The Washington times., 1914-09-21

It's hard to find enough to say about
this one lead bullet 1t went into the
head OF the archduke as he rode in his
automobile. 1t sped through the chan
cellories of Europe. 1t circled about
thrones. 1t entered the bed chambers
OF the worlds kings, emperors or czars.
and drove sleep from the eyes of states
men. 1t sped into millions of homes
and brought sorrow and death. Oceans
Of tears of women and little children
1t created. 1t flew into the bourses and
money markets of the world and cut
their nerves. To understand the situa-
ton In Europe before this bullet was
fired. imagine. il you can, that every
Item OF civilization-everyth that is
good-homes science. art, music, sur
gerry. education. culture, peace-had all
been done up into one huge package and
hung. by a slender thread over a deep
prectptce. For years this package has
swung this way. The winds of war have
often threatened II, but the statesmen
Of Europe have steadied 1t and have
strengthened the hold and the storm has
passed, time after time. And then along
speeds this one lead bullet, fired by
high school boy named Gabriel Prinzip.
1t cuts the rope. The crash will be
heard throughout centuries.
Where Prinzip Is now is a secret. Most
probably he Is dead. From the day
he was seized by the crowds in the
streets of the little town of Serajevo
and dragged off to JAIL he has been out
of sight. Austrian censorship kept back
the news; his punishment Is a mystery
to the courts Of Europe. 1t all happen
ed on Sunday morning, June o. King
George of England was living in Buck
ingham Palace, in London. enjoying the
social season. In far away st. Peters,
burg the Cxar of Russia was entertain
ing Poincare, the President of France.
The Emperor of Austria had gone to
his summer home for his vacation. En-
peror William Of Germany was playing
On his yacht at Kiel.
It was playtime for the lords Of
Europe. and they were making the most
OF It. But lords as they were, OF vari-
Gus sections Of mankind. their sight did
not reach to that little faraway town
in Bosnia. Chauffeurs and high school
boys don't often topple thrones, and
there are SO many of them, and they
are so common that they cannot all be
watched. But II would have we'll paid
have we'll paid all humanity this bright
Sunday morning to have kept their eyes
on Seratevo.
What's happening there seems small
enough. at first. A little crowd of citi-
zens goes down to the depot to see a
Archduke Francis Ferdinand. who. II
he lives, will some day be Emperor Of
Austria and King of Hungary. He
won't live three hours longer. but the
crowds don't know that. neither do he
kings and cars and emperors Of the
world. With the archduke Is his wife.
They have left their four little children
at home in Vienna and have come TO
Serajevo, n little town in Bosnia, to
pay a royal visit.
Europe and all humanity might well
keep their eyes glued to the autoDo-
bile, which Is to pass through the
badiy paved streets of Serajevo at 10
o'clock I'm the morning. First there is
a bomb explosion. typographer has
thrown It. 1t doesn't hit the autanlo-
bile: instead. 1t hits the elbow or me
arcbduke II goes off a second later
in the street. some Yards behind the
roval car. The chauffeur. whose wrong
twist Of the wrist half an hour later is
going to help plunge into the greatest
Tar mankind has ever known. has put
on speed and saved the royal pair:
Destiny has decided that 1t is not at