The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-30
BY MILTON BRONNER (NEA Service Staff Correspondent

(NEA Service Staff Correspondent)
 London, April 30-Out of the iumbled wreckage of two once stall wart royal houses, a young mechanic and a pretty duchess-without-a- crown are about to build a private life of their own on a far commoner plane than that of their ancestors.
 When Louis Ferdinand Hohenzol- Tern and Kira Romanof visit the United States in the course of their honeymoon cruise, Americans will see the modest young heirs to thrones-mere shadow thrones now-which once symbolized two of the greatest imperial dynasties the world has ever known.
 Louis Ferdinand still has the the courtesy title of prince. Kira has the courtesy title of grand duchess. But it's no more than courtesy, be- cause Germany no longer an em- pire, but a powerful Nazi state, and Russia is no longer an empire, but a powerful bolshevik state.
 The difference between Louis and his Kira is that she dare not go back to Russian, whereas the young bridegroom is quite safe in his na- tive Germany Whatever the thoughts of his grandfather, the former Emperor Wilhelm II, the old man dare not utter them, because the Nazis could cut off revenues and his place of exile in Doorn, Holland, would then be a mournful spot indeed. Louis father the for mer crown prince, is still what he was berofe the empire fell-a royal playboy with love for fast mo- tor cars, a palate for good wines and food, and rowing eye that overlooks no pretty women.
 Kaiser's Pet
 Today Louis Ferdinand is the ap- pie of his grandfather'S eye. The eldest grandson-William Frederick, heir" to the headship of the House of Hohenzollern-lost his place and all that goes with 1t in the family by following the dictates of his heart and marrying commoner, pretty Dorothy Salviati. He thereby for feited all priority rights.
 Prince Louis has been cannier. All his life he has been. He was only seven when the World war broke out. All around him he saw troops on the move, heard the throb of military music and the thunder of goose stepping. But he wanted to be an artist. His mother dissuaded him from that dream. A dutiful son, he went to Berlin uni- versity and took his degree. Then he did an unheard of thing in the Ho- henzollern family. He announced his intention of going to the United States and taking job Henry Ford had offered him in his automobile works.
 Grandpa Wilhelm only exacted one promise from him-that he would only marry a princess of roy al blood. Wilhelm knew all about pretty American girls, their pep. their charming ways. He was afraid one of them-pluS fortune might capture his grandson. But Prince Louis hewed to the line. He really worked in the factory. He became the first Hohenzollern to speak English as Americans do.
 Not Wealthy
 He had his incursions into Amer ican society, his dances with lovely American girls, but then he went back to the grime of the factory where he was on good terms with his fellow workers. Then at the re- quest of his family, he returned to Germany. He is on good terms with the Nazi regime, because he holds a commission in the giant air force General Goering has created. Also he works for his living, having job with the Luft Hansa, the great German national aviation company which runs all the German com mercial airlines.
 Grand Duchess Kira is 29--two years younger than the bride groom. She is daughter of the Grand Duke Cyril who back in 1924 proclaimed himself Emperor of all the Russians. His claim is recog- nized by most of the adherents of the ancient regime and the "Em- peror" holds a small court in his French home.
 The young couple will not be burdened with wealth. Kira's father has little and the bulk. of the Ho- henzollern fortunes is in the hands of the ex-Emperor. He has given the couple 8 wedding present in the shape of a small villa and gar- den in the Grunewald suburb of Berlin. The bridegroom is going to stick to his aviation job.
 The couple will take wedding trip around the world. In the American part of 1t, the young bridegroom will take his bride to Detroit where 1t Is a good bet that