The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1917-10-24
ROYAL RELATIONSHIP
AND THE WAR.
Some Interesting Facts Con.
corning the Lineage Of the
Royal Families Written BY
Editor of Farm and Fireside.

81 am a reader of your chats on vari
ons subjects" writes farm woman il
New York State whose son has cen call
ed in the first draft, "and what | nov
ask would be appreciated, | think, b.
other subscribers as well as myself
Please explain the true relationship o
the present sovereigns of England ant
Germany and the ex Gar of Russia
Also is there any English blood in tn,
Kaiser or his family and is there an,
German blood i'll the King of England
or members of his family. And if it i
all family quarrel, please explain why
the flower of American homes should b,
sacrificed to settle a quarrel which We
had 10 part in starting
The questions asked are fair ones.
Parents whose sons have been called tC
the colors have a right to demand sucl
information Here are the answers
The Kaiser, William ii of Germany, is
first cousin # the King of England
Frederick ILL., former Emperoc of Ger.
many, married Victoria, the eldest daugh
ter of Qusen Victoria of England, and
the presen Kaiser is son of that union
This makes the Kaiser grandson of the
former Queen of England.
King George V of England is of Ger
man blood to the following extent
Queen Victoria married her cousii
Prince Albert, who was the son of a Ger
man duke. Furthermore Queen Vic
toria's mother was German princess
The Queen spoke English with decided
German accent during her entire life
Queen Nictoria's first son, Edward, be.
came Edward VII of England, and the
present King George V is his son. Thu:
the King of England and the Emperor
OF Germany ase not only cousins but are
both grandsons of former Queen Vic
toria
The royal families of England and
Russia are related in similar manner
Nicholas ii the ex. Gar, is a cousin Of
King George of England their mother:
being sisters, both daughters of old King
| Christian of Denmark. The ex Gar also
married German princess, who hap
pens to be a cousin of King George
German blood is well represented II
practically all the royal families of Eu
rope, but is especially strong in the
Romanof line. The Russian imperia
fami has married so extensively into
German royal houses that their blood i,
practically as much German as the Kai
ser's.
Princess Sopoie of Prussia, sister of the
Kaiser, is the wife of ex King Constan
tine of Greece. King Albert of heroic
| Belgium likewise has German wife,
Duchess Elizabeth of Bavaria These
are some of the royal personages whom
the war has brought into prominence,
but there is a similar interminging of
blood in the royal families of Spain,
Norway, Sweden, Holland, and other
countries that are still remaining neutral.
The underlying causes of the war, so
obscure at fast, having become clearer
each succeeding month. Political in
trigue in Germany, by which the prince
" military families hoped to re establish
their fast-waning power by bringing
about conflict, and now well known
plan of world conquest politically and
commercially, which the rnling classes
in Germany have been fostering, are to
day only too apparent.
The foundations of Germany's dream
for greater empire were laid back in
1888, when Bismarck dominated the pol
itics and diplomacy of central Europe,
and established the system of alliances.
Trouble was brewing between Russia
and Austria, and Russian troops were
threatening the Austrian frontier The
Gar assured Bismarck that peace would
be maintained if Germany would sup.
port Russia. But Bismarck, forced to
declare in favor of either Russia or Aus
tria, formed an alliance with the latter,
and later Italy was induced to Join.
This was the Triple Alliance, from which
Italy automatically managed to excuse
herself.
After her alliance with Austria, Ger
many cultivated the friendship of Tur,
key, and soon dreamed of an empire ex
tending from the North Sea to Asia
Minor. But whatever may have been
the initial causes, the war is now clearly
the resistance of democracy to despot.
ism The relationship Of royal familie.
is an important factor in SO far as it com
plicates diplomacy and influences leader
sip, but this relationship did not bring
/ on the war. III awning, il has post