Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-02
SERVIANS DISLIKE PRINCE
Heir to Throne shows Himself
Lost TO All Sense of


Servia. And this time the revolution is
predicted not because of the fact that King
Peter came to the throne by a dastardly
crime, though that may figure in the
equation, not because he is personally I'M
popular, though II is not too much to say
that he Is even more unpopular than his
immediate predecessor, whose entire house
was wiped out to make way for the present
occupant, but 1t is the spirits OF his Sue
cessor, not the spirits of a long line Of
predecessors which give promise of rock
ing the Servian throne within the next few
months
The crown prince George, has just cele-
brated his coming Of, age. And now that
he is old enough to really rule the people
are beginning to fear this possibility as
they fear the possibility of death.
II Prince George were the son OF poor
parents in any English speaking community
on earth he would have been placed in a
reform school long before this. But. un-
fortunately, there are no reformatories for
royal princes
His promotion on his birthday to the rank
Of lieutenant in the servian army was
the utmost that his long-suffering father
dare do in the way of teaching his son
the responsibilities Of his position by CIV
Ing his son a little responsibility to start
with. The army throughout regards Prince
George as a hopeless "enfant terrible"
though it is willing to admit his splendid
horsemanship and Workmanship.
AS to his love of horses he has already
intimated his intention of starting racing
stable as soon as he comes of age. His
royal father is still holding the purse
strings with a firm hand, but the youthful
lover of sports has announced that II he is
not allowed the funds he will lend his
name to any stable in Europe and even in
Great Britain and IL that will not do he
will have horses raced in America in his
name. Though he rides his horses to
death he does not find the pace sufficiently
hot however, and against his fathers ex-
press wishes he has announced his inten-
ton Of buying a powerful motor car.
When some time ago King Peter in
structed Major Levasseur to take charge
of his son as tutor, he said to the major:
THE education of my son is conf1ded to
you. You must first make a man of him,
then a good soldier and finally king. Rely
at all times upon my assistance"
Major Levasseur has failed. and so has
King Peter, for that matter But the
double failure has not been because the
king has not backed UP his servant in ac-
cordance with his promises, for one
occasion, at any rate, has been recorded
when the king thrashed his son with the
universal implement of youthful correction
"a strap.
Last July the major retired from his
tutorshiD, declaring that he found 1t a
little too exciting. Just before that date
another mad gallop ended in the tutor
falling from his horse and again injuring
himself. This escapade was followed by
a fencing bout, In which the prince dis
abled his tutor; and when, despite the
majors condition, the prince insisted upon
the fight being continued, the following day
the tutor handed In his resignation to King
Peter.
The record of this royal Hooigan would
fill columns. Only few months ago he
shot a young Macedonian whom he met
and quarreled, with while on an excursion
with his tutor. This was only one of sew
eral similar accidents which have been
automatically smothered under the de-
scription of unfortunate accidents
But It is not mere youthful spirits which
have stirred the resentment of the Servlans
Harunn-scarum youth always has its ad-
mirers Prince Hal was loved by more
than Falstaff and II mere responsibility
were the sum total Of the offenses OF Prince
George the streets OF Belgrade would prob
ably be filled today with his shouting ad-
mirers.
But the assault on the convent OF the
Blessed Trinity, outside Belgrade, proved
that the crown prince was lost to all sense
of decency and shame. and that his Of
lenses are quite outside the catalogue Of
the unforgivable. With three companions
he drove from the Cafe de Paris in the
small hours of the morning, battered in
the convent wicket gate, ran a sword
through the body of the faithful watchdog
and then, as they started on a tour of the
cloisters, they were suddenly confronted by
the mother superior
Then they seem to have been brought to
their senses, for they got no farther. But
this sacrilege raised the greatest indigna-
ton among the intensely religious people
of Servia, and the insult will not soon he
forgotten or forgiven. The convent has
since been reconsecrated by the metropoll-
| tan.
The prince has been turned outside the
doors of the principal music hall of Bel
| grade for fiinging champagne bottles at the
| leader of the orchestra and for mounting
the stage and publicly making love to Nine.
Beyla, favorite performer of the Servian
| capital.
! He has contracted a bogus secret mar
| riage with beautiful girl, the daughter OF
a general, three of the friends of the prince
| masquerading as priests and witnesses.
| So little does Servla want to see Prince
| George ever reach the throne that at his
fathers coronation banquet toast was ac-
| claimed with tremendous enthusiasm which
expressed a wish that the crown should
| pass to the head OF the ablest member OF
your family" the ablest member being by
| common consent any one except Grown
Prince George. He has already weakened
the hold OF the dynasty on the throne. and
even II a revolution does not break out be
fore the death OF King Peter 1t is safe tC
say that a revolution Immediately succeed
ing his death will prevent the crown prime,
from ever mounting the throne. :
The crown prince is fairly tall. we'll bull
and has rather handsome face. He spen
his younger days in the Gar Alexander
Military School for Cadets in ST. Peters
burg living under the eye OF HIS aunt
Princess Anastasie. But neither the stric
regime OF this military school, the super
vision OF the car himself nor that OF hi
aunt had any effect in teaching him self
discipline.
The people of Belgrade are already talk
ing OF presenting a petition to King Peter
urging him TO arrange the succession 81
that there will not be a possibility OF tn
crown prince succeeding him after hi
death.
@--------@-