EMPEROR KARL.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 June 1918, Page 6

EMPEROR KARL.

PLOT TO DEPOSE HIM. A WOMAN’S REVELATION. Amsterdam. Plans to depose Kaiser Karl were discussed at recent meetings of Austrian and Hungarian nobles. Ever since the publication of Kaiser Karl’s letter to his brother-in-law, Prince Sixte of Bourbon, the Austrian nobilit3 r , including a good many' members of the House of Hapsburg, have been trying to engineer an agitation against the Kaiser, on the ground that he is not lit to reign. The Austrian high nobility is ’n agreement with the Hungarian on 'this point. The former canont pardon Kaiser Karl for his “betrayal” of the German alliance. The latter makes him responsible for the fact that, owing to his letter, Germany’s grip over the Austrian monarchy is now stronger than ever. There are other reasons which explain this noblemans’ plot, two of which are the Empress’s sympathy Tor the Allies and the Kaiser’s own democratic ideas, which have won the heart of the ’Austrian workmen, but have ahoused the resentment of the landed aristocracy* Many of the nobles only wished to make representations to the Kaiser and urge him to break off family ties with “enemy persons," meaning h!s brother-in-law. Others want him to be deposed at once and replaced by another Hapsburg. This section finds no little support within the Kaiser’s own palace, where the chief conspirators are said to he members of Francis Joseph’s household. Among these Is the Prince of Montenuovo, who has always hated the young Emperor, and made no secret of it. Montenuovo belongs to~the “right wing” of the Hapshurgs, and Is in league with all the archdukes who are displeased with the'Emperor. He is also an old friend of the German Emperor. It is stated that one of the Emperor’s ladies-in-waiting revealed the whole plot to Karl, who decided to make a clean sweep of the Court officials, with the exception of Counts Berchtold and Esterhazy, in whom his confidence is unshaken. After the Court has been cleansed he intenas to remove many of his opponents from their posts in the army. Two members of the 'Hapsburg family are reported to have left Vienna “for a Jong stay in Southern Austria.” Their (names are not stated.