THE MONARCHY 51

danger of monarchy is that it may provide the enemies of
government by the people with a rallying ground.

Further, since the monarchy symbolises the Sovereign State,
it can be used to arouse hatred against foreigners. A feeling of
personal loyalty induces many citizens to refuse to entertain
any criticism of the King: in times of international crisis, the
words King and Country are regarded as interchangeable and
the loyal citizens are led to believe that the Government of their
country is above criticism. A people in this frame of mind can
all too easily be swept into war, whatever the rights oŁ the
dispute. The preservation of peace depends to-day on the
willingness of States to sacrifice some of their Sovereignty for
the sake of an international Rule of Law.1 It is unfortunate that
the monarchy can be used to inflame anti-foreign sentiment and
hinder this development.

Yet there is very little anti-monarchy feeling in the country.
The popularity which Queen Victoria won for the Crown waned
a little in Edward VIPs reign, but was restored and increased by
George V. In the Abdication crisis, only a few voices were raised
against monarchy itself. If the ordinary Englishman were told
that he needs a King because, being one of the credulous masses,
he would not otherwise understand the need for Government,
he would rightly resent it. If it were then put to him that the
monarchy, being thus unnecessary, might be abolished, he
would ask what the King had done that he should be thus
treated? None of the gteat political problems—poverty, unem-
ployment, the preservation of peace—are obviously made harder
to solve because Britain is a monarchy. The most- radical
politician can find many more reasonable subjects for attack—-
the slum landlord, the monopolist, the owner of property who
does no work. Republicanism seems to offer no immediate
gains; the personal appearances of the Royal Family create great
pleasure; the abolition of monarchy would involve trouble in
re-modelling the Constitution; so the Englishman lets things go

»Sec Ch. XXIIL