The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-17
Army, Under the Dictatorship OF Coils.
Maschin and Mitschifch, to Run
the Government.
NO BED OF ROSES FOR PETER
UNEASY WILL BE HIS HEAD WHEN
HE WEARS THE CROWN.
Army Is All-POwerful, and Will Not
Hesitate to "Remove" Him IL He
Does Not Prove PLANT.

BELGRADE, June 16.-The position Of
King Peter promises to be little more than
that of a royal captive. and the real gov
ernment of the country will be a military
dictatorship under the leaders of the revo-
luton. Colonel Maschin and Colonel Nit
schitch. The new King is almost without
any personal adherents. and the ruling spir-
its of the army, 1t Is thought probable,
would just as readily murder him as they
did his predecessor should he oppose their
aims.
At the present moment the whole coun-
try is under military rule, and although no
projects In the country districts have been
revoked, each is accompanied by an army
officer. who attends the prefect wherever
he eoes, even 20 the telephone. This poll
icy has led to one good result, not a single
case of ..sorder anywhere has been re-
ported.
Extremely forcible arguments were found
necessary to suppress the radical aspira-
tions of republic. The foremost advo-
cate of the creation of a republican form
of government was Ljubomir Schiokovics,
the editor of the Belgrade Odjek. Finding
him impervious to arguments the con-
spirators invited him to a dinner at the
Officers Club last Saturday. During the
dinner his host told him that unless he
agreed to support Prince Peter Karageorge-
witch there would be one head less in Bel
grade that night. M, Schiokovics yielded to
the force of this reasoning and accepted
the situation. He is now minister of justice
in the new government The deliberations
of the members of the Senate and Skup-
tha
materially hastened by the attendance of
one of the leaders of the revolution, Colonel
Mitschitch. The colonel took no part in the
proceedings but his presence was signif-
cant enough to induce the members to ac-
cept the army's choice. Premier Avakum-
ovics told the deputies that it was useless
to talk of a republic. as neither Russia nor
Austria would permit ii. He further ar
gued that the proposed new constitution
would give Kirg Peter far less power than
that enjoyed by the President of the United
States.
In spite of the semi-official statements
made this morning that the delegation of
the National Assembly elected to submit
the crown to the newly chosen King had
already started, il is still here. The gov
ernment declares that the number of its
members. twenty-four would entail too
great a cost on the country in the way of
travelling expenses. and the real reason of
the delay in its departure Is that the gov
ernment found some of its members to be
adverse 20 King Peter. These members
ciled to him at the expense of the country.
Now that the Ministry has cut off their
travelling expenses. their desire to make
the journey will be greatly diminished. and
the delegation probably will consist of a
dozen members at the most.
Inquiries in official circles everywhere
elicit the assurance that the people are de-
lighted with the action of the government,
but conversations overheard in public
places indicate that the peoplS, especially
those living outside the capital. know little
Ia hnrf fhA Of x..1
politics. One OF the features in all the
shop Windows now Is the display OF large
pictures of King Peter, freshly printed.
the cuts having been brought from abroad.