HUNGARY SEEKS A WIFE FOR A MONARCH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19784, 7 March 1927, Page 9

HUNGARY SEEKS A WIFE FOR A MONARCH

MARRIAGE OF ARCHDUKE ALBRECHT AND PRINCESS GIOVANNA OF ITALY IS PROPOSED By EMIL LENGYEL A royal romance bids fair to transform Hungary, now a kingdom, without a king, into a monarchy with its throne occupied. The romance began last summer when Archduke Albrecht of 'tho House of Hapsburg paid a visit to i the Italian court mainly to see Priniccss Giovanna, 20-year-old daughter of 'King Victor Emmanuel. The diplomatic aspect of the proposed marriage will be discussed by Signor Mussolini and I Count Bethlcn, Prime Minister of Hungary, in Rome this month. The present moment is considered i auspicious for working out the pro■blem of the Hungarian throne. For the jfirst time since the armistice Hungary jhas two .chambers qualified to select a king. Another reason why the moment is most propitious is that a marriageable Archduke, who lives in Hungary and is ambitious to occupy the throne, has found favour in the eyes of a young Italian Princess, who is a valuable asset in the diplomatic trading activities of Signor Mussolini.

Count Bethlcn is too shrewd a diplomat not to see the advantages of this situation. He had to act quickly because there were two more suitors for Giovanna’s hand—Prince Wilhelm, son of the former Crown Prince of Germany, and Prince Albrecht, son of the former Crown Prince of Bavaria. From time to time the rumour is launched that Archduke Albrecht will marry Princess Ileana of Rumania. Count Banfy, one of tho most influential Hungarian aristocrats, has been back of this proposal. He hopes to have Hungary and Rumania united under tho rule of Albrecht and Ileana. The Count has tried to persuade Bethlcn of the advisability of this marriage. Apart from the fact that Albrecht and Ileana do not know each other—a fact which in marriages dictated by diplomatic motives carries no great weight—the suggestion that Hungary should join Rumania was received with disgust both in Hungary and in Rumania. The rule of a Hapsburg who considers himself a “good Hungarian,” Rumanians wore quick to point out, would destroy the results of Rumania’s victory in the late war and put her among the vanquished. On the other hand, Count Bethlcn declared with the greatest emphasis a few days ago that he could not think of any greater absurdity than this union of States, which was merely the pious wish of a few Transylvanian noblemen.

An Ingenious Moye. The plan of the Hungarian Premier is to have Archduke Albrecht elected Hungary’s Chief Executive as soon as his marriage with Princess Giovanna is announced officially. It is one of the ' most ingenious diplomatic moves he has 1 made in many years and all the more > difficult because a faux pas may easily result in a new international conflict. ’ It affects not only the future of Hun--1 gary and her neighbours, but also the ’ present chief of State, Admiral Horthy, ' two other candidates for the throne, ) tho Hungarian Republicans and another marriage combination. Hungary’s neighbours have asserted » repeatedly that they will not tolerate r a Hapsburg on the Magyar throne. When Emperor Charles made his second attempt in the autumn of 1921 to regain the Hungarian throne, the Gov- ’ ernments of the Little Entente, comprising Czecho-Slovakia, Rumania and Yugo-Slavia, made diplomatic representations directly and through the great powers with a view to compelling the Hungarian Cabinet to declare in solemn form that the members of the House of Hapsburg were barred from the throne forever. Under this pressure the Hungarian Parliament passed a law, known as the Dcthronization Act, to the effect that Emperor Charles ■ was deprived of his rights to tho Hungarian throne, that the fundamental law governing the right of succession was annulled and that the nation recovered its right to elect freely its King. Tho case of Admiral Horthy presents another difficulty. He has been the ruler of Hungary for six years and is now, naturally loath to give up his position. He was clever enough to have the army take the oath of allegiance to him. Thus, if he wished, he could prevent by force of arms the election of a new king except himself. He has never definitely stated whether he was a candidate for the throne. His opponents have always maintained that the ultimate aim of Horthy was to establish himself as the King. Besides Horthy, Count Bethlen has to face the opposition of the supporters of two Hapsburg Princes. The more important faction is that which calls itself “legitimist.” Those who uphold this doctrine (and the elite of Hungary’s aristocracy is among them) maintain that there is no reason at all to elect a new King because Hungary has a ruler in the person of Otto, fifteen-year-old son of the late Emperor Charles. The contention of this faction is that no Parliament has the right to change the fundamental law concerning the succession to the throne. The other Hapsburg contender for the throne is Archduke Joseph, scion of that branch of tho family which has always been considered genuinely Hungarian, as against the branches whose residences have been mainly in the Austrian part of tho former dual empire. Archduke Joseph’s ancestors have lived in Hungary for several generations and it was customary for them to perform the duties of tho sovereign when tho King was absent or unable to act. Constitutionally, this Prince had the more right. Tho republicans have to be taken into consideration, too, although they arc not organized, the Government having outlawed their clubs. Count Bethlen’s “diplomatic formula,” of which tho marriage of Archduke Albrecht and Princess Giovanna is a part, provides for Hungary’s return to the monarchic form of governjnient by stages. Parliament would pass a law expressing the nation’s thanks ito Regent Horthy as its benefactor. A iprincely pension would be granted to ■him, with the free use of the royal jcastle of Godollo. Legally he would • retain a certain degree of “passive '.sovereignty,” by remaining exempt | from the criminal law. i “Palatinate” Revival. ! Albrecht and his wife would not be :crowned immediately as King and Queen. Instead, the “palatinate,” an ancient office abolished in 1848, would bo revived for the time being. The j holders of this office who, under the Hapsburgs, were members of the royal

house, performed the functions of the ' sovereign in the King’s absence. Archduke Albrecht and Princess Giovanna would take over these functions. They would bear the title of Royal Highness and hold court in all its regal splendor. They would be monarchs in everything but name. This solution is expected to disarm the opposition of Hungary’s neighbours and the legitimists. The Little Entente would be informed they had no ground on which to protest since the Hapsburg Prince was not King, while the dcthronization act bars the Hapsburgs i from the throne. The legitimists, who realise that there ' is no means at present of getting Otto back in the country, would probably be resigned to this solution. They have loathed Admiral Horthy ever since he turned against Emperor Charles and no price would be too heavy for them to pay to get rid of him. Besides, Archduke Albrecht is a member of the Haps|burg family, which, they contend, has I exclusive right to the Hungarian throne. The main attraction of this marriage, so far, at least, as Hungary is concerned, is its diplomatic significance. Beyond wishing to settle the question of the monarchy, Hungary wants nothing so ardently as to break through the i ring of inimical States surrounding her. i If this can be done amicably, all the ’ better for her. Tho best means of doing this is to align herself with a stronger nation, which exerts a powerful influence in that part of the world. Since tho assumption of power" by Mussolini, Italy has become tho most ' aggressive power in the Balkans and Eustern Europe. There is now a “bloc” of nations which looks to Italy as their leader. Albania is openly under the influence of Italy. Bulgaria is bound to her financially and tho “strong arm” methods of Mussolini have always found sympathetic admirers in high Bulgarian official circles. Rumania, only a few weeks ago, concluded a treaty of amity with Italy. ; The marriage of Archduke Albrecht ’ and Princess Giovanna would signify ; the acquisition of Hungary as a mem- I ber of the “pro-Fascist” bloc.