Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-02
a morganatic marriage, which. II some
people are to be helieYed may one daY

a morganatic marriage, which. II some
people are to be believed, may one day
become real marriage, and will give to
the present Fuerstin Hohenberg-the
countess new title-the rank OF Austrian
empress, and to her eldest son the right
of succession-provided, Of course that
the archduke can force the Austrian gov
eminent to consent to this alteration of
the Austrian sanction, by which the sue
cession to the Austrian throne Is regu-
lated.
So far as Hungary is concerned, he will
probably find little difficulty, for Hun
garian lawyers have. ever since the NOR
ganatic marriage took place, pleaded that
no such form of marriage is known to
Hungarian law, and that therefore the
son Of the archduke born in such we'd
lock is entitled to the Hungarian crown.
and that the Fuerstin Hohenberg would
be the rightful queen.
Stanch Roman Catholic.
The archduke is stanch Roman Cath
ole and very great friend to the Vat
lean. He has, in spite of repeated invita-
lions. refused to go to the Quirinal. and
1t Is said that he once went to Rome in
cognito to see the pope. so as to avoid
having to call on the Italian king.
Kaiser Wilhelm and the archduke are
friends. and though 1t may be difficult to
say how far their mutual sympathy Is due
to personal attraction, there is no doubt
that they both look upon themselves as
men of destiny. This seems to be the
chief link between them Franz Ferdi-
nand Is extremely self-willed; he admits
no obstacle. and. like the German en-
peror, is an absolute believer In the theory
of Divine right.
The German emperor loses no opportu-
nifty of endearing himself to the Arch
duke Franz Ferdinand, and no doubt
looks upon him as a trump card in the
great International game which will beg n
in earnest when the aged Emperor Franz
Josef passes from the scene.
Only lately the archduke was the kali
ser's guest at the maneuvers in Alsace,
and the German ruler has already off,
cially promised to return the visit in a
few weeks time, when he will be the
guest of the future Austrian ruler on one
OF his estates at a shooting party. This
friendly attitude of Franz Ferdinand to
the Emperor Wilhelm stands out in sharp
contrast to the stiffness displayed by him
toward England.
Represents Old Traditions.
ment the old traditional reactionary spirit
OF Austria and is deeply hostile to the
spirit and conditions OF democracy.
All the men now at the head of Aus
trian AFFAIRS and of the common affairs
OF Austrta-Hungary have been chosen In
Difference to the desires of the archduke.
But in Hungary the people are too strong
for such compulsion, and politicians of
all parties there see already in the per-
sonality of the archduke an approaching
menace to their liberties and constitu-
tional rights.
In Austria the prime minister. Baron
Beck, has been selected by Franz Ferdi-
nand himself. and Baron Won Aehrenthal
is the archduke's own mouthpiece. The
archduke particularly named him to the
emperor as Count Goluchowskis sue
cessor, and he was called away from
to become the head of Austro-Hungarian
foreign politics. Ever since Baron Won
Aehrenthal has been at the head of af-
fairs Austria has changed her policy of
tact and peacefulness to one of marked
assressiveness.
Baron Aehrenthal's Diplomacy.
Baron Alois Lexa Won Aehrenthal hard
ly looks diplomatist Of a statesman.
His appearance suggests rather a uni
versity professor more interested in
theoretical and abstruse problems than in
practical affairs of state. He has a worry
ing defect of the eyes, and the spec
tacles which he wears when at work in
his Sanctum at the. BallhausplatZ, added
tone of voice-these all accentuate his
professional appearance. His most strik-
ing features are high. arched forehead
and mobile lips.
Baron Aehrenthal is a descendant of an
old German family which has been resi-
dent in Bohemia for several centuries.
His father, in the seventies. took lead
ing part in Austrian politics. and was for
many years member of parliament and
of the Bohemian Gross
grundbesitz. He was instrumental at one
time In preventing the disruption of the
liberal element of that party
Baron Aehrenthal, who completed his
studies at Prague and Bonn. began his
diplomatic career in Paris in 1877.
Unlike his father. Baron Aehrenthal is
neither liberal in his religious nor his
political views. 1t Is. in fact. owing to
his strong reactionary tendencies and to
his artStocratic-even autocratic-ideas
that he first attracted the attention of
Count Kaluoky. the distinguished states
man.
Count Kalnoky's Work.
Count Kalnoky had been ambassador
in st. Petersburg. He had several i'm
portant meetings with Bismarck. and
worked intellectually toward the al
lance between Germany and Austria
In this alliance Italy Joined later. and
it was renewed in 1891, after the fall OF
the Iron Chancellor. But Count Kali
noky's policy was not limited to the l
exigencies Of the triple alliance, and the i