Evening star., 1916-11-23
GERMAN AND BRITISH PRESS
VIEWS OF FRANCIS JOSEPH
Agree in Expressing Belief That His Death
Will Not Influence Conduct
of War.

"Austria's aged guardian and leader
has not gone before he knew that Aus
trlas future was safe. With infinite
patience and care he watched over the
future iberating itself from what
seemed a deadly peril. He passed away
only when fresh confidence in the fu-
ture had arisen for his country. Aus
TRANS. Hungarians and Germans bow
unitedly before his bier
A similar note is struck by the
Deutsche Tages Zeitung which says
IF 1t has not been granted to the em-
peror to see the day of final victory.
yet the latter part of his life was
frightened by the conviction that the
empire he had ruled under so many
changes of fate had proved its vi
tality."
No Effect on the War.
LONDON, November 23-British
newspapers. commenting on the death
of Emperor Francis Joseph, express the
opinion that it can have no effect on
the war. because, as they say. of Ger
man domination of Austria-Hungary,
both militarily and politically.S The
Pail Mall Gazette says:
1T is improba BILE that the emperAr's
death will make any vital differen\e.
political or military, in the situation.
1t is true that the personal link of thN
throne counts for much in the RAM
shackle empire and the prestige con-
ferred by years and dramatic affiiction
cannot be transmitted to the reputedly
Indifferent princeling who now receives
the scepter. but Austria has passed the
stage in which her own instincts or
sympathies can count for much in one
way or the other. She has ceased to be
an autonomous factor in the struggle.
German leaders command her armies.
German politicians direct the course OF
her government and the program is al
trnn hx, dr-,x hN xUh
walk in the event of a victory or re-
spite for the central powers
The dual monarchy is at an end in
every sense in political reality.
Referring to the emperors career. the
Pail Mall Gazette says that even across
the chasm of warfare some sense OF
pathos must still attach to the figure OF
! a man who has all his life borne the
chastisement of fate, and who. 1T COM
| ments. passed away leaving the dynasty
| in even greater jeopardy than when he
| became its head
Responsibility for War.
| The Standard says: 'It is too early
| to assess the specific responsibility of
the late emperor for the crime Of 1914.
| Whether he was forced into that crime
or gave himself willingly there is at
| present insufficient evidence to deter
mine, but it is certain that the woes
| descended upon Europe We're the direct
| result of the subordination of Aus
| trian policy to the ambitious rules OF
modern Germany: :,,:. IT. The ,, sen.li.y n.i
| just as it assisted later in the process
of subjecting all the Hapsburg domin-
| ion to Prussian CONTROL
Expressing the opinion that the death
| of Francis Joseph will have no effect
| on the war, the Standard continues:
Austria Hungary is SO completely un-
der the German thumb that il is diff
cult to see how the transfer of nominal
, authority from nerveless old man
| to a characterless young one can affect
! the conduct of the war. Under Fran
! els Joseph. Austria blundered into ruin,
! bankruptcy and woe unutterable. There
| is no sign that his death will release.
healthier or more virile forces or assist
in the salvation of the imperiled mon
archy.''
The Westminster Gazette surmises
that with the decay of the Turkish
empire it became the Austrian policy
to recover at the end of the reign of
( Francis Joseph what had been lost at
the beginning.
To Be German Vassal.
THE future of Austria Hungary.
says the Morning Post. was never
darker or more foreboding. Whatever
the outcome of the war, she stands to
lose Even if the central powers avoid
decisive defeat she will remain
vassal of Germany-in fact, if not i'll
name
Although Emperor Francis Joseph is
recognized by the editorial writer's to
have been personally friendly to Great
Britain. and the tragedies of his reign
are sympatheticaNy recalled, today's
estimates of his achievements and his
personality are not hattering.
Beyond his devotion to the dynasty
and his desire to transmit its posses
sions undiminished to his successor.
says the Times. ''he seems to have had
no positive purpose. Throughout life
he groped in the dark toward the line
of least resistance and ended by in
volving himself. his family, his do
minions and his subjects in catas-
trophe the like of which the civilized
world has not seen"
The Daily Chronicle says: Behind
the divinity which came to hedge him
he remained what he always had been.
a man of cruel, crooked, cavernous and
misa nthropic mind"