Evening star., 1923-11-12
BY THE MARaUIsE DE FoNTENoY.


Since the Politica, the leading daily
newspaper Of Belgrade, has seen
fit to violently attack the Serbian
government in the matter, there can
be no indiscretion in revealing the
fact that the festivities there in con-
nection with the marriage of Prince
Paul of Serbia. the other day, and
of the christening of the newborn son
and heir of the King and Queen of
Serbia. did not pass off without dis
agreeable contretemps.
A somber note was furnished to
both ceremonies by the Grape shroud-
ed and unwelcome presence Of Queen
Sophia OF Greece, who, as the ex-
kaiser's most aggressive and least
pleasant sister, distinguished herself
throughout the war by her intense
tente, helping Germany in every way,
and so gravely prejudicing the posi-
tion of her husband, the much harass-
ed and rather stupid King Constan-
tine, that he was twice dethroned
first in 1916, and then in 1922, and
sent off throughly discredited to die
in exile.
The Duke of York and his duchess
represented the royal family of Eng
land at the double ceremonies at Bel
grade, which the King and Queen of
Rumania likewise attended. Now
not only Serbia, but also Rumania,
dered by the kaisers armies, the Teu-
ton destruction of the two countries
having been of a particularly bar
barous and ruthless character.
x !: x
| The Serbians, in particular, had
reason to bitterly complain of Queen
Sophia's visit. For they had an Of
fensive and defensive treaty with
Greece by the terms of which the
latter was called upon to come to
their assistance in the event of for
eign invasion. VeniZelos, when prime
minister of Greece in the early stages
of the great war, made preparations
to live up to the terms of this treaty,
but was arbitrarily prevented from
doing SO by King Constatine, at the
instance of Queen Sophia, with the
result that the entire cabinet re-
signed.
The King and Queen of Greece
thereupon permitted the establish
ment Of all kinds of naval bases for
Germany on the Greek coast, furnish
ed Berlin with much valuable informa-
ton and even went so far as to trans
fer the possession of Greek frontier
stronghold. in such fashion to Ger
man troops as to enable the latter
to attack Serbia at one of her par
ticularly vulnerable points.
The result of Queen Sophia's
presence at Belgrade was that the
festivities were cut short and that the
pointedly held aloof from her
throughout their stay. left as quickly
as possible. The bride Of Prince Paul,
it is true, was Prince Olga of Greece.
She Is not the daughter. however,
but merely a niece of Queen Sophia,
Serbian king and queen and their
Serbian king and queen and the
their guests, creating a most dis
agreeable impression upon all the
participants in the ceremony and
upon the people of Serbia generally.
lessness of Queen Sophia, whose me-
mortal at Athens consists Of the
slaughter houses on the Chicago plan
with which she endowed the city,
whereas her Romanoff mother-in-
law. Queen Olga, has her equally
characteristic memorial there in the
magnificent Evangelican hospital,
which she built, endowed and, to a
great extent, managed, as long as she
made her home in Greece.
= X 4
Sir George Lloyd, who was un-
known as an administrator and as
politician when he was suddenly ap-
pointed to the governorshfp OF Bonn
bay In 1918, his only qualification for
the offlce being extensive travels in
the orient and especially In central
Asia, has made his mark in India
and is leaving there, on the COM
pletion OF his very successful term
thereof For the great barrage over
the Indus at Sukkur is to bear his