JACKDAW OF GOTHA.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 55, 5 March 1921, Page 17

JACKDAW OF GOTHA.

GLORY GONE FROM ALMANAC, PAINFTJX ELAJOiS IX PAGE.

The "Almanach de Gotha," after a period of paralysis consequent on a war ; that revolutionised Continental capitals, reappears in its hundred and fifty-sixth edition. The change in its bearing recalls the mien of the Jackdaw of Rheims after the Cardinal Archbishop, with aid of LieLl, book, and candle, banned the unknown thief of his turquoue ring. .The bird, formerly sleek, perky, and impudent, was now a pitiable object, with hanging head, ruffled leathers, and wings dangling on the floor. For nearly a century and a-half the "Almanach de Gotha" has been on terms of intimacy with Kings, Emperors, and the Czar of Russia (writes Sir Henry Lucy in "The Westminster Gazette.''^ Where are the monarchs of yester-year? The "Almanach's" feebly uttered reply is one of the most striking testimonials of what has happened since Kaiser Willi elm, six years ago, cried Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war. The "Almanach" has had brought closely home to itself the woeful change of circumstances. Before the war it was one of the principal, most widely known, residents in a German State under Imperial rule. Now it is compelled to describe its homeland as a "Communistic Republic," its affairs administered by "'Comrades Schauer, Grabow, and Tenner, People's Commissars." Comrade Grabow, forsooth; A man who, I will venture to say, has not a single quartering to his pedigree. In happier times the "Almanach" did not condescend to recognise the existence of one with less than four. In the suite of sovereigns hustled off the throne in Geremany, Austria, and Russia go a crowd of old nobility, who for years lived in the limelight as Prime Ministers, Ambassadors, and army officers, epauletted and decorated. PAGES LACK PICTURES. An additional indignity thrust upon the Jackdaw of Gotha is that its pages lack pictures. Formerly it was its privilege and pride to present to awed readers portraits of reigning Sovereigns, accompanying columns of rapt biography. A young lady of my acquaintance confided to mc that when in presence of a member of our Royal Family she was conscious of a curious thrill in her spine, more or less marked, if I remember rightly, as the object of emotion ranked in relation to occupancy of the Throne. Prior to 1914 there was for loyal souls a thrill at the opening of every chapter of the ' Almanach." Under the rule of Comrades Schauder, Grabow, Tenner and the like, shrewdly jealous cf counter personal altractions, portraits of ex-Royalties are "verboten," leaving painful blanks in the pages of i the current issue of the "'Almanach." Undeterred by thi3 harsh injunction, the "Almanach," dealing with the condition in which Germany is left after "Uer Tag' , was actually- encountered, "makes believe" in a fashion that would have endeared it to Dick Swivellei-'s friend, the Marchioness, who, when she had no lemon-peel with which to flavour her tumbler of water, assured herself it was there. It i≤ bound to recognise the retrocession to France of Alsace and Lorraine. But it mentions it ca-su-ally, without comment. It also admits the encampment of Allied Forces upon 30,000 square kilometres of the sacred soil of the Fatherland. But it cannot bring itself to admit the loss of cherished Colonies whose extension was a prominent feature in the ex-Kaiser's policy. As heretofore, it includes under the head of Germany full statistics of each, hoping the student will not notice the prefix of "former." They are merely "occupied." That is all. "RAMSHACKLE EMPIRE. This delicacy of treatment of home affairs is absent from descriptions of the state of kingdoms that for decades previous to l'Jl-t figured proudly in its pages. Austria, that "ramshackle Empire,"' as Mr. Lloyd George graphically but disrespectfully described it, has crumbled down to an area of 81,000 square kilometres, peopled by seven million inhabitants, little more than one-seventh of the ever-increasing population of the United Kingdom. Its army, once strong enough to turn the tide of victory in any contlL-c between two of its neighbours, i.5 reduced to six brigades, musttjring 30.000 men. The only big tiling left to the historic nation is its debt. That is colossal, indicating ;•. prolonged period of bankruptcy. As tn the twin cmnire of Hungary. dra,a----i ged into the war by uhat may be aihided ito in euilo'juial nlirase as tin , scruff of ; ilio iie.-k. the Jackdaw of GctUa. rr.julti !-.:tr a i,»\i tmirr feather*, declare.-. "It is !n< t j. - "•>'<• to estimate its area or < ;r. i,.' ■ -. 'rv-.T-it v in liijrli quarter?, impri'iin.;:. ■! w'Ah ;mnho<U itf diplomacy pra<-tis'>d !<y .: MK-ces.-ioii < f Sultans. Turkey is in-ii.iV ::i X wot---.- position oven than it v. :i ~ wh.'ii Hip "Almanacli" went to jrti/f. It v.as liail enough then. Glacbtnrie's "r-ip anil baicsa-.'.. , " pulicy, enunciation of v.liieli 40 years ago iihocktM F/oi-cl prop';- r.i heme unci on the Continent, if in iulle.-t measure the i nnlrr of the da v. C'on=t.-int:nonle, the I "Almnriu-li" rpthrr vaeuelv r-::v.-. "will Ibe tn the !.<■;> _miv of N.iiious." I -!'K!\ATE I'AKK FiiK ril'U'AN." I Anyhow, it is no lunger .1 jji'hate i park lor the Smlau, ur a <.•■•» - i.iiere I young Turks and uici i-un i <. uluI iion.-> or instigate uia-i.-i: r< ■. ■■ - defenceless neighbour:., Ann i. r-ivour-ity \ictim, ha.~ b.'iMiiU' ;i !!•. ■ ■ ■ J-* lO Wandering Jew Is f< iimi •' at U?t in I'lile-tino unJi 1 * t-e adiiiinistraLion of a;: Kiiffii-.h CuVfrnor. £ng!and i;e:s M<.-s«:ijtami:i. i<ut hiu not, up to the pri'soni lime of vii'.inir. found it su blessed :i word a.- «ai nputed. Greece ami Italy sSsart; prim.' parts of Asi:L Minor, an.l France, "partunt pour Iβ Swie." iunU it all her own ■Demoralised l-y the break-up of treasured a»s jriations. the Jai-kdaw "f (lotha is air::o-t abjocl '■■■ its dt'uling Uviih Bolshevik Kus.ia. *re acus i turned to read in tin' newspapers «<r I;,.ar in a <>f one -i-oniradc Irot,.k: - In iiHKiiiitr '-■■'■ present nij<r* <>f SKuisia tlio ■■.\lu!iiii!u-h" i:»- him hn proper style, "-Mr. F.eo D. Hron.V.em. : Thouch rather fumcking i>f thf <..<-nnan ! toneue t :, '= i- <:tiit»- re.-peeiabl*\ ainiost ■ .oiEmo'npisce. Another novelty in n'i« ! s that the nev. red Katr of Russia h«s ! i,, e ,-ribe,l <n it- folds th<? I<-tt-?M ' K.5.F.5.P... v.liiili PtanU for -R:w»ian j m'Jre" 'uHWi'el.ly ri.-im.-np!atiirc than j Frame a«-u:.'iP(l «hoa fhe had diffi-sod of Loui-i XVI. Amid the clash of Crnwm and the disruption of Empire*, little Inland, to the North Pole, has become independent of the rule of Denmark.