The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-08
THECASE OF LUXEMBOURG
interesting History of Small Country Struggling for LfeNo
Too, Successfully But There Is Bound to Be Another.
More Serious Fight With Germany

II this Is the age OF tho small coun
try, for which President Wilson stands
sponsor, the grand duchy of IIuxem-
bourg aEsuredly Is entitled to more
than passing interest, There GER
tainly is no doubt as to the srnallness
OF this little prdncipahty, best at
tested by the fact that for the past SOC
years it has been lost habitually In the
shuttle whenever Europe took TO one
of it's chronic attacks of indigestion.
The writer, who was born In the
city Of Luxembourg. whore he was
educated and where he spent the
better part OF his youth, believes
that ne can speak with authority on
g subject which he is certain will be
Of more or less interest at this time
80 small IN fact, is Luxembourg
that the average American, and even
the averase European. invariably
takes ii for granted that the grand
duchy belongs to Germany.
Before proceeding let us therefore
brush up bit on our history as well
as geography. The grand duchy, of
Luxembourg. now refxned over by
Grand Duchess Adelaide. is a constitu-
tional monarchy. Luxembourg has
baen the bone of contention Of the
European powers since the days OF
TO the Romans as well as 30 the Holy
Roman empire of the Germans. 1t
then fell TO Burgundy, after which
Spain took IT, only TO lose II TO Aus
tria-
Some History.
In 1872 It was coded to France, it's
status then being a duchy. Sub
senuentiy II was tossed over to Hol-
land after losing half It's territory. in
consideration OF which 1t was elevated
to the honor of grand duchy. The
other half of 1t forms today the Bel
gian PROVINCE of Luxembourg. In
1887. by the treaty OF London. to
which all the powers were sienatories
Prussia inciuded--the grand duchy,
of Luxemo ourg, was MADE a neutral
sovereign state. under guarantee or
the powers. This little toy country
about the size OF the state of Rhode
fsland-~-forms buffer" between
western and southern Germany, moth
ern France and eastern Belgium. It's
shape being somewhat triangular.
Population about 500. 900. The capital
In Luxembourg, before 1872 called
the northern Gibraltar" due TO it's
impregnable Notifications, RACED In
1872 BY consent of the powers,
Of1cial language la French. though
everv Luxembourgeois speaks fluent,
bad high German, but prefers to talk
Ia,xem bourg, which Is an awful mix
ture of bad French and still worse
German. The law OF the land Is the
Code Napoleon, the same as the
Trench, Pet averslons: Germans and
everything German, best attested by
the refrain OF the national hymn, DE
Feietwon," the closing words OF which
are: Mir welle 10 Keng Preiee sin y
I'VE don't want TO be Prussians). By
sympathy and preference the Luxem-
bourgeois are French first and always,
Belgdans as a second choice, Germans
God forbid!
oh. yes: forgot 10 state that
Luxembourg has quite an army-20o
men high---all volunteers! And ! must
not neglect the $50 gendarmes. all OF
whom nnd little difficulty in keeping
the state in good order.
German Insults
For a generation hack Germany has
cast covetous chances at the little
country--no doubt on the principle
that HE who does not honor the
pfennix IL unworthy OF the thaler,"
- to it's insidipus and clumsy
methods. however, little hesdwny was
made In Germanixing the Luxem-
bourgeois How could II. when every
Prussaan drummer in his characteristic
boisterous manner. irritated his hear
ers In the cafes when he proclaimed
with loud guffaw: "Jawohl. metne
hsrrsn, during the neat war wen COB
Die ysu upl eash e little By s0{ "A