New-York tribune., 1911-01-07
A Worker in the Cause OF Uni
verSal Peace.

the cause of universal peace. II describes
50 interesting n private life that II VIII
attract many readers to whom Frau Won
Suttners life work makes an as yet but
Indifferent appeal BY birth in her early
GAYS. hy her fame and enthusiasm and
, unwavcring faith IN her later years, she
hscame personally acquainted. moreover.
with the leading men OF many ooun-
tries and of these. too. she has much
- say. often only briefly hut always
adding something 10 the living quality
90 the book
Bertha sophia Fclicita. Countess Kin
skv of Chlulc and Tetlau, tho future au-
thor - Die wanen Niedor." was born
o. Prague on June q, 1913. tho daughter
az a member az one or tho great noole
houses ~ tho dual monarchy who died
soon after her birth. leaving his wido"
in decidedly moderate circumstances
rrau Won suttner's "reminiscences or her
Infancy and childhood contain no sus-
Sestion Of prccocity. she was just chho
with The Interests and pleasures OF her
ore. growing up IN the atmosphere OF
her birth. yet not entirely OF H. because
gs she t8kes care 20 explain. her mother
was NOT 'orru" in the continental sris-
soerat ssrse. lacking the all important
,i,f.c, armoriol ouartcrinEs. The inhu-
..ee of thia accident ~ birth when the
Drrnr girl reached the mnrriageahle age
g. no Isaq,frankly discussed.
Vbcr ehr came 10 the 'harkfsch'
r,riod .ennprer" is tho graceful Eng
psb word Tor what Henry James has
moro feuritausiy called the awkward
-re"- Rcrtha Won KlnsSy had the usual
dreams and plans and aspirations.
Above an. sho confsEses, she adored the
military throughout tho earlier parts
Of her autobiography this future apostle
a. peare speaks with wonder ~ The tardi
ness ~ tho awakening ~ her zeal Tor
,ne cause. Magenta, Solferino. sado"a
even. sednn. Metz. the siege ~ Paris
and later tho Russian war. MI
whose made no impression upon her
whatever. tho reports of their horrors.
nor very share IN the making Of lint.
-,htb IN the days before tho invention
o. anusartics was Europcs interna-
uiornl service % tho wounded. failed to
awaken her
She had her own problems. II Is truo.
.prohlcms serious enough 90 prcoccupy
q Young rirl Her mothers small com
petsrro had dwindlcd considerably
thanks ~ the countesss heIiof IN y "sys-
..r," ny which she tr..I tl secure her
own and her 'a. a.....rs future at tho
,-rwirr taf. .r Homburg Bertha was
,-r ..n She speaks az length
.. many proposals of marriage enc
r.lefved. several from old men. and re-
isrtsA ~ once or entertained for
,,bNe ana declined ultimately. she and
Icy mother had begun. moreover. N
travel for g had been discovered that
,no eiri had an exceptionally promising
voice Nine Viardot heard her. but re-
fused % teach her until she had learned
tho rud.ments ~ singing. informing her
moreover. that n Young woman or her
social standing and possibilities was
foolish IN think ~ a professional career
I, 1857 Bertha Won Kinsky went 70
Yl-ie. ami there was inscribed AZ pupH
rs tFo great singing teacher % the day.
T1er name and title gave her tho entree
.f fra hest circles wherever she went
l~nrlrr her tho acquaintance. among
many others. ~ tho ev-Quoen Of Min
ersUR. who had acknowledged the su-
zeraintv % Russia over her principality
ir order fo protect 81 against rccurreni
Turkish invasion I'm 1870 Bertha went
a. RerIin o. study tho German method
of sinriur and there met young
rr.rcelur n member Of one of the
greatest families ~ Europe. who. pos
Frssinr a glorious tenor voice. vas IKE
herself. planning an operate career.
Th,r engagement followed. but The
,.oun- man died suddenly on his way 70
New York where ho was 20 have made
his first public appearance.
uy 1879 mother and daughter had
reached tho end Of their financial re-
sources Enough was left 20 support
the mother alone. but all hope OF further
studv had 90 be abandoned. Moreover.
ss the author states with her engaging
fraukness. the prospect of an operate
success after thirty was not great. SO
shc accepted a place as governess and
companion 90 the daughters OF Baron
and Baroness Won Suttner. In whose
house she met their son. her future hus-
hand Artlr GundaCcar Won Suttner.
The old baroness had ambitious plans for
her son. and disapproved Of the attach
nent However. the couple made a run
away match 81 70 on June II. 1873. and
went t1 the Caucasus 20 seek their fort
une During the nine years Of their life
erent there they taught languages and
music. the husband acted as bookkeeper
IN a mill and ultimately the two began
20 write for publication. each indepen-
IDENTITY Their life during that time, says
Frau Won Suttner. resembled that OF the
French tmigr6s. who during their exile
earned their living In many humble
ways without losing caste. The Prin-
cess OF Mlngrelia saw 10 that
Frau Won Suttner had an established
literary reputation when the couple re-
turned TO Austria in 1855 They visited
France in the following year. and from
that visit may be dated the beginning
OF her interest in the universal peace
movement II was Renan whose words
made potent impression on her in the
course Of a conversation between him
and Ludovic Halevy az which she was
present. Halevy had expressed a long
ing for the day OF "revanche." but