The Calumet news., 1912-03-06
DIPLOMATS SEE
TROUBLE AHEAD
Death Of Grand Duke William
Leaves Luxembourg Duchy
Without Ruler
MAY PERFECT AN AGREEMENT
Grand Duchess Maria Adelaide
in Line for Throne
Possession Of Little Buffer State Would
Give Big Neishbors Military Ad-
Vantsges.

London, March 6.--What future dis
position Is to be made of Luxembourg
This is the interesting question that
has oecn most discussed in European
oharcellories since the death last week
, Of the Grand Duke William. the ruler
Of the little buffer state wcdged m be
tween France, Germany and Belgium.
Since 1915, and by confirmation un-
der the Treaty Of London, .he king OF
the Netherlands was sovereign of
Luxembourg. Upon his death in 1880,
the operation of the Sale law gave the
crown to the late Hcrzog. Alphonsc.
The Grand Duke Alphonse had only
one son. the hereditary Grand Duke
William, and the latter had but a
daughter.
So the death of the Grand Duke VIII
liam brings the House of Nassau to
an end, and promises to make the lit
tie principality-its total area is heard
ly more than thrice that Of New York
city-the bone Of European contention.
l'rauce sees i'm its acquisition at once
a partial compensation for the loss Of
Alsace- Lorraine. and an advantageous
weapon for use in the recovery of the
long lamented Rhneland. Prussia. too,
appreciates this most clearly Holland
viii probably advance claim To so
vercignty, while Belgium doubtless Will
claim the little territory as geographi-
cally her own.
Annexation is Unlikely.
To the great Powers the strategic
value of the country, 10 the smaller
its forests. orchards and vineyards are
the attraction and the makings of a
very pretty quarrel lie in the extinction
of the House of Nassau
Mutual jealousies are pretty sure to
initiate against the success OF any
plan for the annexation of the little
Grand duchy to either France. Germany
or Belgium. II is probable that in the
end it will be decided that Luxem-
burg should continue as neutral state.
In the event of such a decision being
the late Grand Duke William will be
succeeded on the throne by his eldcst
daughter. the Grand Duchess Maria
Adelaide, eighteen years old and one of
The prettiest princesses in all Europe.
rs a matter of fact. the people of Lux
emburg already have proclaimed the
youthful Grand Duchess as their sover-
eign.
Duchess Maria In Line.
Contrary to the general suppositiOn
there is nothing in the constitution or
laws OF the grand duchy to debar Maria
adelaide from the throne. When King
William of the Netherlands died in
1890. the Salic law existed i'm Luxem-
burg and consequently the female limo
was debarred from the succession. But
some twelve years ago Luxembourg
charged the law and enacted a statute
permitting the Grand Duke TO be sue
ceeded on the throne by the eldest
daughter in the event of their being no
son.
The Grand Duchess Maria Adelaide
is first cousin of the Duke Of Wien,
vino married Anita Stewart Of New
York. Dom Miguel OF BraganHa, the
pretender 10 the throne OF Portugal. ia
her mothers brother Her succession
to the throne of Luxembourg will con-
stitute an addition to the Roman Ca
thOlic sovereigns of Europe. For, al
though her father and grandfather
both were Lutherans. yet her mother,
the lnfanta Maria OF Braganza. is
devout adherent of the church Of Rome.
lt is said that she absolutely declined
TO give her hand in marriage To- the
then crown prince of LuXemburg un-
less he agreed 20 permit all the chill
dren borin OF the union to be brought
up in her faith
Military Advantages.
Luxemburg has engaged the anxious
attention of the diplomats ot Europe
for years because the great military
road for invading armies from Ger
many or France lies through it. I'm
area it is almost insignificant An ar
my could march from the northern to
the southern frontier OF the country
IN twenty hours, ar from the eastern
to the western IN half a day The
withdrawal Of six thousand Prussians
in 1870. the garrison necessary to
man the defenses of the city which Is
the capital Of the grand duchy. in time
of peace reduced the population one
half. But in later years the new
quarter of the city. made possible by
loveling the fortihcations, has drawn
foreign residents TO the picturesque
capital. SO that its present population
numbers about 10000. Nearly one
hundred soldiers with two officers. all
volunteers. guard the historic parapets
about which the continent OF Europe
hattled so long. The entire standing
army of Luxembourg numbefs less than
four hundred volunteers The chief
industries of the grand duchy are
stock raising and mining. The people