The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-14
HOLDS POSITION
OF IMPORTANCE
Luxem burg Repeatedly a
Pawn" i'll international
Game Of Politics.
NEUTRALITY is GUARANTEED
Several Nations Hope TO Con
troll Duchy Through Matri-
monial Alliance
nr KARL II. voN wIEuANp.

Di KARL II. Won WIEtAND.
Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch,
LnNemburg. January i3.--wi,h
war clouds pcrsistently looming up
for a time ana thcn disappearing AZ,
'ention has been drawn to I.uxcm-
burg. the keystone of the Franco.
German frontier By the imminence
Of the death OF Wilhelm. Grand Duke.
of Luxembourg.
Although Lu%cnourg IS the small
est independent principulity" in the
world. II holds a. position quite ont
Of proportion 20 it's size Chic. in
teFcst In this grand duchy Hes in
the fact that II Is the smallest
pr!ncipality in the world whose
neutrality Is guaranteed By the pow
ers tina, II is ruled b.; woman. and
;hat 1, has repeatedly been pa wn,'
in the International chess game Of
politics and is about 20 become
prize" again
Luxembourg IS lras Than forty ,pIlns
square. bu, bag reputation Of moro
than 2"6,ocp ani has extensive manu-.
thcturin. interests. Politically i,s
value lies In It's strutsR:c position on
the frontier.
Grand Duke Wilhelm has been ~,
aus Tor three years lie has six
daughters, In 1905. expecting his de-
misc almost any TIM. the Council or
httc"u and Chamber OF Deputies. com !
posed OF forty-clIht members, dc.
'iarcd tho Grand ,ukca wife. tho
Grand Duchras Mariu, an Intanta u,
Spain rcs"n, Gntn Grand Duchess
Maria Ar"h'id. tho rlics, daughter
Incomes OF np" IN JAM"
Tn" hand and heart OF Grand
duchess Maria hdchcId aud tho Grand
pnchyp huNcr,hwrE /. me 'priz.''
mon Which FRANC. Germany belgium
and ov"n England have th.i, eyes.
i'or tim" j.u,"mburs was ruled ry
Belgium, th"n Holland had IL, later
Prussia controlled g. and now VI $ ,iIuc
tor another round. Nhpn viii ,ro
pretty young grand duchess cho"r.
10 hclp nor reign over forty miles
slunr" ~ territory? ~ f7r",t prince
ling aSpir"S ia pity second nddic in
40 small principaltig. md SCI Ger
mans, France, belgium Holland and
england arc said 10 30 doing ''uoii-
ties" and each hur!m; 10 control the
lciicy Of tho lj,;lr Grand Ducn..
tIrvugh matrimonial ailianc"
belgium. Holland. Germany and
franc" Ina-r>ici AYR Tie lutte Grand
puchy IN 1sT. almost - tho puin, ut
war and again ~ 1872. Immediately AZ
Tor tn" German Frnnco war Germany
rIally consented 20 withdraw her gar
riSou ard the fortress in iuxemburg
capital of the Grand puchy. witch ucNt
"a Gibraltar vas snid TO rc ~" strong
est II, Eu-opc. WAS iumHn.iei In
order that there might IN, NJ con
slant Intriguing for political control
Of ;" Hnrcrtart q mtlirnr, key. II VAS
decided that the fort must bc destroy
ed, ana the Grand Duchy "as declared
"a be neutral" ground and "!ndep"u-
dent Wh.thcr this "Mutrality''
would lac regarded in j war between
France, Germany and England. the
powers that guarantees Il, is very
doubtful II probably would bc a race
for possession Of tho little strip %
ground 1t has been repeatedly stated
by tho French tina, IL I.ux:mbur,
should by any manner ~ means be-
come member OF tho German Fedora
ton OF states, Il would b, necessary
for France to change tho entire chain
Of fortIfcations on the frontier.
Grand Duke Wilhelm is again re-
ported 10 be very low. aud his death
may come at any time. fiis wife h;rs
for three years ruled the Grand Duchy
and maintained quite pretcntious
court. at the same time Initiating her
daughter. Maria .,dehcid. into the
mysteries Of government.
I.uNemburg has: tho smallest army
in Europe. II is composed az Iio voun-
tccrs, al which thirsy-ninc are must
clans and Two officers. There is also
roltcc force OF $50 mon. IT costs the
i.uNcmhurgcrs little over 100000 Il
year for military and police purposes.
The Grand Duchy owns its own ta!c-
graph. telephone and railroad lines.
and even the prisons are made 10 ca RI
money. tho prisoners being employed
in work which brings some returns To
the state. amounting last year TO about
$4,000 There is not Il more indusiri-
Gus little corner III Central Europe
than the little Grand Duchy Of Iuxcin-
burg.