CHARLES VIII OF AUSTRIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3059, 21 April 1917, Page 3

CHARLES VIII OF AUSTRIA

♦ NOT A KAISER'S PAWN LIGHT ON A LITTLE-KNOWN EMPEROR So little is known of ibe now Emperor Charles of Austria that any Mit oil his character is of value, considering tho part ho iilust play in the tremendous events qf the present- dixy. A recent issue of ''Country Lifo" publishes a letter from a corretpondsnt which should bo appreciated. lis; says:— "There is no crowned' head ill Europe so little known to Englishmen a3 the new Emperor of Austria, beyond the facts published in any Look about Boyal families. His youth and the fact that no ono thought ho would so soon be Emperor were tho reasons why ho was not more noticed by travellers in Austria, and even by A'ustrians themselves. His father (tho late Archduko Otto), a failure in most matters, at any rate could rido, and rido wcllj and all the family of the Hapsburgs knew bow to ■ shoot chamois and stags, like gentlemen should. So it happens that a young sportsman has risen to a throne among our enemies, and is faced by a bully, a man who is not a sportsman, and whose stock is tho same. _ Now, whether the Emperor Charles is proiUly, or really for peace, we do not Enow; but we suspect it; his wife is an. ally brought up in England, and his advisers are all anti-Hun. (The writer evidently refers to the dismissal of many of the old Ministers and their replacement by new men whiclTmarked the reign from the beginning.) Now I will back a sportsman rny day against an unsporting bully. The Kaiser left him hurriedly after their first meeting with a' cold in tho head or feet, it is not clear in which, and I think that was almost the first straw which showed tho way the wind blew. Ono little story will show the man as a stalker. The Prince Charles was after chamois among the mountains, and above him towered a wall of rock, with apparently no foothold anywhere. But there were enough for chamois, one of which appeared crossing above' the stalker. He ■ fired and bowled the buck over. It lay, caught by a small bush, over a deep.chasm, and a fall wculcl have meant a broken horn and a good' head ruined"; also the bush seemed to be bending a little already. So the Prince, against his men's advice, climbed up himself, and, risking the Koyal neclcj severed the head from tho body, kicked! the remains over the edge, and with infinite trouble regained, the level with the horns safely. Such a man will not be bullied, and 1 think we may watch his dealings with aroh-bully with interest and confidence." Personal Glimpses. Some interesting pictures of the Emperor were enclosed, and give quite a different idea of his appearance and personality from those published elsewhere. The abrupt departure of tho German Kaiser from Vienna referred to relates to liis visit to attend the funeral of the late Francis Joseph, when he is said to have proposed to walk first after the coffin on tho ground that Geimany was. tho senior partner of the two Central Powers. A foreign sovereign, however mighty, to walk iu front of a sovereign in his own is an unheard of proposition, and against all good manners. Only a Hohcnzollern would bo guilty of entertaining such' an idea, and of trying to carry it out. The late Queen Victoria's opinion on such a "laclie" wouldi make even the German Kaiser's ears tingle. .. "Country Life" adds: —"Archduke Charles Francis Joseph has the features of tho house to which ho helongs. 'Ho might be the Emperor's grandson,' was a common remark when the two passed together. He learnt English at the same time as ho learned German from an English governess, who succeeded in implanting a love for her Jiativo land in the heart of tho young Archduko." Ho married tlio Princess Zita (of Palma-Bourbon), who had been convent brod', and, liko' hor husband,, she was educated partly on English lines. Sho had spent some years at tho" convent at tho Islo of Wight, where several of her near relatives occupy important positions among tho sisters. She lived_ (boforo her marriage) part of tho year in Italy, and is essentially Italian in type and character. .Until tho murder of Sarajevo occurred, 'the Archduko Carl had not thought of succeeding to tho throne,' but the event disclosed .a strength of character that'had been previously concoaled beneath tho manners of a young courtier. This was seen at the funeral of the victims of Sareiovo. ; Ho insisted on walking behind tho funeral coach that bore his uncle and aunt, to their last rest. Tlio master of tho ceremonies at tho Vienna Court had arranged that no membor of tho_ House of Hapsburg should demean liimsolf by paying this respect to the dead, and he represented this to tho Archduko on tho steps of tho railway statiou. The Archduko became quite red in, the face with excitement as he pointed out to tho amazed official that ho was now heir to i;he throno, and that he would decide upon what was tho correct thing at court. All Vienna saw and applauded. Ho walked alono behind the coffins as a first mourner with the air of sadness "and solemnity which the occasion de.manded. At tho same timo_ ho freed himself from tho . domination of the much-dreaded master of the ceremonies onco and for all. It may bo added that, the incident is nil the more to his credit, as his uncle disliked him, and always kept him ill tho _ background. Perhaps tlio most interesting fact about him now he has asccnded tho Imperial throne, is that he and his wife are naturally pro-Italian. Tho happiest days of his lifo had been spent on Italian ground at Vareggio, whoro ho was able to live 011 tho water faraway from tho court and its exigencies. Ho was inclined to trust the Italians, and, unliko his uncle, disliked the Slavs. He was, too, decidedy pro-Bntvsli.bo-fore the war. When ho was selected to gO to England to represent the Emperor he mado his preparations with the greatest alacrity, pleased to tlrnik that he had been chosen for the mission. . - '