New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-22
Francis Joseph Had Very Troubled Career

with which, nevertheless, he had been
compelled by political necessity TO con
clude dstasteful offensive and de-
fensive alliance.
Another Heir Murdered.
Still another appalling tragedy, from
n political point of view the worst CT
| ali. WAS heaped upon the venerable
soyereien's devoted head when he was
combating his eighty-fourth year ms
was nothing less than the butchery 81
the heir presumptiye TO the thrones
and his wife in revenge for the annex.
, alton of Bosnia and Herzegovina and
the oppression Of Serbia. Upon the
traredy of Meyering, which destroyed
the heir apparent, the Emperor's broth
or. the Archduke Charles Louis, became
heir presumptive. But E~ was already
an old MANN disposition and healh'
| If not in yesrs-and he presently re-
nounced the~uccession In favor OF his
son. The title OF heir presumptlye was
not. indeed. formally given to franels
Ferdinand. but from that time Forward
he was universally regarded and treat
ed as the sovereign designate, and he
hogan TO prepare himself by study ana
training for the tasks which lay before
, him. , 81
Francis Ferdinand was man OF
strong self-will. in both personal ana
political matters. This was SHOWN ~
he former respect when he persisted
against the Emperor's will in marrying
Countess Sophie Chotek, on July, /,
IaOO This estimable and accomplishe
woman WAS member OF one OF tne
oldest and noblest families OF Bohemia,
but she was not of royal blood, and
so. according to the statutes or the
house OF Hapsburg, Francis Ferdinand
on marrying her, was compelled 20 re-
lnounce the succession TO the throne
for her children. In political matters
also the heir presumptlve took the pi'
between his teeth, often IN dehsnce
Of the Emperor. IL was he VINO au,
tborized Baron Aehren,haps seizure or
bosnia and Herzegovina, in fragrant
violation of the Berlin Treaty of 1878,
who backed up the aggressive and OPP
pressive policy of Austria-Hungary
toward Serbia. and who instigated the
despotic Intervention OF the Dual Mon
archy in the Balkan war with Turkey
to rob Serbia and Montenegro OF their
just fruits OF victory.
The Tragedy of Sarajevo.
/ This course made him one OF the
most intensely hated Of men not only
in Serbia proper. but also in the Ser
bian provinces of Bosnia and Here
govina, which he had seized, and his
visit to the Bosnian capital in June,
1914, was therefore little short Of fool
hardy. But he went thther immediately
after having a violent personal quarrel
with the Emperor, as result OF which
~ H.
ecy, declared that he would never re-
ceIye him again This quarrel was
caused b, the archduke's arrogation OF
imperial prerogatives and his uncon-
cealed Impotence for the aged En-
peror to die and get out OF his ambitious
way. SO Francis Ferdinand and his
wife proceeded to Sarajevo, where, on
June 2S, they were both assassinated
on public street. First q bomb was
thrown at them, which failed Of its
purpose. A few hours later Serbian
youth shot them both to death with a
pistol as they were riding in their auto
mobile.
The murdered couple left three chill
dren- Princess Sophie. Prince Maxi
milan Charles and Prince Ernest AL
phonse-but under the Hapsburg law
and the late archduke's oath OF re-
nunciation they were debarred from
The succession. Accordingly. Charles
Francis Joseph, the eldest son OF Fran
els Ferdinand's brother Otto, became
heir presumptive to both thrones. lie
had from infancy been a great favorlte
Of the aged Emperor, and after Francis
Ferdinand's marriage had been regard
ed as the next heir to the throne, and
consequently had spent years in study
and preparation for the duties of state
which presumably we're one day TO de-
yolye upon him. He was born in 1887.
The Last Scene: Chaos.
The worst of all the Emperor's many
troubles was reserved TO the last.
Francis Joseph had passed through
several wars, all disastrous. But 5
eighty-ffth birthday saw his country
engaged in the greatest and potentially
most disastrous of them all. Using the
murder Of Francis Ferdinand as a pre-
text. the Austro- Hungarian government
in July, 1914. issued TO Serbia an ulti-
matum containing demands for the prac-
teal abrogation OF Serbian sovereignty
in favor Of Austria Hungary, and on
Serbia's failure Immediately to yield
began war agains: that state. The real
object was, obviously, TO undo Count
AehrenthaI3 error In rellnquisnlhe
Novi- Bazaar. to regain possession of that
region, and thus to open the Austrian
way to the Egean Sea and TO direct
connection with the puppet state OF
Albania. The result was to provoke
remonstrances from Russia, which led
to Germany's declaring war against
that empire and against France, Bel
GUM and Great Britain, and mourning
also the hostility of Japan, thus
plungng the world into by far the
greatest war since Napoleonic times
in the midst Of which thu
aged Emperor sinks to his grave
Before the final catastrophe o.
1914 his empire had seemed to be
united. strong. prosperous and assured
Of a brilliant future under new ruler
who should benefit greatly from the
wisdom and patience of the old. With
the almost worldwide cstaelysm pre-
cipitated and with Austria Hungary in
VOWED in its very centre, the present
Is enshrouded in horror and the future
in doubt and fear. Amid storms he be
gan his reign. and amid greater storm
he has ended it.
DEATH INCREASES