The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-02
TIE DIsPATCH RICHMOND 1918

took place at Geneva on Tuesday last
in compliance with the requirements OF
Swiss law. II IL nccesyary to empha-
size this, IN order so set ut rest tie
stories which have been so widely
printed. TO tho effect that tho union
had taken place In the face OF tho pro
hibition OF those two mcnarchs
Emperor Williams consent was nee
essary only 50 long as tho duke re-
NAMED an officer OF the Prussian Regi-
mcnt OF Gardes du Corps. by virtue OF
tho German military regulations, which
require that any officer marrying shai,
previously havo obtained the pcrinIs-
sion OF his superior officer. Tho late
Grand Duke OF Hossc's extraordinary
sccrc; marriage to Nine. do Kalominc,
at Darmstadt. was Hnnulled Il few
weeks aftor ii h@d taken place, on the
plea that. rs a general of the German
army, he had welded without obtain
ing the necessary authorization from
his communicative chief. that is TO say.
tho iate Emperor William. But from
the moment that the Young Duke OF
Croy resigned his commission in the
trussinn army. last spring, tho kaisor
ceased 10 hay" any power to interiors
III his matrimonial affairs
Tint both h:mperors dlsarproved OF
tho match Is no secret. But tho cx-
preston of their disapproval Will be
limited 10 refusal to receive Tho
YOUNG bride Of the duke at their courts
OF Berlin and Vienna. Moreover ali
the minor German courts Will follow
suit Fer. In thoir eyes. u S also in the
sight of German and Austrian law. t0o
marriage is oven barely nero NOR
Garatic union. Tho reason for this Is
that according To the laws of the med
iat!7ed or formerly petty sovereign
houses OF Central Europe, laws which
are rccoEni2ei as having statutory
value by the German and Austrian
though not by the Hungarian, codes
tho consent OF the agrates. that is to
say of tho adult members OF famil,
are necessary TO give any legal value
to q marriage OF any Of its members to
one who Is not OF sovereign or OF
mediatized rank
Nov tho Croy family IS exceedingly
numerous, It's enumeration filing sew
cial pages OF the Ainanach de Gotha,
and only three of It's members, who
were present at the wedding. have
given their sanction. All the others
arc opposed to tho match Consequent
", tho marriage VIII have no legal
value whatsoever anywhere in Ger
many or in Austria. The dukes wife
Will not be permitted by tho police 70
make usc there OF the title Of duchess.
Moreover. tho children which she may
pear 70 tho duke VIII lie similarly
barred In Germany ana Austria from
styling themselves Princes or rrin-
cesses OF Croy. or from iuheritinr their
iather's ducal title Indeed. they viii
nave no riEht TO any or his entaileu
property In Germany and Austria.
On the other hand, tile codes of Bel
GUM and OF France do not mako any
provision for morganatic unions. The
ceathoed marriage Of King Ieopold
TO Caroline pelacroix, Baroness
Vaughan the mother OF his TWO boys
was not as has been alleged. n NOR
sanatIc union but merely an ecclesias-
ilcai one. 10 enable him to receive tho
last sacraments OF the church. The
c'Nl ceremony needed 10 give II nuv
'esa! value did not occur, and thus II
was a marriage only IN the sigh, or
me church, but not in the eyes OF tho
Il" ihe marriage OF the Duke OF
roy at the beginning OF last week. at
Geneva was both OF civil pud OF ::
IellGlouS character. and is, thcrcforr
valid according To both French and
beIGian law, and there Will be no OH
Stacle TO the dukes children inherit
i,nng las property in Belgium ana ~
rance. But 1t may 10 taken for
S'anted that. owing 10 the pr.ar H.,
i'uenco OF The Croy family ana ~ ,ho
oId houses OF the Belgian nristocro,,,.
II the court OF Brussels. that The Iatter
WI! remnin like those 81 Germany o,,l
austria, barred TO the dukes Amerl-
can bride
u lay stress on the role OF tho
court OF Bruss"is IN she mntt.- /, j..
"'cauSe the duke was born in Belgium.
F.nHr