artist who, quite alone on the stage, peoples it by her remarkable characterisations can never forget her astonishing accomplishments. All of us, I suppose, have our favourites among her sketches—" The Flower Garden" or "The Duchess Opens a Bazaar," or" Mr. Clifford and Three Women" or "A Porch in Maine." I daresay I have not got all the titles right,- but anyone who has seen Miss Draper's performance will know which I mean. JANUS.