South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-24
LittIeSt Nation
Submits Bid for
Place liz League

WASHINGTON. u. c.. Aug. ga
II some McCutcheon would but for
sake mythical Graustarks and write
the bald facts about Liechtenstein.
what a fascinating. swash- buckling.
bizarre romance ne could compose,
says bulletin from the National
Geographic society concerning the
tiny principally that delivered an
uitimatum" 20 the peace conference
tie other day demanding a placd
in the League OF Nations.
LdeChtcnstein IS about the size Of
The District Of Columbia The last
of IFS princes, who ruled 10 until
about a year ago. OWNED estates out
right that almost equalled the area
of Delaware He sat in the upper
house Of Austria. and ruled his MINI
iature domain principally by long
distance telephone. When the citi-
zens asked for g. constitutional gov
eminent he created "a parliament Of
is members. appointed a governor
with a cabinet. and granted suffrage
TO all males.
Princes Paid Upkecp.
Long the princes have paid for
the upkeep OF Liechtenstein largely
from the enormous incomes Of their
private property. The inhabitants
Petitioned for an entertainments fund
and Johann III, who abdicated last
year. granted a subsidy, perhaps
with a smile. II was used thereafter
TO decorate Vaduz. the Paris Of
Liechtenstein, and to set the foun-
tains playing and tho fireworks go
ing when ne visited there.
In the Austro- Prussian war Liech-
tenstein cast her lot with her ally,
Austria Her entire population
bravely said goodbye TO her soldier
boys; and the entire standing army
OF four score men marched of to
war was over.
When II came TO making peace
terms Bismarck nodded for once
and little Liechtenstein was com
pletely forgotten. II was just as well
or she might not have retained her
freedom. But. apparently. she is de-
termined not 10 be ignored again.
Her army marched home again.
stacked their muskets and hung
their leather helmets the bugler's
trumpet. and the captains sword
IN the ancient castle OF Vaduz.
where they remain today The citi-
zenry informed the prince they
wanted no more Of war He abol-
ished military service. and since then
there has been no standing army.
though. technically. Liechtenstein
has been at war with Prussia since
1856
Paid No Taxes.
Moreover Liechtenstein paid vir-
tually no taxes nor did she have a
public debt so long as her princes
ruled 4 small levy was made for
keeping up the bikes lest the Rhine
overflow her fields in spring time.
Customs and the ready generosity of
her monarchs kept her treasury hll-
ed.
This quaint. but archaeological
and hOt-water- heated nation. with
its roadside shrines and modern
typewriters, lies in the eastern Alps
south OF Lake Constance, scene Of.
Count Zeppelin's early aerial ven
lures with the Rhine for IFS vest
ern border II is elongated as If by the
pressure OF it's neIghbOr nations,
Austria and Switzerland, suggesting
Mark Twain's complaint about an
other land where he said. people
had 20 sleep with their knees pull
ed UP because they couldn't stretch
out without a passport"
Two fefs OF the Roman empire,
Schallenberg and Vaduz, make up
the latter day Ldechtenstein. Both
tenstein family while their previous
overlords We're financially embar-
raised. Many travellers passed
through the little state. within a
sight of the Vaduz castle mounted
on its white cliff pedestal. for the
route from Paris 20 Vienna lies that
way That is why Liechtenstein's
threat 10 stop communication might
be annoying. But none OF the trav-
eIlers ever stopped. When Robert
ShackIeton visited there not many
years ago ne was welcomed as the
first American 10 set foot in the
country.
Darger Than Monaco.
Yet Liechtenstein. small as Il is.
IS larger than the OFT visited Monaco
Its peasants are simple, sturdy
shrewd folk. intensely proud of the
bright stone OF the Alps which.
they love 10 recall. has not been
captured for a thousand years.
There are good schools. even TO
kindergartens. and the abundant
water power makes electricity avail
able 20 the humblest residents OF
Naduz or the smaller towns
Cattle raising and agriculture are
two industries The stalwart men
are not 20 be misjudged by the fact
that nearly all Of them embroider
and wear earrings. The origin Of
the earrings is not clear. but the
embroidery IS a common occupation
IN the adjoining Swiss cantons.
Many American folk 90 whom
Liechtenstein is no more than
name have bought linen hJudker-
chiefs in department stores which
We're embroidered by these noun
taineers after their outdoor work of
uliing and herdiug cattle
The tolerant and whimsical Jo- /
H.e