Evening star., 1934-10-09

of an expanded Serbia and then mon
arch of the greatest south Slav state
in history, the modern kingdom of
Yugoslavia.
Created first as 'the kingdom Of the
Serbs, Croats and Slovenes," the do
mains title was changed by Alexander
on october 3, 1929, to conform to his
program of wiping out centuries-old
racial antagonisms among the various
branches of the south Slavs and knit
ting them togther under new ma
tional consciousness. 1t proved pro-
longed and troublesome task.
After struggling for eight years with
political parties whose quarrels cul-
minated in a shooting affray on the
floor of Parliament, the King on Janu-
ary 6, 1929, proclaimed himself die
tator, clapped on strict censorship,
abolished all political parties, wiped
out the ancient provinces and divided
the country instead into nine ''banats"
and the federal district of Belgrade. A
new constitution, put into effect by
decree September 3, 1881, restored a
parliamentary form of government
but concentrated executive powers in
the monarch.
Difficulty With Neighbors.
In the international field the new
kingdom encountered difficulties with
its neighbors-Italy, Albania, Bull
garia and Austria-over frontier
questions, the rights of alien resi-
dents and activities of subversive
Yugoslavians across the borders.
The brighter side of this picture
was found in the Little Entente, an
alliance of Yugoslavia, Rumania and
Czechosolvakia, backed by France
and pledged to perpetuation Of the
international boundaries established
by the postwar treaties. From this
political background the Entente de-
veloped a considerable measure of
economic unity and Alexander played
his part in both fields.
Opposition to Alexander several
times took violent form. On three
occasions attempts were made to as
saSSinate him and he was the in
tended victim of numerous plots, but
he escaped harm.
Second Son of King Peter.
Alexander was born December IT,
1888, at Cettinje, capital of the now
extinct kingdom Of Montenegro. He
was the second son of Prince Peter
Karageorgevich, then in exile from
Serbia. His mother was daughter of
King Nicholas of Montenegro. AS
boy he was frail
The family purse was far from
plump and the second son was sent to
st. Petersburg, where he was admitted
to the corps of pages of Gar Mich
olas II, last of the Romanoffs. In
1908 Prince Peter was elected King Of
Serbia following the savage aSSaSsina-
ton of King Alexander Obrenovich
and Queen Draga and the family as
sembled in Belgrade. Six years later
the elder son, George, killed a servant
in fit of anger, gave up his right of
succession and Alexander became
crown prince.
In the first Balkan war, in 1912, in
which Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria
| defeated the decaying Turkish Empire,
| Crown Prince Alexander commanded
| the army which drove the Turks out
of Southern Serbia and Macedonia.
When Bulgaria tried to occupy the
lions share of the freed territories
Alexander's troops broke through and
assured Serbia victory IN the second
Balkan war.
Following the assassination in Sara
| ievo on June %, 1914, of Archduke
Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-H Hun
garian throne, Alexander sent a tele-
gram to Gar Nicholas II asking help
for Russia's fellow Slavs. Assured Of
st. Petersburg's aid he rejected the
| Austro- Hungarian ultimatum that the
| big empire should conduct on Serbian
soil the official inquiries into the as
sassination. The act precipitated the
World War.
Wounded in Battle.
In that conflict Alexander, wounded
and defeated in the early fighting, led
his troops in the terrible retreat
through Albania to the sea and re-
formed them on the Island of Corfu.
He rejoined the allied cause at Salon
ika and, helped by the French, thrust
the Austrians from Macedonia in
1917. Finally on November 8, 1918, he
led his soldiers back into Belgrade.
Nine days later Montenegro united it
self to Serbia.
On November 26 King Peter. then
| 76 years old, relinquished his powers,
| vesting them in Alexander as prince
regent. A month later the former
Austro- Hungarian provinces of Croatia.
Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
voted to unite with Serbia and the
kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slo-
venes came into being All sections
hailed Alexander as "the liberator.
Peter died August 16, 1921, and