Evening star., 1936-12-13
BY FERDINAND TUOHY.

BY FERDINAND TUOHY.
- UROPE'S growing tendency
- toward some form of fascism
lends, on account of this
- creeds undeniable affliation
with monarchy of the unconstitu.
tional kind, a new feel of actuality
to the several restoration movements
afoot. as it does to the personalities
Of the claimants.
Chances that seemed Of the Slim
NEST short while back are no longer
so today, as those arch enemies Of
restorations, the Marxists and Social
lists, find themselves increasingly hard
put to 1t.
Despite contradictions, the link be-
tween fascism and monarchy is clear.
Perhaps Hitler has not shown more
than an historical piety toward the
Hohenzollerns-yet Mussolini has held
to the veteran of Savoy through it
all. Why? Because certain religious
and traditional ingredients had to be
retained. Maybe King Edward, as
much a leader of his country as any
dictator, will never desert constitu-
tionalism-nor, for that matter, will
any of their five majesties of Scandi-
navia and the low countries. But
journey to the other end of Europe
and very different monarchical pic
ture Is encountered.
Greece's King has openly espoused
fascism and King Carol and Boris
only await the psychological moment
to follow suit-they having in the
meantime introduced little less than
personal rule. And if it were not for
the lone, though decisive, hand of
Prince Paul of Jugoslavia, who hap
pens at once to be chief regent and
G man Of character, the English con-
ception Of sovereignship, which he
hopes to preserve another four years
for 13-year-old King Peter, would
have been swept away before now.
As the great divide in Europe be-
comes more insistent, monarchists
emerge as the spearhead of Fascist
causes-witness the Carlists in North
ern Spain. 1t may be that fascism
can dispense with monarchists once
the victory is won, but 1t Is no less
true that without the monarchists
fascism could not win. 1t is certainly
no overstatement to say that Fascist
upheavals-to-come will automatically
be shot with the possibilities of .
restoration in their wake; hence the
spreading limelight for the pretenders
of 1886. And what contrast between
them and those who have filled such
roles in years gone by!
In other days, pretenders to thrones
were typed, If any men were. The
late Duke Of Orleans, who died 10
years ago, personifled the last Of his
kind-the rich and idle prince in exile
who sustained q minor court, and little
else, whose faithful devotees Jour-
neyed about, fulfilling anything in the
propaganda or intrigue line. The
prince preferred his regal ease; any
way, he was above such things.
Claimants Still Young.
The claimants Of today-and there
are not less than six (some say eight
of them-are all postwar young men
still in their 20s, as different as could
be from their forerunners Of relatively
recent times. They have taken de-
grees, they fly, they work. Weaned
in a world of violent changes, the
majority of them want at all hazards
to f1t themselves to be super -arbiters,
convinced that such will be the nature
Of the call, Of the human commodity
required, If and when they should be
summoned to their respective coun-
tries.
Where they even more strikingly
differ from pretenders of the past Is
their attitude to restoration. Not
only do they wish to 60 back as far as
possible on their personal merits but
they evince small liking for coups
d'etat.
The King Of the Hellenes set the
style last Winter when he as good as
told his Greeks: IF you want me,
you just say so-by q majority vote!"
Since then Otto Of Hapsburg has been
hardly less explicit. These young gen.
tlemen in waiting desire permanence,
not to be fired out again, 50 they
maneuver for . maximum Of legality.
Seldom are they out OF the head
lines for long. At this juncture there
Is q tendency to keep Juan, Prince Of
Asturias, steadily In view. Franco
Is religiously for the late monarchy.
However. even Alfonso's best friends
think he might be passed over as too
redolent Of past and tragic failure.
But what price this handsome and
outstanding modern young prince Of
"a, bred in the British Navy, who has
mercifully escaped the disastrous
heredity inflicting his brothers?
Juan married cousin of Bourbon
Hapsburg and for honeymoon went
around the world. He Is now installed
on the Riviera, where . small daugh-
ter recently appeared. When jour-
nalists sought to interview him
apropos the civil war he sent word that
he was "far too busy" Too busy at
what? Being crammed III things
Spanish, past, present and future.
Learning the Job Of postwar king
craft. For Juan Is handicapped in
one respect-he went to sea instead
Of to . university Though hs was
for quite brief spell at Louvain) and
neithsr holds The degrees nor hAs