The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-01
WIFE OF, AUSTRIAN HEIR
 MAY BECOME EMPRESS,

tIt is twelve years since the, Countess
 Sophia Chotek. now Princess of Ho-
 henberg. became the wife of the Arch
 duke Franz Ferdinand nephew Of. Elm
 peror Franz Josef T.. or Austria Hun
 gary and heir to tie throne of the Joint nnonarchy. In, order that lle
 might marry the women he loved
 the Archduke was forced to renouhce
 the. rigkt of his wife to become ar
 to succeed to the rulership of the dou-
 ble kingdom Whether or not that vow of renunciation will be kept when the aged Emperor, now in his 82nd year passes away. is question etnat is -engrossinga all Europe For years the morganatic wife. with the full sane ton of her royal husband has carried on fight to place her children in the line of succession and her recent wis it. to England is supposed to have had as it's principal motive the enlist nlent of Queen Mary in her cause.
 Mutual eaffection surmounting num- erous obstacles, was the basis for the Wedding of the Austrian heir apparent and Countess Sophia Chotea on f-tho first day of July 1900. The Emperor and practically all of tfe members of the imperial family opposed the union, but the Arch0uke persisted i'll his course, threatening even to abandon his native land and elnigrate to Am erica if necessary to win sthe beauti- fl1l Sophia for his bride. The morgan atic alliance was agreed upon as, a compromise, but now it's terms seem marriage the Countess was a lady in waiting in the household of Arch duchess Frederick. wife of the Emper- or's cousin. She came of noble but impoverished family of Bohemia, and was in no sense fit mate for an heir to the throne of an empire. con- sidered from the diplomatic viewpoint. If she should succeed in her endeavot' on behalf of her children she Will have overcome one Of the most inn perative laws of the strictest court of Europe.
 A woman Of beauty tact and charm. fond and, devoted mother and also of excellent intellectual attainments, her warfare for recognition on an equality with here husband has enlist ed the sympathy of all Europe. The English visit of the -Archduke and his wife is said to have resulted in num- bering the King and Queen among cess is. upheld by all the Liberal and Radical parties Only the obstinate will of the aged Emperor stands in the way of the fulfillment of the Princess wishes: and weighted by years and infirmities. it is probable 
 world.
 Under the laws of the Catholic church. of which the Austrian mon arch must be member. nlorgana tic are not permitted It fol- lows that in the eyes of the Pope. tfle Princess is the lawful wife of the heir to the .throne and her children legitimate and entitled to full rights.
 The reception of the Princess on terms of full equality by King George and Queen Mary demonstrated that the English royal family already con- slider Sophia the Archduchess and the future Empress of Austria. The Kais- CT has not yet gone so far but. upon the death of Franz Josef he may find such course necessary if he does not wish Austria to become estranged from Germany and to enter into an alli- ance with England. Their attitude to- ward the Princess showed that King George and Queen Mary were diplo- matic as well as sympathetic.