31 AUGUST 1934, Page 6

When a member of the Royal Family gets engaged there

is really only one thing to be said, that we con- gratulate him heartily and wish him all possible pro, perity, and the efforts of the leader-writers in the daily papers on Wednesday to spin that instinctive sentiment out to half a column and more were in some cases pathetic. The Daily Mail dealt tactfully with the situation created by the fact that two days before the official announce- ment it had quoted Prince George as flatly denying the current rumours. Those came off best who were content to be brief and biographical. From others we got such profundities as this :

" In offering our wholehearted congratulations and good wishes to Prince George and Princess Marina we must by no means forget the King and Queen, and the parents of the Princess, to whom the engagement is naturally the cause of great happiness and comfort."

Naturally. * * * *