THE LATE AUSTRIAN EMPEROR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1642, 25 November 1916, Page 2

THE LATE AUSTRIAN EMPEROR.

COMMNETTNH on the passing of the aged Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria, after a reign of (IS years, the Post says, inter alia: What share Francis Joseph look in the ('renting of (he war cannot yet he definitely assessed; hut it is almost certain that he would have been no party to certain acts had he forseen their consequences. In the Austrian seizure of BosniaHerzegovina in 1 i) OS (in part the genesis of the present trouble) and in the military action against Servia in 1!H ) (the precipitating cause of the war) he was led by Herman or Hermanophile advisers to believe (hat fear of Ihe Herman sword would keep Russia and Franco out: of the ring. The advice proved good in BIOS; il was bad in HIM; hence tin' war. While persuading the aged Emperor that “Russia would not march,” the Kaiser and his Vienna, Ambassador (recently deceased) knew quite well that there was a considerable possibility of Russia, marching, and they were amply prepared therefor. In oilier words, Francis Joseph was a tool whom (hey admitted to their confidence only to the extent (hat sidled their purpose, which was to make Austria a catspaw. On this assessment the bate Emperor appears is a treaty-breaker and a Balkan brigand, but no I as a wholesale incendiary; and is therefore not entitled to a place on (hat pinnacle of infamy which belongs to the Kaiser.