Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-14
SERVIAN THRONE IS
IN A TOTTERING
M CONDITION
A Repetition of the Degrading
Scenes of 1908, When Roy
al Family Was Murdered,
Not improbable.


Belgrade, servia, March fl.--Is the
bloody drama OF 1903 about TO he re-
peatad In Belgrade? That is a question
that all Europe, including servian
people themselves, are asking. For
weeks reports have emanated from
Belgrade that a conspiracy has been
formed among the officers Of the army
having for its purpose the dethrOne-
ment OF King Peter, II necessary, by
as violent means as those OF the ter
rible night nine years ago. when King
Alexander and Queen Draga were
murdered IN the palace.
King Peter is paying for whatever
guilty knowledge he may have had OF
the regicide plot with uneasy days and
sleepless nights. Now In his 6Sth year
he is wondering II Il was worth while
is;cr al, ID t.ads his gstre IT mind
as private citizen il Switzerland,
for the bloody crown OF Servi1.
Through the palace stlll stalks the
restless ghost OF Alexander and the
kings ears must still resound the
echo OF the shrieks Of Drag1.
At the foreign office and Ia tho war
1 NNAnANAAI All hNNMAAMkE ~ IANNH NAA
consplracies are denied, OF course. 1t
Is sensational newspaper lie said
one official. who was most ANXIOUS 10
leave the impression that the best re-
llations existed between re.ef and the
army and Peter and his people. Eut
talk In the cafes converse with Off
GERS TO whom you have been vOuched
for or ask any representative Of the
common Serviana, the working peo-
pie, and one finds little praise for
Peter
"servla wants to become q repub'
| llc." one army officer said. Il I've army
and the people are tired OF The
dynasty"
That the powers would hardly at
| this time permit the formation OF
Irepublic In Servia, seems too self-evi-
dent for serious consideration and u
/ Is surmised that the talk Of "repub-
/ lie" Is solely for the purpose of arous.
ling the people to the support OF such
measures as the alleged conspirators
may be planning.
The situation I'm Belgrade 10 not un-
! like that which existed In 1903, just
before the killing OF Alexander and
Draga BY men In the army and In the
court. who never have been punished,
some OF them even having received
splendid promotions and rewards.
King Peter and the government vir-
tually are powerless and In the hands
Of an army clique, which they care
not oppose very strongly. In every
lfiul 0f strength Peter has come on
second best and has been forced to
ID. A.. fxf Anfhrgr4
and possibly murder. Two secret or
eanizatlons, one under the now motor
Ions name OF the "Black Hand" and
the other under the high sounding title
OF "Union or DEATH" are said to In
clude the majority OF the army OFF,
GERS, high and low, IN the principal
70 be friendly to them.
Recently King Peter appointed
Crown Prince Alexander, who has only
the rank OF colonel In the sixth IN
fantry regiment, and is only "a years
K old. Inspector general OF the army.
alexander took an energetic stand
against the half-mutlnous end negli-
gent officers belonging to the BLACK
Hand" During the inspections some
OF the officers were so plainly hostile
20 tUc CfONu pIlhNt tuoe nv iNi's' 80
the matter TO his father. The King
ordered the minister Of war TO pun
ish the officers. The war minister,
instead, asked the king to remove his
son as inspector general because OF
| his youth and the hostile attitude OF
the officers" Alexander gave mp the
post and has gone 10 Switzerland am
Italy for n vacation"
Next the king ordered an investiga-
ton OF the BLACK Hand organization.
Sentences OF death were Immediately
passed By the organization upon the
investigators. with the result that
tho inquiry was called off. Resigna-
ton OF the entire cabinet, which SEEM
ed 10 fear violence and did not desire
10 be responsible either for the satety
of the king or the government, was
the next event
The king decided 10 fight his foes
with their own weapons and the &c.
crot organization Union or Death
suddenly sprang into existence, os-
Itensibly 20 be opposed to the dynasty
but In reality 10 wage war on the
l"BlRck Hand" Il proved unsuoeess-
lml. The other party quickly pene.
/ uated the purpose and with powerful
lmen In court, army and parliament
laileged to be IN league with II, was
too strong for the "anti-toNin.'
IN the well informed newspaper Of
acoa OF Belgrade, Il is said King Peter
IA puppet IN the hands OF the mill
Itufy party, which has friends IN the