The sun., 1908-11-29

OoI10n
Uyer Acts Done IN His Name-ChaneeI
Of ASertins . war 10 tho Balkans
,ptefa Cable Despatch 10 THE suH.
LONDON. Nov. 2S.-The accession OF
the Archduke Francis Ferdinand to the
throne Of Austria -Hungary,in ell but title
will take place next Wednesday. He
would be made Regent officially on thai
day If il were In the power Of the Emperor
Francis Joseph to install him withou,
act Of Parliament.
For many months. as ell the world nov
knows. Ferdinand has been Emperor In
all but name. The world knows also how
effect not only on the fate of the dua
monarchy but on the affairs OF all Europe
The curse Of misfortune seems destined
to cling to Francis Joseph to the very end
OF his days. His energies and his faculties
are declining fast. He is a feeble, tired
old man unable any longer to DISCHARGE
the duties Of great monarch. Things
have been done in his name. ambitious
menacing things with which he has not
the slightest sympathy. yet he is unable
to enter an effeotual protest Still more
CALLING is the fact that the new policy of
aggression encounters far less opposition
either at home or abroad when under
taken under his unwilling auspices thai.
il would have met with under an ACTUALLY
new regime.
Francis Joseph has always been a man
OF peace, the most conservative sovereign
in Europe. His nature and policy have
not changed, yet he stands sponsor for
the most reckless and unscrupulous
national adventure OF modern times. II
is said that the humiliation and injustice
Of the situation have led him to demand
permission to abdicate.
Those who have In hand great schemes
for Austro- Hungarian aggrandizement
know too we'll the value to them Of the
grand old head of the house Of Hapsburg.
and they would not hear of granting him
official release from his labors. They
have pointed out that his retirement at
the present moment would discredit
utterly the Austro-Hun garian policy
abroad, while it would also precipitate
dangerous domestic crisis in various
points Of the empire. No. he must make
one more sacrifice for his people, sac
rifce even Of his principles and reputa ton
So Francis Joseph will remain little
longer the titular Emperor of Austria
Hungary. There is one partial vindica-
ton of his good faith and exposure of the
falsity Of his position that he has insisted
upon. 1t will be announced att the jubilee
next Wednesday that all but the adminis-
trative duties Of his imperial Office will be
discharged hereafter by the heir apparent
Prince Ferdinand will represent him at
oh oil nj IN
questions affecting the government Of
the empire. Certain documents must.
Of course. receive the Emperor's signature
oro iorHtd. but 10 all intents and purposes
Francis Joseph will cease to be Emperor
and Francis Ferdinand will reign in his
stead. e tEsit
The war clouds have been thick and
heavy in the southeast all the week. but
the political barometer is rising and the
best observers expect an Improvement
in the situation. The Times prints a
'eader to-day more pessimistic and
aarming than any Of its utterances since
the crisis began, but its fears seem to be
on the whole exaggerated, 1t is more
reasonable to interpret the menacing
language used toward Turkey during the
last day or two by Baron Won Aerenthal,
the Austrian Foreign Minister. as bluff
than 10 believe that he Is deliberately
seeking hostilities when winter has already
Legun. There could be no greater diplo-
matte absurdity than to take seriously
Austria .pretence that private boycott
in Turkey Of private Austrian goods
constitutes casus belli or anything ap-
preaching it. 4. ..-
Austria is showing in many ways how
sore, suspicious and angry she is over
the consequences Of her lawless' act
which began the present crisis. Russis's
steady refusal to recognize the annexa-
ton Of Bosnia and Herzegovina and her
insistence on compensation to Turkey |
and the Slav States increases the Austrian |
eKasperation, so that Berlin now regards |
the chances Of European conference as |
remote.
Both Germany and Austria are now !
turning the walls Of their wrath upon
England and every difficulty in the way |
Of easy approval of the Austro- Hun garian !
rapacity is now ascribed to the Machia-
vellian policy of Great Britain These
charges are regarded by the British press
as too idle for denial. They are made Of
course for their possible effect on Turkey.
but it seems childish to imagine that such
astute men as the Young Turks have shown
themselves to be should be deceived by
such absurdities.
1t is now nearly two months since the
world was startled by the outbreak Of a
crisis which Europe has been dreading
for twenty years Nothing has really
been done toward a settlement or even
toward providing machinery for a settle
ment. The winter may be depended
upon to keep the peace for three months
more, but the dangers OF delay which
Sir Edward Grey. the British Foreign
Secretary. pointed out 50 emphatically
last week. are becoming more ominous
daily.
ENGLAND GUARANTEE TURKEY