Evening star., 1914-07-12
EFFECT OF THE ROYAL MEETINGS

sensational dispatch from Belgrade
July reported extraordinary military
activity displayed by
sensation Austria Hungary. which
n:, was sending forty car
oASuAIeu' loads of artillery from
Budapest to the frontier and that fever
ish energy was being displayed along the
whole northern border of Servia.
This dispatch under ordinary circum-
stances would excite alarm in Europe.
but the recent interviews at Konopischt
between Kaiser Wilhelm II and the late
Archduke Francis Ferdinand. followed
at Constantza by the interview between
the Gar Nicholas ii and King Charles.
are not of a nature to indicate trouble
The Esti Cjsag of Budapest announced
that the visit of the kaiser had caused
some feeling in official circles in Vienna
from the fact that. although the kaiser
had remained two days in Bohemia. the
guest OF the archduke. he had not visited
the Emperor Francis Joseph. According
to the Ujsag. the kaiser did not desire to
meet Count Berchtold. because of the
latter's diplomatic failures. Nevertheless,
the kaiser and the archduke discussed at
konopischt most satisfactorily much for
eign policy of mutual interest, and Count
Berchtold was informed thereof in a COM
munication addressed him by the arch
duke after the kaiser's departure.
Are we thus to conclude that the inter-
view at konopischt and the assassination
] OF the archduke June 2S by the Servian
at Serajevo is cause of the forty carloads
of artillery and the feverish energy along
the Servian frontier? This condition
might have had such origin. but the real
situation since the assassination does not
warrant such conclusion.
The German press is singularly discreet.
almost silent. over the assassination Of
the Archduke of Austria. and this silence
is construed in diplomatic circles as indi-
eating that the blow aimed at Austria
had affected Germany no less.
| A dispatch from Berlin sums up the
| situation thus:
1.-The parliamentary situation at Vienna
| and Budapest is as confused as the
! widest imagination can fancy. Only an
| extraordinary forceful personal ally like
| Francis Ferdinand could overcome the
! political difficulties and do what is neces-
! sary for the reorganization and increase
| of the military and naval establishment.
This hope is now good as smashed. The
| old emperor is much too old and frail to
| take up himself the work and his present
| heir is far too young-he is twenty
| years of age-and has too much to learn
before he can aspire to walk in the
| footsteps Of his sagacious and experienced
uncle"
It is interesting and instructive to fol-
| low Hungarian opinion as ex-
pressed in the Austrian
| Interview at press as to the motive
=. of the interview be-
AoAoplscnt. tween the kaiser and
the archduke at Konopischt. According
|
| went to Konopischt to intrigue against
| Russia and to seek to paralyze the Anglo
| Russian military convention. in view OF
| the declaration by Sir Edward Grey that
| there was no Anglo-Russian accord for a
| fact. The all-wise have asserted that the
| kaiser submitted to the Archduke Francis
Ferdinand the project of a convention to
which Austria Hungary. Italy and Ger
| many would unite to combat the pre-
| tensions of Frances supremacy in the
| western Mediterranean. Doubts We're ex-
| pressed. whereupon the semi-offlcial press
declared that the kaiser's visit was sim
ply to satisfy his extraordinary passion
for flowers.
The Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung de-
clares that 1t was a common love of ma
ture that brought the emperor and the
archduke to konopischt. They both adored
roses and Francis Ferdinand possessed
at konoplscht marvellous rose garden
In which bloomed in June the queen OF
flowers in thousand varieties The en-
peror came for the roses. his visit having
no other object. If it was doubted, it
was only necessary to consider that the
emperor and his suite were arrayed in
hunting costumes of the court of Prussia.
Waldi and Haexels. his two favorite ter
riers. were taken along. And it was thus
during forty-eight hours at the chateau
of konopischt the imperial host forgot
all about Albania, Epirus the Turco-
Greek conflict. the Russian mobilization.
the RusSo-Roumania rapproa chment and
other 'twaddle." They only thought and
spoke of roses. But the Zeitung adds in
credulously. But what of -Admirals Won
Tirpitz and Won Haus-are they, too.
stuck on roses
would admit that it might not be a ques-
| ton of intriSues against Russia, but a
question of naval constructions of new
dreadnoughts to be put on the ways: that
the archduke would familiarize himself
| through Admiral Won Tirpitz on the aid
Austria-Hungary would find in Germany
with the administration of the marine for
certain urgent deliveries. The informa-
| tton the archduke obtained-was it salts
| factory? The future alone could now
tell
The correspondent of the Debats at
Vienna writes that the visit of the czar
to Constantza had ex-
The Gear at cited much ill humor
o in Austria in diplomatic
ooA' circles, and its inn
portance was thus rendered the more
evident.
In Italy II Resto del Corlino believes the
voyage of the car to Constantza crowns
the work of Russian diplomacy which,
heavy with consequences for the future.
looks forward to the prompt opening of
the Dardanelles to the Russian fleet.
Other journals declared that Roumania
was lost to the triplice.
The Emperor Nicholas II. the empress.
the czarevitch and the grand duchesses
arrived at Odessa on the STANDARD and
proceeded to Constantza the 10Th of June