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The ISSN 001 4-1 690 Ethical Record Vol. 92 No. 3 MARCH 1987 EDITORIAL terms of these problems and the World Problems and details of needed changes. And Human Potentials should we, in fact, try to secure a sufficiently wide range and number THE YEAR ADVANCES APACE and the of people to grasp the main facts activities, sufferings, hopes and and to work out what to do, so illusions of the planet's nearly that they can help implement 5,000 million people' press against possible solutions? and around us; very often unpre- The lecture programme for this dictable; sometimes not known month once more reflects the about (though some of them variety of these problems, cover- appear dramatically with our ing as it does: the ethical perspec- breakfast or supper—lucky us to tives of the future, together with have both—strained through the welfare, racism, nuclear power and electronic and other media) or to (what ERIC MCGRAW chooses as understand—how can you, for the title for his talk) The Multi- example, accommodate in your plying Millions among particular mind the interminable deaths of subjects.3 40,000 children each day.2 No doubt, as usually happens, Our puny efforts to learn of, each lecture will open up "a whole understand and take actions about can of beans" (more likely a even a limited area of the burgeon- hornet's nest) of associated and ing problems often seem hopeless. interdependent issues. Some of But we have a function at South those attending the lectures will Place—to grasp these problems pose simplistic and "theological" and relate them to the ethical, (their own or someone else's) solu- humanist, rationalist and secular tions: not that it is easy to respond concepts developed over the years; and to restate the principles in Continued on page 18 CONTENTS Page Coming to Conway Hall: Vidya S. Anand, Norman Bacrac, T. C. Barker, Jack Bridle, Eda Collins, Nicholas Hyman, . Eric McGraw and Richard Scorer 2 Abdication 1936: T. F. Evans .. 3 Viewpoints: Colin Mills, George Watford, Jim Addison Comments on Systematic Ideology: Colin Mills . Sam Beer's Notes• Books Added to the Library: Edwina Palmer . The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the Society. PUBLISHED BY THE SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON WC1R 4RL SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY Appointed Lecturers: H. J. Blackham, Fenner Brockway, Richard Clements, OBE, T. F. Evans, Peter Heales, Richard Scorer, Barbara Smoker, Harry Stopes-Roe, Nicolas Walter Hall Manager: Geoffrey Austin (tel. 01-242 8032) Secretary: Anne Sieve* (Wed-Fri, tel. 01-242 8033) Honorary Representative: Sam Beer Chairman General Committee: Barbara Smoker Deputy Chairman: Norman Bacrac Honorary Registrar: Bill Horsley Honorary Treasurer: Victor Rose Temporary Honorary Librarian: Edwina Palmer Editor, The Ethical Record: Peter Hunot Trustees: Harold Blackham, Christine Bondi, Louise Booker, John Brown, Anthony Chapman, Peter Heales, Peter Hunot, George Hutchinson, Ray Lovecy, Ian MacKillop, Victor Rose. Barbara Smoker, Harry Stopes-Roe (*Resigned January 31, 1987) COMING TO CONWAY HALL Sunday Morning LECTURES at 11.00 am in the Library March I. RICHARD SCORER.Why Welfare? March 8. NICHOLAS HYMAN.Futures—Ethical perspectives. March 15. VIDYA S. ANAND.Racism—fact and fiction. March 22. ERIC MCGRAW. Multiplying Millions. March 29. Speaker and Subject to be announced. Sunday Forums at 3.00 pm in the Library March I. No meeting. March 8. NORMAN BACRAC.The Sizewell Report. March 29. T. C. BARKER. 300 years of Red Lion Square. Sunday Social at 3.00 pm In the Library March 15. Postponed from January JACK BRIDLE and EDA COLLINS will give a Talk and show slides on Travels in the Auvergne. Tea interval at 4.30 pm. Country Dancing (jointly with the Progressive League) Saturday, March 21. 3.00 to 6.00 pm in the Library. Beginners welcome, for whom the tutor, EDA COLLINS gives expert tuition during the first half hour. Humanist Holidays Association AGM, Conway Hall, Sunday April 5 1987, 2.30 pm. Sunday CONCERTS in the Main Hall at 6.30 pm March 1. LONDON FESTIVAL PLAYERS.Bach, Art of Fugue. March 8. MUSICIANS OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE. ANTHONY GOLDSTONE. Mozart, Dc Falla, Dvorak. March 15. ALBERNI STRING QUARTET. Haydn, Britten, Grieg, March 22. EDINBURGH QUARTET. Beethoven, Villa Lobos, Mozart. March 29. FAIRFIELD STRING QUARTET. DAVID CAMPBELL. Beethoven, Webern, Mozart. 2 Ethical Record, March 1987 Abdication 1936 T. F. EVANS Summary of the Lecture given at Conway Hall, Sunday, December 7, 1986 ... and with a little pin Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king! SHAKESPEARE, KING RICHARD 11 . the series of measures which in their rapid succession changed the whole character of the English Church. The acknowledgement of Henry's title as its Protector and Head was soon found by the clergy to have been more than a form of words. It was the first step in a policy by which the Church was to be prostrated at the foot of the throne. J. R. GREEN,A Short History of the English People FIFTY YEARS IS NOT A VERY LONG TIME. Yet, the course of history has been so changed by what has happened since 1936 that it is almost impossible to recall clearly an event in that year which, at the time, was thought to present an overwhelming threat to the stability of the British crown. The monarchy, in strictness of the house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha had, for obvious reasons, changed its name to Windsor during the war of 1914-1918. It is claimed that the house of Windsor could trace its descent from Ecgbert, who became King of Wessex in 827 All. On the death of George V in January 1936, he was succeeded by Edward, Prince of Wales with the title Edward VIII. The history of his brief reign can be quickly summarised. At some date in the autumn, he informed the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin that he intended to marry an American lady, Mrs Wallis Simpson, who was in the process of divorcing Mr Simpson and who would be in a position to marry the King shortly before his coronation, which was to take place in the following summer. The Prime Minister saw difficulties. The King said that if he could not do as he wished he would be prepared to abandon the throne. Accordingly, he abdicated on December 11 and was succeeded by his brother, the Duke of York who became King George VI. The former monarch was granted the title of Duke of Windsor, he subsequently married Mrs Simpson, who became Duchess of Windsor but without the coveted appellation of "Her Royal Highness". Edward died in 1972. His wife, Wallis died in April of this year (1986). George VI had died in 1952 and was succeeded by his daughter Elizabeth. The long reign of Elizabeth II seems to be in no danger. Royalty has been abandoned thoughout the greater part of the world but it remains secure in Britain. Republicans may be slightly more plentiful than flat-earthers but they remain a minority. The most powerful reaction to the idea of monarchy could well be indifference but it is certainly not determined opposition. The subject of Edward's association with Wallis and the abdication has given rise to a vast amount of print and sometimes confusion follows from an attempt to see the whole story in some perspective. It may be best to look at the story under three headings. The first is the personal. The extent to which the characters of parents affect the characters of their children is a subject on which speculation can be endless. With Edward VIII, the dispositions of his parents were crucial. First, it is not on record that he was never swamped by an excess of affec- tion. His father, a man of few intellectual gifts, a manner for which the word "bluff" is often used to conceal less complimentary epithets, never Ethical Record, March 1987 3 seems to have been able to show affection to his son. The mother, Queen Mary, seems also to have been devoid of most maternal qualities. Edward (incidentally, while it is convenient so to call him, he was always known at "David" to his family and friends) grew up with neither great interests in life or any strong sense of purpose. As Prince of Wales, he accepted the various duties that fell to him and, within limits, discharged them satisfactorily, almost in spite of himself gaining a popularity for youth and charm. There is no evidence that he really liked being in the public eye nor that he looked forward to the heavier duties that would claim him when his father died. He showed no inclination to marry and "settle down". There were associations with women, two at least of undoubted intimacy but it was not until he met Wallis Simpson that marriage entered his head. Even then, he had known her for some time before he thought of marrying. Once he did so. it became the only really firm purpose of his life. There is a theory, strongly held in some quarters, that what the Prince, later the King, really wanted was not no much a wife but a mother-substitute to fill the gap that he thought had been left by the coldness towards him of Queen Mary. It will be necessary to refer to this again. The Political and Legal Basis The second important heading is the political and legal. It may be a good thing for anyone to be allowed to marry the wife of his choice but with a king, the situation is different.