The New York herald., 1921-12-18
Mid Europe Is
Upset By Crown
of st. Stephen
Feudalism Dating Back to
Year 1000 Is Real Source
of Small States Strife.

Special Correspondence to THE NEW YORK
HERALD.
BRAT1sLAvA, Czecho-Slovakia, Dec. /.
The sensational return to Hungary
OF ex-Emperor Charles and his am
bilious wife in their last unsuccessful
attempt to regain the throne brought
to head the smouldering wrath Of
Czecho- -Slovallia and the other States of
the Little Entente which have never
yet been able to make the Allies un-
derstand the real nature OF their de-
man5s In regard to Austria and Hun
gary, especially Hungary. That Is he
cause western European thought Is
modern. 1t goes no farther back than
the era of Bismarck. But In central
Europe thought is feudal. 1t goes back
to the year 1000. The real trouble is
neither Hapsburg nor Horthy. The
real trouble is the crown OF st. Stephen
To Americans who know feudalism
as something they fiunked in in his
tory an explanation is necessary. The
crown of st. Stephen as a crown Is
an affair of fine gold set with good
many valuable Jewels. It was a pres
ent from the Pope of Rome to Stephen,
first Christian King of Hungary. who
was crowned with the Pope's gift crown
In the year 1000. With this crown.
jewel set. and furnished with a sym
bollc double cross. every king Of Hun
gary has been crowned since. and cv-
cry emperor of Austria since the year
1925. Even Charles, successor of Franz
tu1c txrffh t,a To
could not have been the acknowledged
King of Hungary until he was so
crowned.
For the crown of st. Stephen is not
only an emblem of royalty. II is the
symbol of a feudal Power much
stronger than that Of any ordinary dy-
nasty. Whoever wears It is lord OF
Hungary. Austria and Bohemia.
Ruled Over Magyar Barons.
When the Pope presented 1t to King
Stephen in the year 1000 Stephen was
overload of limited number of Mag
var barons. But in the next five hun
dred years this domain was widcned,
and the overlordship passed into other
hands.
BY the year 1926 It was in the Dos
session OF the Hapsburgs. and that
of Hungary but Duke OF Austria and
elected King of Bohemia. The crown
OF st Stephen ruled all three Of these
Countries. That Is. the wearer OF the
crown was overlord OF the barors OF all
three. Moreover, the wearer and all his
successors believed that their over
lordship could never be lost. Tho
Pope had thus commanded In the year
1000 and nothing could alter or change
the fact
IL seems quite fantastic that a decree
OF dead and gone pope of the year
1000 could have any bearing on the
politics OF 1921. but several hundred
thousand troops in tin hats, model 1918,
modified on Hungarian frontiers testify
that such is the case.
The fact is that the crown of st.
stephen Is the only constitution, written
or unwritten, that Hungary has ever
had. For good many years Hungary
had Parliament. outwardly modern. IL
reactionary but the object of Parlia-
nent was the conduct OF local business.
AS far as national affairs were con-
cerned. they we're settled IN the year
1000. The whole struggle with Austria,
which ended In the establishment of the
Dual Monarchy, was n struggle TO force
Austria TO acknowledge the decree of
tho remote pope and to accept the crown
Of ST. stephen.
The coronation OF the Hungarian
kings since 1926 has been attended by
a picturesque ceremony, formerly hold
In Bratlslava, latterly In Budapest. The
monarch. having been crowned with
the crown OF St Stephen, rode IN gor-
geous cavalcnde to the appointed spot,
where he halted with all his train.
Drawing his sword, he pointed II to
the four points of the compass and in
loud tones swore 10 hold and to preserve
during his entire reign the domain of
Austria, Hungary and Bohemia.