The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-18
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

It is well known that Austria-Hun- gary is crazy quilt of nations. and that the Austro- Hungarian monarchy is the home of a tangle of races, d chaos of religions and a Babel of speeches.
 As to race, the three main ones are the Germans, the Slavs and the Mag vars (EIungarians). Besides these there are Roumanians, Jews, Italians and number of Gypsies. Francis Joseph had a job in trying to rule over IS na- tionalities, for he was the actual as well as the nominal master of this many European states.
 He may not have been the greatest statesman of his day. he may not have been the most successful warrior of his times, but, believe me, he was some driver. for a charioteer who could drive a dozen and half unruly states abreast for a series of years withou. having serious runaway or danger- ous spill. evidently knew how to reign.
 Now, I am going to pass up the re- ligious issues involved, for no one is wise enough to bring into harmony all sies, and, besides, the split between the east and west is, to say the least of it NO Mans Land" for Protestant, and therefore I do not propose to set myself scratched on the barb wire en- tanglements of religious war which has lived for centuries
 Neither is this any time to revive religious prejudices over John Husa and Bohemia. for the drive is really for those who have differed sharply in matters ecclesiastical to come to- gether for the purpose of raising funds for our soldier boys, and I am not wishful to put stumbling block in the way of the Presidents plan, but am willing to leave the whole mattec where it should be left-to the con- sciences of those who will have to settle it for themselves and give as they see fit, either to the combine or by way of designation.
 am also not going into the geo. graphy of the dual monarchy, for Aus tria Hungary has many surprises to offer merely when viewed from a physical standpoint, with it's moun- tains. rivers. lakes and sea-that is if any one of the latter is to be left after the peace terms are settled, for it looks at present as if she will find does Russia
 I am going to. however. just skirt on the polyglot situation which is enough to give q real linguist delirium tremens when he thinks of endeavoring to make himself understood throughout the empire. It's Kingdom where the interpreter ought to do a thriving bus mess. The average American diplomat thinks that to be supposed to be able to converse fluently in French is too much to ask of the representative of a great democratic nation, but Francis Joseph at an early age could speak and read with ease the eight languages which are used in the Austrian em- pire.
 Soon the time will arrive when the discussion of what constitutes nation. ality will pass from the academic to the polemic stage, and some will con- tend for natural boundaries. others for the preserving of the races intact, while still some may say it ought to be a matter. of language. If the latter be true then Alsace and Lorraine will NSurely be a problem. for both French and Germans have been rivals for gen erations.
 Francis Joseph made the hit of his life when, as archduke, the nationa. Magyar movement in Hungary was at fever heat of excitement and patriots attached special value to the use of the Hungarian language in official acts instead of German or Latin. when he addressed them in purest Magyar. They cried themselves hoarse over 1t and then some months later when Hungary was in full revolt agains.