The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-08

private nature carried OH Dy inc IN
vaders during the war are following In
the footsteps Of the monarchies assem-
bled at the Congress Of Vienna Just
1o4 years ago. The FIRST Napoleon dur
ing his interminable wars may be said
TO have plundered Continental Europe
from one end to the other. carrying
or from national institutions, from
royal palaces and private houses all
the masterpieces Of art on which he
could lay his hands. Indeed, at the
time OF his overthrow there was hardly
a single public or private collection in
the length and breadth OF Europe that
had not been depleted of It's principal
treasures by Napoleon or by his Cen
erals, who had carted almost every
thing of to Paris.
When the Allies got to Paris and
the ancient royal house Of Bourbon
was restored to the throne OF France.
steps were taken Immediately by the
French Government to return TO the
foreign nations their lost treasures.
Those In public museums and i'm
perial palaces, of course, were easily
traced, but many had passed through
a number OF sales into private hands
ard never were recovered. Some of
the finest masterpieces OF the royal
and national collection OF paintings
that at the beginning of the nineteenth
century were at Madrid to-day are
at Apsley House, the London home of
the fourth Duke OF Wellington. King
Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal
Soult were carrying them off from
g. IN to Qnnila nf W
their entire baggage trains were cap
tured by the first Duke OF yelling
ton. Tho cases were sent unopened
t. England. On his return there, at
the close OF the Peninsular War and
when he aScertained their contents,
| he notified King Ferdinand of Spain
and took steps to ship them back to
Madrid. But Ferdinand insisted upon
his keeping the entire collection as a
token Of the gratitude OF the Spanish
/ nation for its emancipation from Ma
poleonic tyranny.
A Halt Had TO BE Called.
While everybody Is familiar with the
manner IN which the Congress OF
! Vienna brought about the restoration
&C. Venice OF her famous bronze
horses which she herself had plundered
from Constantinople. where in 1906
they still adorned what IL now the
Mosque OF st. Sophia, but few are
aware that the plenipotentiaries en-
deavored to inaugurate n sort of gen.
eral restitution OF art treasures that
lad been obtained by force, and tina,
had figured as the spoils Of war. Thus
the congress. while It secured the res
toration TO the Vatican Of that mas
terpiece OF Raphael. THE Transfig
uration," insisted upon the return e
Germany Of the treasures OF the Pala
tine Library OF Heidelberg, which hat
been looted in the Thirty Years Wa
sno which for the two subsequent cen
turtles had been preserved in thu
Pcntincal Library.
This had the result OF bringing HON,
to the various Governments concerned
the awkwardness that would ensue II
the even. OF reservations being re-
quired OF everything that had beef
captured in war in previous centuries
There was no reason why the proces!
should not be extended TO art treasures
and to other property that had been IL
the possession OF their owners for hun
dreds OF years, going back TO the time
of the Crusades. the title to which wa
tainted as originally obtained by fore
or by plumber. Therefore a halt wa
called. since otherwise the city o
Venice might have been compelled 4
return to Constantinople the bronz
horses which II had Just recovered
from France.
, But democracies are more dispose
to insist upon a rigorous application o
the rights OF ownership regardless o
what may be described a. vested in
terests than absolute monarchies
: which predominated at the Congress
OF Vienna. The Paris Congress of 1915
having once started upon the principl
OF restitution Of loot may he relic
upon TO carry the matter through re
: CARELESS OF consequences, Thus. Aus
; tria is being required to return t
Italy not only the loot which she Oh
tanned when she overran the north