New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11

their sisters husband. soon TO become
the Emperor of Austria.
1t was not long in coming and II was
brief. He knew that Prince SlXtus
made his home in France; that he was
devoted to the democratic principles OF
the French government, and that ne
had worked on all occasions for the
betterment of the humble classes and
/ had nothing but repulsion and odlum
for the principles which Germany's
military power represented. The atti-
tude Of Prince Francis Xavier had been
less marked but it was well understood
that he, like his sister, was imbued
with the French spirit, and that he
would not be likely to hesitate in his
choice.
do your duty" said Charles Fran
els to his brothers-in-law.
His laconic reply was interpreted by
them to mean approval of their deci-
sion to fight for the cause which they
believed to be the right one. They left
Immediately for France.
Won Their Way in Belgium
The French statutes forbid the de-
scendants of French monarchs from
France, and these princes were of the
direct line Of Henry " and Louis XIV
The law could not be modified to suit
their case, and reluctantly the French
authorities were unable TO avail them
selves of the services OF the princes.
Then they offered themselves TO Eng
land, but the strict etiquette Of the law
Of solidarity among the Allies forbade
the British army accepting men who
could not By French law be accepted
for service in France. England, for
the same reason, had already rejected
the offers of services made by the Duke
of Orleans and by Prince Victor Bona
parte. head Of the Napoleonic family.
Russia, for like reasons, also cour-
teously refused their application.
They went to Belgium and renewed
their petition to King Albert. Here
again they ran against legal obstacles
and precedent. Belgium does not &C
cept foreigners in her army, and the
Kings own brother-in-law, the Duke of
Fendome, had recently been rejected
for this reason.
Queen Elizabeth personally advo-
Gated their cause and exerted herself
with such energy and address that the
belgian government made an excep-
ton for the brothers of the Empress
Of Austria and took them into the
army. Their enrolment, It was tipu-
lated by the Belgian Minister Of War,
must be in the medical department,
and, accordingly, they donned the uni
form of the Belgian ambulance ser.
vice. This was not their final goal, but
It was the entering wedge, and they
determined to win their way By sheer
merit into other services.
Their record in the ambulance SER
vice was of such brilliant kind that il
was impossible for the King of the Bel
gians to refuse their petition TO be put
into the fighting service, and they were
enrolled in the artillery, with the rank
of second lieutenant.
They were trained artillerists, and
their advancement thereafter was
rapid, and when the day of the solemn
comforting of honors by the President
OF the French Republic came around
both the princes, brothers of the Aus
trian Empress. were conspicuous among
those whose breasts we're decorated
with the insignia of military valor and
efficiency.
The third brother of the Empress.
Prince Elias, had long been an officer
in the Austrian army before the war
began. He was married TO an Austrian
princess, the Archduchess Marie Anne.
and he was favorite of the old En-
peror, Francis Joseph, and had become
thorough Austrian. Ii was not IN
natural that he should continue in the
Austrian army when the war demanded
his services, and the fact that he pos
sessed the military qualities Of his
family is seen in the number Of honors
and decorations which have been con-
ferred on him in the course Of the
three years of fighting.
Princess Zita carefully efaced her.
self while the old Emperor was alive:
she attended to her little family, and
her children seemed TO occupy all her
attention and all her faculties. The
terribly responsible position thrust on
her husband suddenly changed the
whole attitude of the young woman.
The courage and strength of mind Of
her race quickly asserted themselves
and she became openly the chief coun-
seller of her husband, the Emperor
Charles Francis on more than one
occasion has borne testimony TO his
obligations to his wife for advice and
guidance. and his frank, grateful devo-
ton to her has awakened the consdera-
ton even OF his enemies in the war.
The Archduke Frederick Charles's
wife is a Belgian princess, of the house
Of Croy, house which outranks the
family of the German Kaiser in an
tiquity and historic distinction. but
which has never been recognized in
Germany IA ranking with the royalties.
the princelings and the grand dukes of
Germany. The archduke, when he
reached manageable age, was consid-
cred catch by all the dynasties of
Germany. and Bismarck himself under
took to see that the proper alliance
was brought about 10 fasten German
string on Austria.
The archduAe, however, showed
mind Of his own. His father hated the
Germans with an open and avowed
hatred. On one occasion he snubbed the
present German Kaiser and on another
he disobeyed the summons to court
banquet in honor of the Kaiser. The
herited his fathers antipathies to the
Hohenzollerns, who, brutally and for
their own ACKNOWLEDGMENT, had made