Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-02-17

Prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. ID: c.
1t Is cOntented people indeed, who,
when their monarch would abdicate
and make them free, insist that he
still remain their ruler. Such an at
tempted abdication and the refusal to
accept 1t occurred recently in Liecht-
enstein, one of Europe's tiniest indie
pendent states.
Liechtenstein is tucked away In
the eastern Alps south of Lake Con-
stance along the upper Rhine, where
that stream runs in deep valley be-
tween Switzerland and Austria. Be-
fore the World war, Austria was
something more than a neighbor. The
little domain had a customs and pos
tai agreement with the larger state
and in very limited sense therefore
functioned as part of it. But 1t had
It's own hereditary ruler, Prince
Johan III, its own little duly elected
parliament of Is members, and its
own high courts and lesser govern
mental machinery.
There was another tie with Austria,
though in a way 1t was only acci-
dental Prince Johan owned extensive
estates In Austria and by virtue of
their ownership sat In the Austrian
upper house. But Johan also owned
large estates in Germany. In fact
the aggregate acreage of his estates
In various countries amounted to fifty
times the area of land of which he
was monarch with its AZ square miles,
It's greatest length of Is miles and its
greatest width of 9.
Cynics or even mere economists
may find Gin Johan's extensive land
holdings a reason for his high place
In the affections of his people. With
ont seriously feeling the drain on his
large income he has virtually "run"
Liechtenstein from his private purse
so that only the most nominal taxa
ton is known In the little land.
Three-quarters of a century ago the
inhabitants petitioned for an enter
tainment fund and the prince granted
a subsidy, perhaps with a smile. It
was used thereafter to decorate and
illuminate vaduz, the Paris of Liecht-
enstein, when he visited there.
Overlooked by Bismarck
In the Austro-Prussian war back In
the eighteen-sixties Mechtenstein cast
her lot with her ally, Austria. Her
entire population bravely said good-by
to her soldier boys. and the entire
standing army of four score men
marched off to battle. But they ar
rived after the war was over.
! When 1t came to making peace
terms Bismarck nodded. for once. and
! little Liechtenstein was completely
forgotten. 1t was Just as well, or she
might not have retained her freedom.
But, apparently she is determined not
to 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 citIzenry informed the
prince they wanted no more of war
He abolished military service, and
since then disarmament has been
complete in Liechtenstein, though
technically, the country has been al
war with Prussia since 1865.
Not only are there virtually nj
taxes in Liechtenstein, but the coun
try has no public debt. A small levy
is made for keeping up the bikes lest
the Rhine overfiows her fields ir
springtime. Customs and the ready
generosity of her monarch keep hel
treasury filed
This quaint, but archaeological ma
ton, with It's roadside shrines ant
modern typewriters. is somewha
smaller than the District of Columbia
1t is elongated, as il by pressure o
It's neighbor nations. Austria ant
Switzerland. suggesting Mark Twain
complaint about another land where
he said, people had to sleep will
their knees pulled up because the,
couldn't stretch out without a pass
port"
Travellers Pass II BY.
Two fiefs Of the Roman empire
Schellenberg and Vaduz, make up tn
latter day Liechtenstein. Both cam
into possession Of the Liechtenstei
family while their previous oveI
lords were financially embarrassed
J Many travellers passed through tn
little state, within a sight Of tn
vaduz castle mounted on its whit
cliff pedestal. for the route to Davo
: lies that way. But hardly any Of tn
, travellers stopped. When Robel
] Shackleton visited there not man