ALEXANDER OF SERVIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2244, 4 October 1889, Page 3

ALEXANDER OF SERVIA

King Alexander of Servia, who is but twelve years old, and who has no father or mother to watch over him, is exposed (the Vienna correspondent of the "L«ndon Times" observes) to all the enterprises of the Pretender Prince Peter Karageorgevitch. The father of this Prince was convicted before a Hungarian court of justice of haviDg been accessory to the assassination of Prince Michael, the uncle of King Milan. In these Eastern European States political struggles are fierce, and human lives are not rated highly. In the case of King Alexander, wbo apparently remains the last descendant of the Obrenoritch dynasty, the one security against murder or kidnapping would be that an heir should be upstanding, m order that the boy's removal should entail no political consequences. But, according to the Fremdenblatt, Count Kainoky has left the boy King absolutely defenceless. This it a real shame, and, whatever may be the rights and wrongs of Sing Milan's quarrels with kis wife, all right-minded people m Europe will revolt at the idea that the boy King should be left with* out a parent to exercise guardianship over him. From the moment when his fither deserted him his mother became bis natural guardian. It is said that the boy is now crying constantly for his mother, and, meanwhile, official telegrams are declaring that Queen Natalie cannot be allowed to return to Servia. This is absurd and atrocious. A thrill of horror would run through every honest man and woman m the world if it were heard that this child King, now left to the care of professional politicians, had been suddenly assassinated. This is no extravagant fear.