Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25
AUSTRIA, GERMANY And RUSSIA

The death Of Count Alois Leka Won
Aehrenthal. Austrian minister Of foreign
affairs. II an event
Death Of Won which may lead 10
a,n, grave complications.
Aehrentha1. He wa, a diplomat
Of distinction and the only minister in
Europe OF these days who has modified
the European limits Of his country. The
means employed were perhaps not the
highest, but success excuses that In
diplomacy.
On the other hand, Count Won Aehren-
thai has been the subject OF bitter at
tacks for his interior policy. chiefly by
the large landholders behind whom. 1t
is charged. was the archduke. Baron
Won Fuchs, an important member OF the
anti-Semitic party, delivered q severe
speech at Salzburg against the minister
Of foreign affairs. But that the minister
retained the confidence OF the emperor
was apparent in the recent retirement OF
the chief Of the general stan.
Count Won Aehrenthal was profoundly
an opportunist and had many enemies.
He was considered as the architect OF
the Austro-Russian agreement to main
tain the Balkanic status quo. and Prince
Radolin German ambassador at st. Pc
tersburg, frequently referred to the ex-
treme good feeling of his Austrian col
league toward Russia with ill-disguised
ANNOYANCE Nevertheless Count Won Aeh-
renthal substituted this apparent SYM
pathy for real hostility when he directed
his policy toward the annexation OF Bos-
nia-HerZegovina.
Count Won Aehrenthal was reproached
by his enemies that his policy had COM
promised Austro- Hungary's relations
Certainly Russia was wounded by the
proceedings Of 1905, and 1t is no less sure
that Germany. accustomed to lead rather
than follow her ally. regretted the ad-
ministration of Kalnoky. The results OF
the offensive policy of 1908 have been
fully weighed and put down at their
proper value. The opponents insisted
upon the dangers and "iarebacks" OF
that policy and favored a minister more
in accord with Germany. which power
was necessary to Austria They desired
a minister more sympathetic to Russia, a
rival to be handled gently.
4 Y
A few hours before his death the
Emperor Francis Joseph. in accepting
his resignation. wrote him
Emperor'S an autograph letter reaf-
MT, flrming his confidence and
Ananhs. conclud ing: "Warmest
services to my house and monarchy"
With the letter was the grand cross of
st. Stephen, in jewels. Shortly after the
extreme JUNCTION was administered, and
the minister's life ended.
Count Leopold Won Berchthold succeed
ed to the portfolio Of foreign affairs.
Already there were apprehensions in
Hungary as to the new minister's policy.
81, ,rI0 aAd
that Count Apponyi had complained in
the Hungarian parliament Of the attempt
which was being made to disturb the
relations existing between Austria and
Count Apponyi declared that II these
efforts led to success Hungary would
be forced to q fateful course"
Germany celebrated January p the BIZ
centenary of Frederick II the Great, and
also the flfty-third anniversary of Will
liam II.
The great Frederick. King Of Prussia,
was man Of acknowledged genius in
the entire meaning of that much-abused
word. Beside being an illustr1ous soldier.
he was a great administrator. He Gre
ated the military grandeur OF Prussia
He was the patron Of arts and bellies
lettres. and good writer; he was. be-
sides. q philosopher. Voltaire and Maui
pertuiS were his intimate associates and
guests.
Frederick II lives again today in the
literary. and dramatic fetes given In his
honor. Aside from the works: Religion,
H." by Merkens; Development Of Re
ligious Ideas OF the Great Frederick"
by Paul Hecker, and the essay, Fred
erick the Great as Philosopher" by
Zeller, there are new books adapted to
the times. One book Of recent date bears
the title 1.-The King" by Rethwisch.
In the drama there is the "Order Of the
King" by the inimitable writer of come
dies, Toepfer. who was distinguished for
his gayety and benevolent irony. Toep-
fer's play was exceedingly good. and
when rendered by such artists as Hase,
Lewinsky or Possart the theaters Of Ber-
lin, Munich and other cities were filled
to overlooking.
Recent productions OF such plays are
the antithesis of Toepfer's comedy: for
example, Frederick the Great"
Polish by Adolphus Nowacznski. The
NJ, Polish author depicts the vices
1iay. Of the king and none Of his
virtues and real characteristics. He por-
trays him as disloyal. egotistic and
without regard for the right. The author
has chosen for the action OF his play the
last days OF the kings reign and when he
is old and broken. and makes him appear
but dramatic satire drawn to please
the socialistic tide which has risen high
everywhere even in autocratic Germany.
The fifty-third anniversary OF Wilhelm
II was celebrated throughout Germany
the same day by brilliant Nominations
There were some exceptions. In the
provinces Of Brandebourg there were
anti-monarchcal manifestations. AT
Frankfort on the-Oder q thousand young
men paraded the streets shouting Down
with the monarchy
The day was darkened by the above
events, which were due to the socialistic
successes January II. Dispatches from
Berlin sum up the result of the elections
as follows: Socialists have returned Ito
members, which now forms the strongest
party of the new reichstag. The Catholic
center heretofore the dominant party, re-
turned ninety-three deputies, and the con-
servatives fell from sixty-two to forty
two members.
close scrutiny of this so-called social
istic victory proves that 1t is not so
much socialism as the expression of dis
content against the policy OF the present
regime In 1907 the German socialists
gained $4,000 votes. but they lost thirty
seats The 4,c3s. 90 votes OF 1912 repre-
sent a formidable augmentation OF a.
million votes, nearly a fourth Of the
five wards out Of six Of Berlin: II has a
majority in Munich. Dresden. Breslau.
Cologne. Frankfort, Dusseldorf, Stuff
CART. chemnitz. Magdeburg. Stettin,
koenissburg Bremen, Halle, Mannheim
and Lubbock. Potsdam. the ancient city
of the kings Of Prussia. has been sub
GEN. OSPlNA'S BREAK.