The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-10-19
AUSTRIAN CHIEF
HATES GERMANS
And Their lLk
He Distrusted the Later En-
peror and Always Dis
liked Wilhelm.

Austria continues in the pre-agony
state, according to the assertion of
the famous italian war observer, Col.
Barone. with regard to her ability to
Withstand the onslaughts Of the huge
fighting force which Gen. Cadorna is
directing against her. The debacle
for Austria is likely to come at any
time. is the opinion of Col. Freyler.
the Swiss expert: The significant
fact, he observes. is that Germany re-
veals herself entirely unable to lend
aid to her chief ally.
The leaders Of the Dual Monarchy's
forces are being bitterly assailed In
Austria for their impotence in pres
ence Of the Italians. THE commander
fn-chief of defeat Is the term which
is popularity applied to the head of
the Austrian army. The famous chief
of staff, Konrad Won Hoetzendorf, as
well as the subordinate commanders
actually in charge of the fighting
| forces on the Isonzo and in the Tren-
| tino are also the objects of public
scorn.
| It has recently become public that
popular opinion in Germany is not
merely dissatisfied with the military
quality of the Austrian leaders, but
that it suspects them of lack of de-
l
German Great General Staff.
The head of the Austrian army, the |
lArchduke Frederick Charles, was
long ago credited with a whole-heart- |
/ ed hatred of the present German En-
tperor. 1t is related that when the
| Austrian statesmen, In the summer of
1914, were discussing with the late
Emperor Joseph the advisability of
embarking on the great war, the aged
monarch listened patiently to all ar
guments and then proceeded to sum
up for himself the pros and cons.
This Is In our favor he said,
mentioning one point; land that also
is an advantage" mentioning another;
land we have this, and this, and this
for us-but the chief
OF our armies will be Cousin Freder-
lex, and that is against u.s. This has
gone the rounds in Germany as well
as in Austria
The present Emperor Of Austria
was not yet years old when the war
began, and 1t is said that at that
moment he was passing his technical
examination for the rank Of captain.
In view Of the Emperor's great age
and his young heirs inexperience. it
was inevitable, in accordance with
Austrian traditions, that the next
highest Prince Of the blood of ade-
euate aged and military training
should be the cornmander-fn-chief OF
the armies. Thus Frederick Mary AL
\ bert William Charles, grandson of
Emperor Leopold IL, was named the
! Austrian leader. He was So years
old and, oddly enough, was a more
+ popular figure in some Of the Nations
which he was to oppose than among
his allies, the Germans.
Hatred of Germany was one of the
y traditions of his Immediate family.
" His father, Archduke Charles Ferdin-
and, pushed his hatred of the Prus-
sian royal family 50 far that he re-
y manned for two months in bed to
y avoid the necessity of sitting at table
~ with the King of Prussia. His moth
v er, who had previously been married
4 Ito an italian prince, never spoke q
Il word of German, and spent her spare
a time in reading the works of Chat
y eaubriand and other French authors
m and in singing Italian songs, which
" she accompanied on mandolin
q Archduke Frederick's tutors wer,
n a French governess and an Italian
"a dancing mastex, and the present heat
y of the Austrian army preserved sucl
"a an affection for the language o
France that up to the moment of tn
81 war only Frenchs was spoken at hi
"a table.
" It was in order to avoid 'Prussian
u ling himself, as he frankly declared
R3 that he refused to marry any of tn
. various Bavarian, Saxon and, Prussial
n Princesses who were suggested to hin
"a as a spouse, and that he went to seel
IL a wife in Belgium. His choice wa
A made in the Castle of Hermitage, nov
I'D plundered and burned by the Ger
~ mans and the lady whom he won wa
81 1.-The beautiful Isabella. Princess O
"a Croy, whose family was not of roya
d rank, but held noble traditions equa
n at least to those of many of the NOR
w pretentious Of the Teuton houses.
- The new archduchess was at frs
81 Ico1dly received at the court of Wen
~ ma, but soon she imposed herself il
y the very foremost place by authority
I'M lby intelligence and even by force. Sh
w dominated ont only her husband. VIII
A Submitted amorously1to the yoke. bu
~ the entire court, and soon shove,
H. that she could be more naughty, NOR
" observant of traditions and more in
N sistent on etiquette than any othe
woman in it.
Il One of the six daughters born t
II this union was selected to be the wifi
- of the Acknowledgement, Francis Fer
y dinand. but the latter evaded the pro
ID jecteG match by marrying morgln
II
4 F'raulein Sophie Chotek. BY the iron
81 of fate it was the murder of the hei
W to the throne and of the former lady
= il,-waiting which suddenly made tn
ND -Archduke Frederick supreme com
- mander of the Austro- Hungaria.
n Armies.
a According to Jean de Bonnefou( /,
ND the Paris Journal) Frederick sent 70
- the army furnishers on the day whe
1 the mobilization decree was issue
II and instructed them to manufactur
"A Fin large way bold braid, ribbons an
Va ornaments, SO that the Austrian arm
ID les should preserve during the entir
an campaign their ancient traditions Q
" elegance The putting of the troop
n in khaki and the suppression of cor
81 spicuous accessories is declared I
"a have been a sad blow to him. H
W conso1ed himself by organizing hi
an headquarters as a veritable wa
" court, in accordance with the ancier
~ prescription of the Holy Roman En-