Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-25

Ine congress WHICH COulQ udHCe'
but not advance was the epigram of
the Prince de Ligne, applied to the
famous congress of Vienna, and which
is recalled now by diplomatists in con-
nection with the reports of the fes-
tivities in Paris and London preceding
the approaching peace congress of YER
sailles. Then they hastily add that
it is not intended to intimate that this
congress will fail to advance, only
well, they wish it would start.
1.-The emperors dance" it was written
of the Vienna congress. 1.-The kings
dance, Metternich dances. Only Tai
leyrand does not dance He plays
whist" The story, as related by
Charles Downer Hazen, goes on to say
sleighing party, it's dinners, it's gala
performances at the theaters, its routs
and balls and masquerades.
Dying Princes Comments.
1.-The Prince de Ligae, dying in the
midst of all this revelry,'' continues
Mr. Hazen's historical sketch. was
fully conscious of the social utility of
the demise of so distinguished a per-
son as himself and said gayly, in the
authentic spirit of the old regime, I
am preparing for the members of the
congress new amusement: the OBJ
sequies of field marshal. a cavalier
Of the golden fleece 1t was reserved
for the prince to find a new use for
adversely, a new flip for safety
There was a soldier and a gentleman
for you. making a jest of his death
and offering the ceremonies attractive
Il L.
versions to kill time for the assembled
noblesse. One feels that this de Ligne
must have been a charming fellow
with delightful sense of worldly
humor.
Who is doing the Tallevrand part
now. the diplomats wonder. Who is
playing whist? Might it be Col House,
they venture.
Man Of Elba Was Absent.
The chronicle of the Vienna congress
points out that the most illustrious
personages in Europe were present
with one significant exception, the
man of Elba, who was not invited or
expected and yet whose animating per-
sonality was the direct cause of this
mobilization of the worlds celebrities
Another coincidence: Herr Hohenzol-
lern, that Eliminating personality" who
was directly responsible for the COM
ing gathering of celebrities, will be
conspicuous by his absence. He is de-
tanned by a little job of telling trees
on the estate of Count Bentinck up in
Holland.
Many points of similarity or con-
trast in the situations then and now
are found by diplomatists. Then, the
four greatest nations set about to
formulate the plans for the congress.
which were to be afterward accepted
by all the signatories of the original
treaty Of peace, eight nations. Rus
STA, Prussia, Austria and England
were the -Four; now it is to be Eng
land. France, Italy, Belgium and the
United States. and they will dispose of
questions affecting Russia, Prussia,
Austria and other nations.
Another Coincidence.
In view of the reports that some of
the overseas powers may have reach
ed understandings among themselves
before the arrival on the scene of
President Wilson. it is recalled by the
diplomatists that such a situation
did arise in the Vienna congress. pro-
posed to be at the expense of France
and Belgium. Mr.. Hazen, in his re-
view, thus describes it:
although the congress had been
postponed during the summer until
the first Of October, in order to enable
the car 10 VISIT RUSSIA, lHe pieHl-
potentiaries Of the four allied nations
arrived in Vienna toward the middle
of September, and from the 10Th
onward they held meetings with each
other. On the 22d they decid-
ed upon the general method of
the procedure of the congress. A
commission, consisting of the repre-
sentatives of the four England.
Russia, Prussia and Austria), and of
France and Spain in addition, was to
prepare the work on all matters of
general European concern; and
commission of five leading German
states, Austria. Prussia, Wurttemberg,
Saxony, was to prepare the proposed
federal constitution for Germany.
Territory Distribution.
1.-The four also signed a protocol to
the effect that they intended to settle
among themselves the distribution of
the Polish, German and Italian terri
tories renowned by Napoleon, and
comprising thirty-two millions of
people, the main business in fact of
the congress, that only after having
agreed among themselves would they
communicate their decisions to France
and Spain. and then only would they
listen to any suggestions or objections
to these two.
however, only to the four, when Tai
leyrand reached Vienna on September
"a He suspected long before he
knew that the allies would seek to
prevent France from sitting in the
meetings that were to decide the
weighty matters of the day. But he
had no notion of acauiescing in any
such arrangement. AS he himself ex-
pressed it. he was both able and knew