COMMONWEALTH: Alexandra

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Alexandra's personality was both resolute and charming. Few women have ever insisted more determinedly upon receiving the last atom of homage that was their due; yet the beauty and winning grace of Alexandra made such homage appear as a matter of course to the almost literally infatuated English public. Her undoubtedly sincere interest in numberless charities likewise enhanced her popularity. And she brought with her from Denmark something of the Nordic genius for frank and clear-eyed democracy.

To the last she characteristically refused to be mentioned officially as either "The Dowager Queen" or "The Queen Mother." She considered it her prerogative to be known as "Queen" Alexandra; and her daughter-in-law, "Queen" Mary, has been obliged to put up with what would be considered in other countries a somewhat high-handed retention of a title which should "rightfully" have "passed" to the reigning sovereign's consort.

At one time Alexandra carried this insistance to such an extreme that the great publishing firm of Eyre & Spottiswoode was forced to destroy an entire edition of The Book of Common Prayer in which had appeared a form of prayer "for the Queen Mother." She also commissioned the Court Musician, Sir Paolo Tosti, to compose for her a new patriotic anthem: "God Save Queen Alexandra."

Alexandra's deafness was pointedly recalled at New York by Dr. Miller Reese Hutchison, inventor of the Klaxon horn. Inventor Hutchison revealed that he had supplied Queen Alexandra with another of his inventions, the noted "acousticon" or "electric ear." With its aid, she was able, in some measure, to combat her gathering deafness.

Dr. Hutchison prefaced his remarks by saying that during Alexandra's lifetime he had declined to discuss the matter out of consideration for Alexandra's sensitiveness about her deafness. He got his statement into the same edition of the New York Times which announced her death.