The New York herald., 1922-12-10
ESTATES CONFISCATED
Only Two Small Country
Residences Left and Both
Heavily Mortgaged.
STATE TOOK WINE STOCK
Charles in Switzerland Was in
Poverty and Had to Sell
Jewels.

Special Correspondence TO THE NEW YoaK
HERALD.
VIENNA, Nov. 25.--Few people know
that the heirs of the late ex-Emperor
Charles would still be among the rich
est families in Europe If their fortune
was not partly confscated and partly
sequestrated by the Austrian Republic
and the other succession States OF the
former monarchy. One hears so much
OF the great need Of former Empress
Zita and her children, who have found
q, refuge in Spain through the mag
nanimity of King Alphonso, that the
story OF what the family Of the last
Emperor of the Dual Empire would
really possess, If its private property
had remained untouched. sounds like
romantic legend.
1t is told in a little booklet by DR..
Albert Schager Won Eckartsau, till res
Gently administrator Of the imperial
properties in Austria, and It shows
that never in modern times was there
such downfall Of q once powerful
dynasty. DIR. Schager says that the
time is near when the world will be
ashamed Of the unnecessary humilia-
ton dealt out to Charles and his wife
and children. If, he says, lawfulness
and honesty were still valid, this state
Of things could not continue. He col
lects all data connected with the de-
tails Of this problem, examines the
legal arguments that led to the vari-
Gus .confiscations and sequestrations
and comes to the result that Austria,
Czecho- Slovalsia, Hungary and Italy
are guilty of breach of the law
which would not have been tolerated
in any ordinary case.
Facts Overlooked.
DR.. Schager Is of course a stanch
monarchist and legitimist, and cannot
as such recognize the force of revolu-
tionary development or the political
changes in this portion Of Europe. He
also overlooks the fact that In the case
Of Czecho- -SlovalSia, Austria and Italy,
the monarchist propaganda OF Charles
and Zita and the various attempts at
restoration have aggravated the prob
lem and added to its legal side politi-
cal tinge, which makes II more COM
plicated and dangerous than it would
otherwise be.
1t is a we'll known fact that Charles
as we'll as Zita renounced their abdi-
cation, and that Zlta regards her eldest
son. Archdulxe Otto, as the lawful king
OF Hungary, and probably also as pos
sible future emperor Of q new Austrian
or Austro- Hungarian monarchy. This
makes the republics on former Austre-
Hungarian soil and the neighbors, who
swallowed up the territories of the old
empire, restive and drives them into
an attitude OF determined resistance
against all attempts at restoring to Che
pretendcrs financial resources that could
be used against their territorial gains
or their very existence.
II is only just to consider the sltua-
ten from both sides. even IL human
sympathy is on the side OF the sufferers
by fate which Is certainly very cruel
for them personally. and not only in
jured the imperial couple but also hun
dreds OF thousands of innocent citizens
who never worried about politics.
DR.. Schaser states that the private
fortune of the imperial family has still
a value OF many millions of Austrian
crowns and that II would be sufficiently
large to permit the empress and her
family life suited to their rank II the
technical obstacles could be removed
The private estates and other properties
In Austria alone are big enough for that
purpose. BY law OF April 3. 1919, the
Austrian republic conflscated the total
mobile and immobile property OF the
dynasty and transmitted II into fund
for war invalids and orphans