HATED IN HUNGARY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 152, 29 June 1914, Page 5

HATED IN HUNGARY

"In Austria Archduke Franz Ferdinand is not popular as an individual, and he is hated in Hungary (wrote Curtis Brown, in the Republican, a few years ago). The burghers of Vienna tell a story which illustrates, they claim, the unsympathetic side of his character. When his father, tho- present Emperor's brother. Archduke* Carl, died, his three sons stood beside the bed. The youngest threw himself on bis father's body in a passion of grief; tihewcond. Otto, the horse-mad, rushed to the stables and wept out hio sorrow on the neck of a favourite hunter. The eldest son. Franz Ferdinand, calmly read his father's will, gave orders for a funeral in accordance with tho dead prince's /wishes, and sent for his majordome to submit tho family account books. This story is told by foes as characteristic of the heir's callousness. But admirers interpret it as a proof of a certain calmness^ of head, a certain dogged devotion to tiresome duties, which inspire the Archduke in all his doings, and which enabled him to bear with patience the painful and humiliating apprenticeship which lie was forced to undergo before being judged by his uncle Franz Josef to be capable of managing the affairs of the monarchy. ''The old Emperor's theory was that an heir was an under-secrptary. \Vhen._ by the tragic death of the crown prince Rudolph, Franz Ferdinand became heir to the throne, he at once was Set to work. The future Emperor was treated as a junior clerk. At first the Archduke merely carried out orders. A little later tho conduct of minor affairs was entrusted tohim. When some trifling question was raised about the transfor of a picture from the Hofburg palace to the Imperial art gallery, or some minor problem of military disciuline arose, the Emperor made a practice of initialing the vewort under discussion with the syllable "Erz," Meaning that the "Erzherzog" (the Archduke) could settle the matter at his dipcretion. For ten years the heir worked at these tiresome tasks. " At last, confident in his powers and experience, and feeling that the wpak policy of the old Emperor and of his Minister, Goluchowsky, would bring Uib Empire to ruin, ho is said to have muttered impatiently : ' When will His Majesty send me his boots for repair?' A tale-teller brought the story to Franz Josef's ears. An estrangement followed. But the old Kaiser, conscious of failing powers, reasoned that his heir was in the ri<*l)t. IJr> first entrusted him with the military, later with the foreign affairs of the vast Empire. It was a decision of tremendous moment. On tho day it was made Austria, ceased to bo a quiescent, decadent State, and entered Upon the active, aggressive policy which since has kept Europe in continual tension and continual dread. " The Archduke's first act was to reform the- great departments of State, where, ever since the days of IVlaTin Therese, a few great families have hold all tho power and emolument. Himself haughty in manner and autocratic by instinct, the Archduke nevertheless knows woli that blood is no proof of brains. To the horror of the aristocrats, 1m cleared out of the Ministries of war and foreign affairs all of their bluest-blooded and most incompetent officials. The Emperor's old comrade and favourite, Yon Beck, was drivpn from the war office and replaced as chief of staff by a man of no particular origin, but of fierce energy, "the swearing trooper," Conrad yon HoeUendorf, whose first act was to spud about 40 decrepit generals on pensions to their country estates. From tho Austio-Hungarian embassy at St. Petersburg was brought Alois yon Aehrenthal. 4 scion of an obscure Jewish banking family, who immediately began that active foreign policy which was destined to set Europe in turmoil and nearly bring about a, first-class war. It was Aehranthal's reports about the disorganisation of Russia, with whose Minister, Izvolsky. he had quarrelled, which commended him to the Archduke. " Vienna's aristocracy stood aghast at fionio of the new appointments. A scandal arose when the new chief' of staff recommended the son of a Clalician merchant for command of a smart guards' regiment on what seemed tho absurd ground that he was a btilliant tactician. But the Archduke stood by his nominee and backed his reforms. From being unpopular with the army, tho heir became its hero. He would lead it. so it Mas anuounced, in case of war. Young, ambitious officers <ol talent saw that they stood to gain from the new t regime; and tJig o]d English toast, 'a^

bloody war and quick promotion,' was heard for the first time in the mess rooms of Vienna. A project was drawn manlike interest in naval affairs that has prompted his efforts to bring the excellent Austro-Hungarian navy up to the highest technical and tactical standard."