The Washington herald., 1913-01-25
COURT GOSSIP ON ATTERS OF
INTERNA TIONAL IMPORTANCE

(Oopyrsht. 1913 By Court Gossip syndicate.)
The statement In the Vossische Zeitung
that Col Franz Miketta, who died at
Wiesbaden the other day. In his day had
been the only officer In the Prussian
Horse Guards who was not an aristocrat
is quite incorrect; nor is 1t according
to honored tradition" Quite the con-
trary. Fifth or sixty years ago almost
each one Of the crack regiments OF the
Horse Guards In Prussia had on Its
roster the names OF several officers with
absolutely no handle to them, and not a
soul saw anything strange or extraordi-
nary in this fact. There was single
exception-the regiment OF the 'Gardes
du Corps" which furnished the Life
Guard TO the King. At one time the
entire division" of the Prussian Horse
Guards was commanded by Gen. schle-
mueller. a citizen and the son OF long
line of citizens. who was created noble
man by the permission to use the prefix
won TO his good old name long after
he had donned the Kings uniform. Ana
the third regiment OF the Prussian Ian
GERS OF the Guard tGarde Uhlanen) In
the SOS of last century had as its COM
manded Col. Mirus. the noted author OF
military works, one OF whose books i
was obliged to study while wearing the
black -and-white corded shoulder straps
OF an flIlLdbnTlk-E kAS
Prussian Army at a later period even.
Perhaps the life OF these ''buergerliche"
officers was not exactly bed OF roses
among their aristocratic colleagues. who
were in the majority. and as the scions
OF the Prussian 'Junkerthum," not over
tolerant. and who. In derision and sar-
casm coined the expression, ''Konzes-
sions Schulze." showing that they were
making a concession by tolerating
-
crack regiments. But, II So. they were
taught a wholesome lesson. for the most
successful strategists in the Prussian
and now In the German artillery. the
most difficult branch to master, have
sprung from the citizenry, the middle
classes, as history demonstrated.
The late Col. Miketta. while first lieu
tenant "eskadrous cher in the Hussar
Guards. was still one OF these Konzes-
sions Schulzes, when II was commanded
by PrinZ William OF Prussia, the pres
ent Kaiser. In the Franco-Prussian
war OF 1870 Col Miketta was decorated
with the Iron Cross.
At present First Lieut.. Rausch. OF the
Prussian Cuirassier Guards. is the only
"buergerliche" officer in the entire
Horse Guards OF the KaIser's army.
Fate has strangely interviewer the
llNts VI NildN graz fIltH VI NHOll
the venerable Franz Josef Of Austria
was one. though not one OF the most sue
cessful. suffering many trials and tribu-
lations. With few exceptions, these
chosen few of iron nerve were physical
giants as well, these builders of empires
and founders Of Kingdoms, these men
who played so prominent a part in re-
modelling the map OF Europe after Ma
poleon ]. Metternich. and Wellington
William ! OF Germany was the oldest
among them. Franz Josef the youngest.
The former was born in 1877. the latter
in 1880. Emperor Wilhelm died in 1855.
Moltke saw the light in 1900 and lived to
be ninety-one. The third Napoleon was
born in 1905. Gladstone and Lincoln a
year later. We all know the Iatter's sad
end. The great British statesman lived
eighty-nine years.
Pope Leo VIII and Cavour were born
in 1910. The pontiff reached the age of
nlnety-three: his mate was taken off at
ffty-one. Bismarck was born three
months before Waterloo was fought and
Queen Victoria four years later.
Ex-Empress Eugene must be Franz
Josers senior. for her age is given at
eighty-seven.
have had accession ere this TO dwell
upon the curious link with her period
that Is formed by Princess Pauline Met
ternich. widow OF the Austrian Ambas-
sador to the Court OF the Third EN-
pire. and who now is in her eighty-ninth
year, another OF Eugenie's contemporaries
who went into the disastrous war with
Germany with a light heart" being
sadly deceived by his empress. whom he
worshiped: Emile Olivier. at eighty
eight. still is among us: Prince Luitpold,
the Regent of Bavaria. in place of his in
sane nephew. King Otto. died only re-
Gently in the fulness of his years, a