Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-18
1.-THE SON OF BLACK GEORGE"


THE death at an advanced respected age
4 OF King Peter Karageorgevich, "Son of
Black George suggests that time is not
invariably 'envious and eliminating" 1t
was this undcniably picturesque chieftain
whom the majority of the European Powers
were loath to recognize as King of Serbia
following the brutal assassination of King
Alexander and Queen Draga in 1908. The
suspicion that the rival claimant to the
throne was in some way implicated in the
murder plot was never definitely cffaced.
Great Britain, as a protest against the
rcgicidcs, refused to entertain diplomatic
relations with Serbia until 1906. Yet
within a little more than eight years France,
Russia and Britain herself were ranged as
champions of King Peters Government and
the integrity of his nation in a conflict un-
paralleled in human annals.
The Serbian epic became involved in the
larger considerations of the European catas-
trophe and yet the Homeric quality of little
Serbia's superb stand against her Austrian
oppressors and the almost superhuman sue
cess achieved until German military aid was
invoked rank among the most prodigiOus
fcats of the war.
King Peter old but still sturdy, shared
in the hcroism. Age, however, and perhaps
" consequent iuuDllllS 10 bTuSU lut new
order. told against him in the end. He was
forced to observe the almost conventionalIzed
Serbian practice of abdicaton, and in 1919
he surrendered his throne to the regent and
official heir apparent, Prince Alexander,
who assumed charge of the newly constituted
Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
Exiled for time in Greece, the "Son Of
Black George was eventually privileged to
attain his wish of "a grave on Serbian
SOIL
On the whole, barring the cloud upon his
accession to the throne, there are factors Of
an honorable fame, cast in an antique mold,
in King Peters life story. It's clements of
drama have been seldom matched. The
origin of his virilc peasant line goes back
to the original BLACK George" chosen
leader of n cruelty prosecuted. ignorant and
well nigh savage people in their struggle
for independence from Turkey. which as
sumed major proportions in 1901.
Karagcorgc, the peasant, some say a
swnchcrd. was chosen commander in chief
of n reawakencd nation that once had been
great in Eastern Europe. After several
typically Balkan dynastic overturns his son,
Alexander Karagcorgevich. assumed the
throne as prince in 1912. He, too. ran the
gamut of respect and reputation, deferrng
to the rival Obrenovich line sixteen years
later.
Belief that the Karageorgcviches were
permanently out of favor persisted in Europe
until the c0rpscs of Alexander and Draga
were thrown from the windows of the palace
in Belgrade. Old Peter diSabused the world
of several false notions. including the one
that Serbia could be bullicd and oppressed
with impunity.
Like his own people. he was primitive.
proud, courageous; perhaps, in the words of
katiSha, Just wee bit bloOdthirsty." The
Serbia which he symbolzcd is passing.
Heroism abides in this vire race, but
civilization and enhanced opportunities
founded upon long -belatcd reunion of
kindred peoples are making rapid inroads.
In King Peter there is an echo of that
crude and vivid romance with which the
stormy history of Serbia is inoffaceaby
Ouickencd