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While the statue was being built in Paris (1876-84), Prince Svasti by going inside it laid the firm foundation of a goodwill-puzzle that has made Americans smile half a century.† Another Siamese good one is this:
"Who was Prince George Washington?"
"George Washington was not a prince," answer the unwary, "he was the first President of the United States."
"Wrong my American friend! You must know that in Siam we had at one time an official called the 'Second King' or as you would say the 'Vice President.' The last Siamese who held this office, which has now been abolished, was Prince George Washington. That was his real name but people called him 'Prince George' for short.
"I suppose you know, my American friend, that the first treaty your country ever made with an oriental power was signed in Bangkok on March 20, 1833? That was ten years before your first treaty with China, twenty years before your first treaty with Japan!
"Our friendship, you see, is very old. Of their own free will our kings have hired American advisers." For the past five years King Prajadhipok has employed the former Vice-Chairman of your Shipping Board, Mr. Raymond B. Stevens, as adviser to the Royal Foreign Office.
Golden Umbrellas, After landing at Vancouver, after greetings from Canadian officials, Siam's King & Queen will board the Canadian Pacific private car Van Home, their suite will board two compartment Pullmans, detectives and guards will board two ordinary Pullmans, and, with diner, club car and baggage car attached the Royal special will speed Eastward, crossing the U. S. frontier at Portal, N. Dak. about midnight April 19. Drowsy officials despatched 1,700 miles by the State Department will extend greetings to H. R. H. the Prince of Sukhodaya (King Prajadhipok's incognito).
Not until he reaches Washington, and then for only 48 hours, will Prajadhipok assume the style of King. Sensible & modern, His Majesty will not use in the U. S. his more poetic titles, inherited from long ago: King of the North and of the South, Descendant of Buddha, Supreme Arbiter of the Ebb and Flow of the Tide, Brother of the Moon, Half-Brother of the Sun, Possessor of the Four & Twenty Golden Umbrellas. (Resembling in theory the Pope's triple-tiered tiara, multiple umbrellas are in many parts of the Orient the symbol of regal power.)
Incognito, and with scarcely more pomp than surrounds the movements of J. P. Morgan for whom a private gangplank, etc. is always provided, Siam's somewhat frail King will spend some three months in the U. S. taking what would be called in Europe "the cure."
First a cataract must be skillfully extracted from one of His Majesty's eyeballs.
All through the Spring convalescence will take place at "Ophir Hall." This stone messuage, owned by rich & widowed Mrs. Whitelaw Reid, castellated like an English royal residence of the time of William the Conqueror, is at Purchase, N. Y.
"Land of the Free." Siamese call their country Muang Thai ("Land of the Free") and are in fact free to drink, to take plural wives, etc. etc.