ARE KINGS MEN?

Earle E. Liederman and the rest of the man-builders may shortly find themselves with a royal client. George V, by the grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India and so forth, has finally taken a good look at himself as others see him and is evidently ill pleased at the spectacle. The royal portrait by Charles Simms, R.A., which was recently exhibited in New York has been withdrawn from the Royal Academy by official request from Buckingham Palace.

Given the regrettable fact that the king, defender and emperor as aforesaid, is decidedly short in stature and slight in build, the reason for his discomfiture is not far to seek. The Simms portrait exhibited him seated in all his royal robes and things, yards upon yards of them, with his exceedingly slim legs protruding from their midst. There have not been lacking people to insinuate that the satire in the portrait was intentional. Whether or not Mr. Simms has been smiling discreetly at this regal figure whose consort out-tops him by inches, the fact remains that the picture gives the general effect of "much cry and little wool."

Now if the king is stung with the desire to fill out these billowing royal gauds, and do the king act in the grand manner of broad-shouldered Coeur de Lion or paunchy Henry VIII, let him read "Physical Culture" and reflect. His royal gaze will doubtless linger long over the sketch of a spindly person at the sea-shore with the distressing legend underneath: "Are You Ashamed to Appear in a Bathing Suit?"