Letters, Dec. 11, 1933

Princess Alice & Prince Henry

Sirs:

I am enjoying the bright book by "Princess Alice" (TIME, Nov. 6). Mrs. Longworth's description of her famous father was the best recorded:

"When Father attends a wedding he has to be the bride; when he goes to a funeral he must be the corpse!"

But at times even Homer nods, and according to the newspaper accounts (if you will look them up) and my own recollection as an eyewitness close at hand, it was not the daughter but rather the wife of President Roosevelt of that day who christened the Kaiser's sailing yacht Meteor. I have a vivid memory of the grace and distinction of the lady who broke the bottle over the bow of the racing yacht in Nixon's boatyard on Staten Island. I feel sure that my memory is not at fault because I have always looked upon Edith Carow Roosevelt as the most gracious and distinguished woman who has presided over the White House in Washington during my 72 years. During the winter of Prince Henry's visit to the U. S. I lived at the Metropolitan Club and I think I missed no important phase of the rather interesting episode when Kaiser's brother looked America over. I had a close-up view from a small adjoining dining room of the great horseshoe table of guests when the financial magnates entertained the Prince at the Metropolitan Club. I was at the supper at the New York Yacht Club and stood beside the glass doors of the small committee room where the Club's committee had corralled Prince Henry, when he pushed the doors open and said, "Gentlemen, I think I will eat my supper with all the members of your club," and thus won the hearts of the rank and file. I recall that he came to the Yacht Club with his host, now General Cornelius Vanderbilt, and that a debonair feature of the occasion in his smart naval uniform was my longtime friend Hobart Chatfield-Taylor of Chicago and Santa Barbara. At the gala performance at the Metropolitan Opera House in passing down one of the circular side staircases the exuberant "Princess Alice" just missed hitting me in the chin when she displayed the dreadful bracelet with his portrait as the War Lord, which Kaiser sent to that vivacious young lady. Miss Roosevelt said to her escort, "See what the Kaiser has sent to me! "

I hope the smaller bracelet sent to Mrs. Longworth's wedding is less ugly than the one I saw at so close range.

ALDEN FREEMAN

Honorary Consul General from Haiti

Miami, Fla.

Newspaper accounts confirm Princess Alice's impression that it was she, not her mother, who christened the Meteor. In dark blue velvet, large picture hat, sable boa and muff, with a black ribbon inscribed "Yacht Meteor" in gold on her left sleeve, she firmly seized a bottle of White Seal champagne (in silver net to catch glass splinters), swatted it cleanly against the ship's side and with a little silver hatchet chopped, in one chop, the heading cord. Prince Henry cabled to his imperial brother: "The yacht christened by the hand of Miss Roosevelt just launched in the presence of brilliant assembly. Beautiful ship. Great enthusiasm. I congratulate you from a full heart.—HEINRICH"—ED.

Fat Brown Empress Sirs: