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diff --git a/old/69834-0.txt b/old/69834-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0a2562d..0000000 --- a/old/69834-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5665 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Seven years in Vienna, by Anonymous - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Seven years in Vienna - Seven years in Vienna - -Author: Anonymous - -Contributor: Newspaper Illustrations, Ltd. - -Release Date: January 19, 2023 [eBook #69834] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Charlene Taylor, Charlie Howard, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The - Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SEVEN YEARS IN VIENNA *** - - - - - - SEVEN YEARS IN VIENNA - - - - -[Illustration: THE GERMAN EMPEROR AND THE EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA, DRIVING -IN VIENNA, IN 1908.] - - - - - SEVEN YEARS - IN - VIENNA - - (_August, 1907-August, 1914_) - - _A RECORD OF INTRIGUE_ - - BOSTON AND NEW YORK - HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY - 1917 - - - - - _Printed in Great Britain._ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I. - PAGE - KING EDWARD AT ISCHL--THE PARTING OF THE WAYS 1 - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE EMPEROR’S ILLNESS 11 - - - CHAPTER III. - - ARCHDUKE FRANCIS FERDINAND 18 - - - CHAPTER IV. - - COUNTESS CHOTEK 27 - - - CHAPTER V. - - VIENNA 37 - - - CHAPTER VI. - - SALONICA 44 - - - CHAPTER VII. - - KAISER WILHELM IN VIENNA 53 - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - AFFAIRS IN TURKEY 61 - - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE ANNEXATION 67 - - - CHAPTER X. - - PRINCE EGON FÜRSTENBERG AND COUNT TCHIRSKY: HOW THE KAISER - “WORKED” VIENNA 76 - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE “GREAT SERVIA” IDEA--SERVIAN ORGANISATION 84 - - - CHAPTER XII. - - ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA 92 - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - THE BALKAN WAR 101 - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - KING FERDINAND OF BULGARIA, THE VAINEST MAN IN EUROPE 111 - - - CHAPTER XV. - - THE PRINCE OF WIED 120 - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - THE KING OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS 132 - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - EMIGRATION PROMOTED BY GERMANY--SOCIAL QUESTIONS IN THE DUAL - MONARCHY 139 - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - THE AGRARIANS AND THE SHORTAGE OF FOOD 147 - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - COUNT LEOPOLD BERCHTOLD AND COUNT STEPAN TISZA, THE MEN WHO - DECIDED ON WAR 157 - - - CHAPTER XX. - - AUSTRIA-HUNGARY AS A MILITARY AND NAVAL POWER 171 - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - ARCHDUKE CARL FRANCIS JOSEPH 180 - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - AUSTRIA-HUNGARY FACED BY REVOLUTION OR WAR--THE FINANCIAL - FACTOR 192 - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN CONSTITUTION 203 - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - WHO MURDERED THE ARCHDUKE? 211 - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - WHY GERMANY DECIDED UPON WAR 222 - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - DIPLOMATIC METHODS: A COMPARISON 231 - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - PUNITIVE EXPEDITION OR WORLD-WAR? 244 - - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - WHAT WOULD ENGLAND SAY? 255 - - - CHAPTER XXIX. - - AUSTRIA’S AWAKENING 263 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - _From Photographs supplied by Newspaper Illustrations, Ltd._ - - The German Emperor and the Emperor of Austria - driving in Vienna in 1908 _Frontispiece_ - - _facing page_ - The Duchess Hohenberg 24 - - The Archduke Francis Ferdinand 24 - - Baron Aehrenthal 46 - - Prince Max Egon Fürstenberg 78 - - King Ferdinand of Bulgaria 114 - - King Nikita of Montenegro 114 - - The Prince of Wied 126 - - Count Berchtold 168 - - Count Tisza 168 - - Archduke Carl Francis Joseph 184 - - Princess Zita of Parma 184 - - - - -SEVEN YEARS IN VIENNA - - - - -CHAPTER I - -KING EDWARD AT ISCHL--THE PARTING OF THE WAYS - - -It was mid-August in 1907. King Edward of England, who had been -undergoing a “cure” at Marienbad, was expected at Ischl, where the -Austrian Court was in residence. The whole place was hung with -flags that were put up at the last moment, as the “Gem of the -Salzkammergut,” as Ischl is often called, is one of the wettest spots -in the country. The local trains brought large numbers of peasants, -in their picturesque costume, who wanted to take advantage of the -opportunity of seeing the King of England. Other “peasants,” in -badly-fitting costumes, also came down in the Vienna night express. -Their white knees, left bare beneath the short leather breeches, -plainly showed that they were not accustomed to wearing the Styrian -costume. The peasant girls eyed them dubiously; one suggested that a -little walnut-juice would improve matters, while their little brothers -whispered “police.” The real peasants crowded around the station, -and watched the red carpet being laid, ready for royalty. They then -turned to see Emperor Francis Joseph drive up to the gates. He arrived -twenty minutes before the train was expected, as usual, for being -a great stickler for etiquette he always feared that some accident -or _contretemps_ might delay him, and the visitor reach the station -before the host. He dreaded nothing so much as a breach of etiquette -or good manners, and was willing to take any trouble to avoid even the -possibility of such a thing. The train from Marienbad steamed into the -station, the monarchs embraced; their intercourse had always been most -cordial. The King respected the simple old man, who had until then -guided the destinies of his country with great astuteness; while the -Emperor of Austria esteemed the statesman, for in Austria-Hungary and -the Balkans King Edward was reckoned as the most skilful diplomatist -of his time. As the Imperial carriage, with the gilt wheels, drove -through the streets, the people cheered heartily. King Edward was -the most popular of foreign monarchs in Austria, and the minimum of -precautions were taken for his safety. In spite of this the Austrian -police, ever watchful, took stock of every fresh arrival in the place -for days before the King appeared. On the morning of the visit they -ascertained what persons would be seated in windows commanding the line -of route, and carefully watched the houses that might harbour anarchist -or other assassins. The uninitiated suspected nothing of all this. The -long line of firemen that lined the streets looked like members of the -local brigade. It was not suspected that they were specially trained -men, who knew how to act and to co-operate at the right moment with -the “peasants,” also members of the same highly-organised force. They -all stood apparently careless and inattentive. Presently a carriage, -in which a spare, tall, pock-marked man was seated, drove through the -street. He was the Emperor’s private detective. His appearance always -heralded that of the monarchs, and the firemen braced themselves for a -combined movement, either to the right or left, forwards or backwards, -as previously arranged. The police behind helped with the work, and -just as the Imperial carriage flashed by, everyone in the crowd pushed -forward, sideways, or backwards, as though by accident. Any intending -assassin would have lost his place at the front, and have missed the -golden opportunity, through this clever manœuvre of the police. These -precautions were always taken for every Royal visitor, for although -Emperor Francis Joseph himself was accustomed to stroll about the Ischl -woods, and went hunting in the forests quite unattended, he took care -that his guests were exposed to no risks. - -Everything went off as arranged, although there was a strained feeling -in the air, partly due to the thundery weather. It was known, too, that -King Edward was on a diplomatic tour throughout Europe, and the people -knew that meetings of monarchs in summer are often of great importance, -even when they are unaccompanied by their Ministers. Emperor Francis -Joseph is practically a despotic monarch, for the Austro-Hungarian -Constitution exists merely on paper. He alone decides the foreign -policy of the country, and determines whether there shall be peace -or war. Thus he is in a position to make decisions for his country, -without consulting his Ministers. Austria-Hungary had long been quiet, -almost to the point of stagnation. Her statesmen had been fully -occupied in paying off the burdens incurred during the last war, and -were now delighted that, after a succession of deficits, they could at -length turn out Budgets with surpluses at the end of the financial year. - -There was trouble with Servia, it is true, Austrian machinations had -deprived Servia of an outlet to the sea. Servia, being a pastoral and -agricultural country, wished to sell her products, and Austria, the -natural market, was closed to her. - -The Austrians, who were very short of meat, promised to take over -Servian meat, but the Hungarian agrarians, or large land-owners, who -wanted to keep up the prices of their own products, managed to prevent -this. They appointed veterinary surgeons to examine imported meat; and -by unjustly condemning the Servian meat at the frontier, they succeeded -in preventing its import. This line of conduct caused much greater -discontent among the Servs than a downright refusal to admit their -products would have done. They naturally objected to being cheated by -their powerful and unscrupulous neighbours, and the friction caused -by the “Servian Pig” question was continual. Otherwise the Balkans -were strangely, almost uncannily, quiet. There were no massacres to -report, no bands who roamed the country and committed depredations. -It seemed that the two monarchs could have nothing to discuss. As the -Emperor brought the King back to the Hotel Elisabeth in the afternoon, -the faces of both monarchs could be seen very plainly in the blaze of -the sun that was pouring down with great fierceness. Emperor Francis -Joseph looked much older than he had done that morning. His face was -drawn, the fine lines on the parchment-like skin were deepened. It did -not need any unusual acuteness to see that something had gone wrong. -King Edward walked up to his suite of rooms with something weary in his -step. The Emperor, freed from the restraint of the King’s presence, -returned to the Imperial villa, his slight frame shrunken to half its -usual size, his soldierly bearing gone. - -All Ischl went home to dress for the gala performance at the tiny Court -theatre. It was always difficult to get tickets at the bijou theatre -when members of the Imperial family were expected; on the night of King -Edward’s visit it was impossible to obtain them. The police excluded -all foreigners by careful manipulation. By evening it was already -known in Ischl that the Emperor and the King had quarrelled violently. -Attendants, posted behind doors, ready to spring to attention, -overhear many things. They could give no details of what the subject -under discussion had been, but they said that Emperor Francis Joseph -had lost his temper in the presence of a foreign King, and although -outbursts of this kind were common enough within the family, it was an -unprecedented thing in the presence of a stranger. They knew that the -occasion had been no ordinary one, and that the future policy of the -country had been under consideration. - -Just as the curtain went up for the performance of some light musical -comedy, the sort of play that is at its very best in Vienna, the -thunderstorm that had been threatening all day long, broke outside. -The rain rattled down on the roof of the theatre. The real heroine of -the piece, who had been brought down from the capital on purpose, was -a dazzlingly beautiful woman; she laughed, danced, and pirouetted all -over the stage. She was the very embodiment of Vienna “cheek.” Just -at the end of the first act--royalty never sees a piece through when -on State visits--she abruptly turned her back towards the Imperial -box. She was lightly clad, even for the Austrian stage, as she tripped -laughingly to the front, and carried out her instructions. A thrill -went through the audience. Would the King understand? His British -phlegm stood him in good stead. He remained in his seat, although -he was sufficiently acquainted with Austrian manners and customs to -comprehend the somewhat heavy witticism. Only when the curtain fell did -he rise and leave the theatre. “What was the meaning of the insult?” -asked all Ischl. “What did it portend?” They learnt the answer just -seven years later to the very day. - -The people about the palace discussed the incident at the theatre. They -understood that it was meant as a hint to the King that his presence in -Austria was not desired, if he came to discuss politics. As a private -friend and a brother monarch he was always welcome. He had attempted -to show the Emperor that the close alliance with Germany was not for -the good of Europe. Not merely that, but Austria-Hungary herself would -imperil her existence as a great Power if she allowed herself to become -merged in Germany. The aged Emperor, who had long been accustomed to -depend upon Germany for assistance against the Slavs, would not listen -to the King. He was perhaps aware that his policy was wrong, but being -obstinate, like all the Habsburgs, he would not acknowledge it. He did -not intend to alter his policy at the eleventh hour, in any case. If -there must be a change let his successor see to it. King Edward made -due allowance for the Emperor’s age, but it is doubtful whether he ever -again made any direct effort to turn Austria from her fatal path. She -stood at the parting of the ways. Her Emperor chose her destiny that -summer day in Ischl. Diplomatists and Ambassadors took up the King’s -task; they repeatedly pointed out the disastrous consequences of the -close alliance with Germany. Instead of discussing the situation with -Italy, Austria-Hungary informed Germany of what was happening. Instead -of keeping the balance equal between Italy and Germany, Austria-Hungary -really concluded a partnership with Germany; the Triple Alliance -degenerated into a Dual Alliance that kept up an understanding with -the third partner. Italy was quick to realise this. So long as Russia -and France were allied, and occupied a position that was a set-off to -that held by Germany and an Austria that had not given up her liberty -of action, European peace was assured. Great Britain and Italy were not -bound to their Allies to any great extent. - -The result of the meeting at Ischl soon made itself felt. Italian -diplomatists began to back out of their obligations towards Germany -and Austria-Hungary. Their policy of “cooling down,” at first barely -perceptible, took form somewhat later, at the renewal of the Triple -Alliance, when Italy promised very little in return for the many -“benefits” heaped upon her by Germany. Great Britain, aware of the -danger of the centre of the European chessboard being occupied by one -vast State, stretching from the North Sea and Baltic to the Adriatic, -was more inclined to listen to advances from France and Russia, and -to deliberate upon the advantages of a closer contact with Germany’s -enemies. The suggestion made by France, that Great Britain should -introduce conscription, prevented the understanding becoming anything -more. France pointed out the necessity of preparing for an aggressive -move on the part of Germany, but Great Britain would not even -consider a proposition so far from her theories of government as was -conscription. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE EMPEROR’S ILLNESS - - -The Austrian Court returned to Vienna as soon as the first snows on -the mountains round Ischl gave warning that the summer season was at -an end. Emperor Francis Joseph, who is a strenuous worker, and carries -on the business of State daily, whether in residence in Vienna or in -the country, began his life as usual. On certain days of the week he -held general audiences, and received anyone, high or low, aristocrat -or peasant, who wished to present a petition. He was always up at 4 -a.m., and had got through most of his State duties by 8 a.m., when -he began to receive Ministers and others. In the month of October -it was suddenly announced that the Emperor was ill. The news caused -great consternation, as the monarch had never been ill in his life. -He had been confined to his room for some time as a young man after -an attempt made on his life, when he was stabbed in the neck, but he -had never had the slightest ailment since. His life was carefully -regulated by the Court physician, Doctor Kerzl, a military surgeon, a -rough doctor of the old school, who had grown old with the Emperor. -Members of the Imperial family frequently tried to have a younger and -more up-to-date man appointed as Court physician. They considered -that the Emperor’s health was so precious that its care ought not to -be confided to a man who had gained his experience with the Army. The -Emperor, however, stood firm, and the results of the somewhat draconic -treatment have certainly justified his decision. The Emperor sleeps -on a camp-bed, eats the heavy Vienna food with relish, and is always -accustomed to drive in an open carriage without his military cloak. It -is probable that he took the chill during the drive. - -Specialists were summoned to the Emperor’s bedside, and they found -that the Royal patient was suffering from inflammation of the lungs. -He, however, refused to go to bed. Crowds of people went out to the -summer palace of Schönbrunn, where he was staying, and waited under -his window until he appeared to reassure them, when cheers rang out -and echoed along the arched corridors beneath the palace. The anxiety -felt by the common people was shared by everyone in Austria-Hungary, -and the one hope of high and low was that the Emperor might live. -This was not so much on account of his personal popularity, although -this was great, as because of the dread of the future. The heir to -the throne, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, was the most hated man in -Austria-Hungary. The Emperor’s death meant that he would succeed to -the throne. The Emperor himself felt a profound hatred for his heir, -and it was a matter of common knowledge that he was filled with a firm -determination not only to recover from his illness, but to outlive his -heir. Day after day the struggle went on within the white walls of -Schönbrunn Palace; the daily papers spoke of the Emperor’s illness as -a slight cold, for the monarch was not satisfied with reading extracts -from the official organs, as was his ordinary custom, but insisted -upon having all the papers, opposition organs as well as bounty-fed -periodicals, brought to his room. He wished to find out whether the -doctors were telling the truth about his illness. The three specialists -came to the conclusion that he could not recover; Doctor Kerzl alone -stood firm and said that he would get well again. The Emperor refused -to take to his bed, having a superstitious horror of lying down in the -daytime. Kerzl supported him in this, and it is probable that he owed -his recovery to it. The disputes among the doctors were unseemly, and -the specialists insisted on calling the family to Vienna. Archduchess -Gisela, the Emperor’s elder daughter, arrived in great haste, and his -younger daughter, Valerie, also appeared on the scene. Both women -are very pious, and they immediately wished the Emperor to receive -Extreme Unction. The Archbishop of Vienna, with a retinue of priests, -actually came out to Schönbrunn to administer it, but they were met -downstairs by Frau Catherina Schraatt, who told them that it would -frighten him to death, and induced them to return without carrying out -their mission. Archduke Francis Ferdinand arrived at the capital. He -and his morganatic wife, Duchess Hohenberg, established themselves at -the Belvedere Palace for the season. The Archduke, a man who lacked -refinement and who was utterly devoid of tact, immediately began to act -as if he had already succeeded to the throne. Statesmen, fearing that -the Emperor would never recover, were afraid to oppose him, and he got -an insight into affairs of State during the Emperor’s illness that -enabled him to assume a position that he never gave up afterwards. The -Habsburgs were obliged to look on while Duchess Hohenberg, then merely -Countess Chotek, took a position that would never have been conceded -to her had the Emperor been in his usual health. Kaiser Wilhelm, ever -watchful, began to count on the possibility of the Emperor’s death, -and the friendship between him and the Archduke dates from this epoch. -Kaiser Wilhelm did not like the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary; -he recognised the fact that he would have to deal with a determined -man, who knew exactly what he wanted and would refuse to believe -the flattering assurances that satisfied Emperor Francis Joseph, -who, although still in full command of his mental faculties, was -beginning to feel the weight of years. The Emperor was never so acute -a man as his heir; the Archduke, too, had a wife whose intelligence -was remarkable. Countess Chotek was ambitious, and her husband was -accustomed to following her advice in State affairs. Kaiser Wilhelm -therefore shared the wish of the Austrian people, that the aged Emperor -might long be spared to them. Week after week went by. People from all -parts of the monarchy sent the Emperor quaint remedies, charms, and -specifics of all kinds to cure his illness; several officials were -engaged all day in writing to thank the senders, who were not even -aware of what ailed the Emperor. When it was finally announced that -he was out of danger there was great jubilation throughout the realm; -the people poured scorn upon the specialists, and acclaimed Dr. Kerzl -as the saviour of the country whenever they could catch sight of his -rough, honest face, bronzed by exposure upon many a battlefield. The -Emperor had given his attendants great trouble during his illness and -convalescence, as he had refused to allow anyone to enter his rooms -except Dr. Kerzl, his soldier-valet, who slept upon a rug in the -antechamber of his bedroom, and the sentry, who always paced to and -fro outside the Emperor’s bedchamber, and watched through a spyhole, -cunningly made in the door, for any change. No woman was allowed to -enter the suite of rooms during the night hours, the patient saying he -preferred an orderly to nurse him. - -Gradually the Emperor recovered his powers. He was never the same man -again; his vigour was gone, and, although he was little changed in -appearance, his grasp upon affairs had weakened. The Archduke, who -disliked Vienna cordially, remained in town, a thorn in the Emperor’s -side. The latter, however, could find no pretext for dismissing him to -the country. Councillors, already anticipating the probable demise of -the reigning monarch at no distant date, advised the Emperor to consult -with his heir and to try to inculcate the inexperienced man with some -of his statecraft. The Emperor was induced to bestow some powers upon -the Archduke, although much against his will, and a new era in the -history of the country began. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -ARCHDUKE FRANCIS FERDINAND - - -All Europe was asking one and the same question at this epoch: “What -kind of a man is the heir to the throne?” - -They got the answer that he was “a little-known man,” and this was true -to a certain extent. The Emperor, an old autocrat, never allowed any -member of the Imperial family to take a leading part in public affairs. -They were expected to do their duty in opening charitable institutions, -presiding at _fêtes_ in provincial cities, but in both Vienna and -Budapesth they found it advisable to keep well in the background. -Whenever a young Archduke became too popular, even in the ballrooms -of Vienna, he was promptly banished to some out-of-the-way place, -ostensibly on a mission, but really as a punishment for presuming to -court popularity. - -This was well understood among the Habsburgs, who, as a rule, did not -care for Court life. Most of the Archdukes lived on their country -estates, where they enjoyed almost regal power for nine months of the -year, merely coming to Court to pay their respects to the monarch at -the New Year. - -Archduke Francis Ferdinand was very fond of power and very ambitious, -but he did not care for playing the _rôle_ of heir to the throne when -he had reached middle age and was at the height of his powers. He -therefore remained in the country for the greater part of the year. - -This did not increase his popularity. People grumbled at the sadness -that hung like a pall over the Court. They said that it was merely a -resort for military men and officials, and wished that young life could -be introduced to restore Vienna and Budapesth to their former gaiety. -Archduke Francis Ferdinand had laboured under great disadvantages -since sudden and unexpected events had made him heir to the throne. -His attendants and the Court officials summed up the position in one -sentence: “He has never been trained for a throne.” He was entirely -lacking in tact--a quality which, if not a natural gift, must be -acquired by painful experience by personages who will one day occupy -a throne. He spoke no languages except his own. He had, of course, -some knowledge of French and Italian, and was learning Hungarian; but -he was not in a position to carry on delicate negotiations in French. -He had a bad record even for an Austrian Archduke. His youthful -career had been full of incident, and his doctors had been compelled -to put a sudden stop to a course of youthful dissipation by sending -him on a voyage round the world. He was reported to be suffering from -consumption in its preliminary stages, and it was said his only chance -of life was a complete change of climate. The Archduke, who was an -artist and well acquainted with ancient and modern culture, started -off on the Imperial yacht for the East with nothing but pleasurable -feelings. His favourite study was ethnology, and he made a collection -of objects of great interest during this voyage. They were to be seen -in one of the galleries of the Hofburg, which had recently been added -to the main block of the town palace. The Archduke converted the new -part into a museum, as the Emperor had forbidden the architect to fit -the new building with lifts or other modern appliances. Lifts he hated, -and firmly refused to enter one even when he was having his portrait -painted by an artist whose studio was on the sixth floor of a Vienna -house. - -The Archduke, who was intensely modern, decided that a palace without -lifts and proper heating appliances was not fit to live in, and -promptly converted the new gallery into a picture gallery and museum -without waiting for the Emperor’s advice or permission. - -The aged Emperor and his heir clashed in every direction; they were -diametrically opposed in all their tastes and convictions. Both were -pious to an exaggerated degree. The Emperor disliked the Jesuits; his -heir consorted with them constantly, and listened to their advice in -matters of State. This alone would have been sufficient to prevent the -Emperor from ever wishing him to succeed to the throne. The Archduke, -too, although so pious, had contrived to estrange both the Church -and the Emperor by one act of boyish folly. As a young officer he -was stationed at a depôt in the depths of the country to learn his -profession, far from critical crowds. One day he was riding across the -fields, when some peasants, carrying the mortal remains of one of their -fellows, crossed by the footpath. The Archduke, in a fit of youthful -exuberance, set his horse at the bier and cleared it at a jump. The -priest protested at the act of sacrilege. The story reached the ears -of the Emperor, who never forgave him. Although the Archduke was not -careful of the feelings of the Roman Catholics, the non-Catholics in -the country believed that he would be capable of persecuting them with -a rigour such as had been unknown since the Middle Ages. At the time of -the Emperor’s illness the Liberal papers prophesied in their leading -articles that he would build up martyr fires around the Cathedral -of St. Stefan, in the centre of Vienna. They said he would show the -utmost relentlessness in burning or hanging his Jewish, Protestant, and -Mahommedan subjects, all of whom were accustomed to a wide tolerance, -based on indifference to them and their doings. The Archduke was -bitterly hated in Hungary; it was commonly reported that his life was -not safe in that part of his future kingdom. He gave colour to these -reports by his strange conduct. When he went down to Budapesth he did -not put up at an hotel, as was customary. He remained all night in -the royal train, which was run up the line to a siding, no one being -aware of the exact spot at which it had drawn up. This confession -of fear and lack of confidence in the loyalty of his subjects did -the Archduke great harm. The alternative explanation, sometimes -advanced, that the Archduke, who was known as the meanest man in the -kingdom, merely wished to save an hotel bill, did not improve matters. -The hotel-keepers looked upon members of the Imperial House as most -desirable guests; they never overcharged them, for the advertisement -was worth a great deal to them. Archdukes who neither commanded a -palace to be prepared for their coming nor put up at an hotel were -naturally not popular with anyone. Archduke Francis Ferdinand crowned -all his other delinquencies by his marriage. Instead of contracting -an alliance with some powerful reigning house, he made a morganatic -marriage with a lady-in-waiting. Countess Chotek was a Bohemian -aristocrat, it is true, but she was not a peer of any member of the -House of Habsburg. The Emperor allowed the marriage to take place, -and when all the circumstances are taken into account, especially -the ease with which persons whose existence was disagreeable to the -Vienna Court were removed, it can only be concluded that the Emperor -approved of the marriage. He evidently did not wish the children of the -Archduke to come to the throne on account of their father’s tendency -to tuberculosis, which was reported to have gone to the brain. It was -common knowledge that the Archduke was accustomed to fly into fearful -rages. Whether this habit, which is common to all the Habsburgs, was -owing to epilepsy, or some obscure brain disease, it is difficult to -say; but the Emperor evidently shared the common feeling that it was -some obscure affection of the brain, and shared the doctors’ opinion -that the Archduke’s descendants ought not to come to the throne of -Austria-Hungary. - -Archduke Francis Ferdinand, who was always short of money, tried to -engage in business, and, as usually happens with men of his position, -made a sad failure of it. Instead of leaving the management of his -estates to stewards, who would only take their customary perquisites, -he engaged in business transactions himself. He was badly swindled, and -gained a reputation for meanness which was richly deserved. His varied -excursions into the realms of speculative business were attended by no -better luck. He dared not associate himself with eminent business men, -so he summoned a number of companions to his side who were difficult to -shake off. With them he embarked upon business of an illegitimate kind. -His only excuse was his complete lack of understanding of all matters -relating to business. - -[Illustration: THE DUCHESS HOHENBERG. WIFE OF THE ARCHDUKE.] - -[Illustration: THE ARCHDUKE FRANCIS FERDINAND.] - -Neither Archduke Francis Ferdinand nor his morganatic wife had the -tact or sense to hide the impatience with which they awaited the aged -Emperor’s death. The “parrot” story, as it was called, went the round -of the Vienna _cafés_ at this period. A bird of very rare plumage, -evidently the property of some aristocratic personage, was found -straying in the public gardens of Vienna. A gardener promptly caught it -and took it round to the police, where lost property of all kinds was -deposited, until its owner could be found. The sergeant in charge put -the bird in a cage and forgot all about it. Shortly afterwards he was -startled to hear the parrot begin to discourse with great fluency when -it had become used to its surroundings. It referred to various members -of the Imperial family in terms of the very scantiest respect. “That -old cat Valerie” was its delicate way of referring to the Emperor’s -younger and favourite daughter. “Peacocks, sluts” were terms of abuse -applied to Archduchesses who either overdressed or neglected their -toilettes. The sergeant became pale with fright. It was _lése-majesté_ -to listen to such words, and the penalty might be death. When the -parrot broke into a steady stream of talk, with a kind of refrain, -“He’ll live to be a hundred, Sofie,” in an exact imitation of the -gruff tones of the heir to the throne, who was evidently referring to -the Emperor, the sergeant felt that any further eavesdropping would -be dangerous. He picked up a cloth, threw it over this utterer of -high treason, and carried the loquacious bird to the chief of the -police. The cloth was removed, and the indignant parrot, unused to such -treatment, began worse than before. The sergeant was dispatched in all -haste to find a very thick black cloth that might be calculated to damp -even the ardour of an Imperial parrot, and, carefully wrapped up, the -bird was sent to the Belvedere, where the Archduke and his wife were in -residence. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -COUNTESS CHOTEK - - -Countess Chotek, afterwards Duchess Hohenberg, the morganatic wife of -the late Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, -was a most remarkable woman, and her history is perhaps the most -romantic that was ever written. She belonged to an impoverished -Bohemian family, which ranked high among the ancient aristocracy of -that nation. She was brought up very quietly and was accustomed, as a -girl, to ride in the tramway in Dresden, where her father held a post -in the Diplomatic Service. Her dresses were very plain, even for an -aristocrat. The peculiar charm that she possessed, however, made her -an object of much attention. She was a big blonde, as stately as an -empress, and at the same time a woman who knew how to make herself -agreeable in conversation, as her life had given her an intimate -knowledge of men and things that was unusual in a woman belonging to -a noble family, in Austria-Hungary, where the little aristocrats are -convent-bred, and never encouraged to form opinions of their own upon -the current topics of the hour. She was very ambitious, and intelligent -to an extraordinary degree. She was a woman who knew just what she -wanted, and who would not have hesitated to use any means that were -necessary for the attainment of her object. She made her entrance -into the Austrian Imperial family in a very subordinate position. -She became lady-in-waiting to the beautiful daughters of Archduke -Frederick, the richest of all the Archdukes. Her life in his family -was probably not disagreeable, but decidedly monotonous, as the family -spent most of the time on lonely country estates in Hungary. Archduke -Francis Ferdinand frequented the Vienna palace, on the Albrecht Platz, -where Archduke Frederick lived when in residence at Court. Everyone -believed that he was about to marry one of the Archduke’s daughters, -and the match was regarded as a good one. The girls had large dowries, -and relationship between the heir to the throne and the branch of the -family to which they belonged was very distant. It is probable that -the Archduke had some such arrangement in his mind when he visited -the house. He, however, fell violently and irretrievably in love with -the lady-in-waiting, a woman in the early thirties, and regarded as -long past marriageable age in Court circles. The romantic story of the -marriage is well known, but the fact that the Archduke, in marrying -the lady-in-waiting, made an inveterate enemy of Archduke Frederick -was never appreciated at its proper value abroad. In Vienna itself -the gravity of the position was well understood. No better-class -tradesman in Austria would allow such an insult to his daughters to go -unrevenged, for the Austrian father is very jealous of his daughters’ -reputation. No young man is permitted to visit at a house regularly -without having the clearest “intentions.” At the Court this unwritten -law is much stricter than among the people. The Archduke, in selecting -the lady-in-waiting, was casting a slur upon the Archduchesses she -attended. Fortunately, there were several girls, and as he had never -singled out any one of them for particular attention, there was no -open rupture. It is certain, however, that the Archduke behaved in a -very ungentlemanly way, and that his conduct was totally lacking in -delicacy. Archduke Frederick never forgave the insult, and the other -members of the House of Habsburg sympathised with him in his wrath -at the incident. Indeed, the outraged father had plenty of occasion -to remember it. His daughter, Archduchess Isabella, who had hoped to -become the future Empress of Austria, made an unfortunate marriage -later on. Her parents, by way of settling the incident of the heir to -the throne, and laying the ghosts of rumours that still hung round -the girl’s name, arranged a match with Prince George of Bavaria. -The Archduchess, who hated the young man, actually set fire to her -wedding-dress on the eve of the marriage, hoping that it would be put -off, as she had nothing suitable to wear. - -Incidentally, she set fire to the palace, and a valuable collection -of pictures in the adjacent museum was threatened. The marriage took -place on the morrow, a dress having been hurriedly contrived for the -occasion. The girl fled from her husband on the wedding journey, and -afterwards became a Red Cross nurse. For these misfortunes the Archduke -was regarded as primarily responsible and they served to make Countess -Chotek still more detestable to the Imperial family. - -On his marriage Archduke Francis Ferdinand renounced all rights to -the throne and to any dignities or privileges belonging to members -of the House of Habsburg for his heirs. He and his wife withdrew into -obscurity, where a family of beautiful children was born to them. -This led Countess Chotek to dream of altering the laws of succession -and securing the throne for her eldest son. With this ulterior object -in view she came to Vienna at the time of the Emperor’s illness, and -tried to force her way into Court society. Her rank entitled her to -be received at Court, but not to be admitted into the magic circle of -the Austrian Imperial family as one of themselves. The etiquette of -the Vienna Court is the strictest in Europe, and is based upon that -ruling at the Spanish Court. The members of the Habsburg family are -all extremely simple, but they permit no liberties to be taken either -with themselves or the family. Countess Chotek, as she was then, -appeared at the Court ball unannounced. She intended to surprise the -Master of the Ceremonies, and force him to allow her to enter with -the Archduchesses. The old man did not lose his presence of mind. He -met the difficulty in a very clever way. The married Archduchesses -walked in first, each with her cavalier, selected especially for the -honour. After the long procession of handsome, stately dames with -flowing trains had passed into the brilliantly-lighted room, the young -Archduchesses who were presented at Court for the first time were led -into the hall, each on the arm of a handsome young officer. Eight -girls, dressed in simple muslin gowns that barely reached to their -ankles, and looking very childish, as none was more than eighteen years -of age, came next in the long procession. The Master of the Ceremonies, -who had detained Countess Chotek, found her a place, on the left arm -of the last cavalier, the youngest of the Archduchesses occupying the -post of honour on the right. Countess Chotek entered the ball-room -inwardly raging. Everyone noticed the insult, as the other ladies all -had a cavalier to themselves. The next morning the Vienna newspapers -alluded to the slight which had been put upon the wife of the heir to -the throne, and said that the Master of the Ceremonies should have -remembered that the Countess was a woman, and have refrained from so -pointed an insult. Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife left Vienna -the next day as a protest, and this was the last occasion upon which he -tried to force his wife upon the Court. - -Kaiser Wilhelm, whose emissaries always kept him well informed of every -event, big or little, in Vienna, heard of the incident. Now was the -time for him to interfere. The Archduke, who had always turned a deaf -ear to blandishments from Berlin, would now be accessible. The man -who was too strong to care to hear flattery of himself would lend a -willing ear to any defence of his beautiful wife, who had been grossly -insulted. The Archduke became more deeply attached to his wife every -year; the inconveniences to which he was subjected for her sake only -strengthened his affection. When, therefore, an invitation for the -Archduke and his wife came from Berlin it was gratefully accepted. -Kaiser Wilhelm, whose wife, the Empress, has never been allowed to have -much voice in things, placed Countess Chotek in the place of honour, -and, what is vastly more important, caused the fact to be chronicled -in the German and Austrian papers. The Archduchesses in Vienna raged -inwardly, for Countess Chotek, the “scullery-maid,” as they were in the -habit of calling her, was being received with Royal honours, and the -rank accorded to her in Berlin was such as would be given to a future -Empress. Kaiser Wilhelm won a warm friend by this clever manœuvre, -which incidentally cost him nothing. - -The Archduke did not come to Vienna on representative occasions after -this episode, but he kept in close touch with the Foreign Minister, -Count Aehrenthal, who looked to him for guidance instead of to the -Emperor. The War Minister went to the Archduke’s Bohemian palace when -he wanted large estimates passed, and induced the Archduke to exert his -influence in this direction. Meanwhile the favourite occupation of the -Archduke continued to be gardening, and this taste took him all over -Europe. The Court Chronicle never spoke of the Archduke. An accidental -paragraph in some foreign paper would reveal the fact that he and the -Countess were in Holland, attending sales of bulbs. He even went to -England incognito on several occasions to visit far-famed gardens. It -is doubtful, in the light of later events, whether all these journeys -were connected solely with gardening, although the Archduke was a -passionate horticulturist. Countess Chotek always accompanied her -husband, and when, in the early spring, he went to Miramare, near -Trieste, or to the fairy-like island of Brioni, she and the children -went too. The Archduke spent his time in superintending the building of -small swift cruisers, in inspecting wireless telegraphic installations -on the coast, and in keeping the naval experts employed at high -pressure. He was the first Archduke who was interested in the sea, the -aged Emperor caring so little for marine affairs that he did not even -possess a naval uniform among the large and miscellaneous collection in -his wardrobe. - -Countess Chotek, like many not born to the purple, made mistakes of -a kind that did not add to her popularity. Her husband had great -possessions, and owned art treasures of inestimable worth, but they -were far from being a source of revenue. In fact his income was not -sufficient to keep them up properly. His wife had brought him no -dowry. His growing family was a source of expense. Thus ready money -was a scarcity in the family. Countess Chotek tried to economise on -her personal expenses, instead of leaving it to her stewards, who -understood where a woman of that rank can be mean and where she must -be munificent. She became involved in many discreditable _affaires_ -through her stinginess. One of these was a dispute with a cabby at -Salzburg. The Countess committed an unheard-of indiscretion--she took -a one-horsed cab. No lady, _en toilette_, can ride in a one-horsed -cab in Austria. If really poor she can ride in the electric tramway, -but for some occult reason the cab is taboo. She must either take -a fiacre with a pair of dashing steeds, or a motor-car. Countess -Chotek not only hailed a one-horsed cab, when a row of handsome and -well-fitted fiacres stood by, but refused to pay the fare the cabby -demanded. He had recognised the lady, and naturally thought that she -would stand imposition, as ladies of the Imperial family never go -about unattended, and the only explanation to his unsophisticated mind -was that the Countess was on clandestine business of some kind, and -should be blackmailed for it. To his astonishment she marched him off -to the police-station herself. The police condemned the unfortunate -cabby to a fine, but the Countess Sofia was felt to be in the wrong. -What had possessed her to ride in an “Einspanner”? An elopement with -the groom or automobile chauffeur was quite an ordinary incident among -the aristocracy and speedily forgotten, but such a mistake as going in -the wrong kind of cab was more than a misdemeanour, it was a lack of -_savoir vivre_ that the country could never forgive. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -VIENNA - - -If you ask an educated, reflecting Austrian under what form of -Government he lives, he will reply, “The Emperor of Austria and King -of Hungary is an absolute monarch; we live under a despotism tempered -by carelessness.” And he will laugh flippantly. “So long as one man, -the Emperor, has the right to decide whether there will be peace or -war, without appealing to his Ministers, the Constitution is a mere -mockery. We owe the only liberties we enjoy to the slackness in the -administration of the laws of the realm; we have no rights.” “How is -it that the country has never demanded its rights?” “Those who ask -awkward questions in this country are hanged or exiled.... Those who -wish to remain here keep a still tongue in their heads.... We are -talking treason now, and there are spies everywhere.” Other Austrians -belonging to the intellectual class explain that the men in power -encourage frivolity systematically, and provide amusement for the -people to prevent their thinking or reflecting. Certain it is that -Vienna before the war was the chief centre of gaiety in Europe. - -In spite of the sombre shadow cast over the Court, the city lived for -amusement. It was the only thing that the Viennese really understood. -In Advent things are relatively quiet; there is the same round of -gaiety as later in the year, but the toilettes are sombre, and -everything is on a less magnificent scale than in Fasching, the time -between the Court Ball--when the Emperor opens the real season--and the -beginning of Lent. The winter of 1908 was particularly gay. There was -skating all day and dancing all night. Light sleds carried the girls to -balls when the snow had frozen hard and horses, in their spiked shoes, -could not get any grip on the slippery paving-stones. Others went in -the electric tramway, which ran even when the temperature was far below -freezing-point, and the drivers were provided with astrachan masks and -goggles, to prevent their eyelids freezing to their cheeks. There were -balls every night given by different societies and corporations of all -grades and degrees, from the artists’ ball to the chimney-sweeps’ -dance. No one ever dreamt of staying at home during Fasching. Such -details as lack of dress, money or chaperones made no difference. If -you had no dress you borrowed a domino and went to a masked ball. The -balls often lasted far into the next day, sometimes only closing at -four in the afternoon. Everyone can dance, and did dance through the -festive season, except small children, who were learning their steps -at the dancing-school. Many began to dance and skate before they were -firm on their feet, their parents so dreaded their not being skilled -in the things that “really mattered.” Old men did not stay at home; -they sat in a favourite café, where a table was reserved for them, ever -since they had been saluted as “Herr Doctor” for the first time by the -waiter who judged that they had reached manhood. The rule universally -accepted, and put into practice by rich and poor alike, was: “Enjoy -yourself while you can, you never know what the morrow may bring.” In -the case of the Viennese it only brought new varieties of enjoyment. -No considerate employer expected his staff to turn up in full numbers -after a _redoute_. Sleep was rare in the season. Many young men never -went to bed at all night after night; they left the ball-room at dawn, -took an ice-cold dip, and repaired to the next café, where they drank -cup after cup of strong black coffee, to enable them to keep awake -during office hours. The employer said nothing so long as the work was -done. - -After the ball it was the rule to visit the music-halls and night -cafés, and this continual gaiety left no time or inclination to discuss -politics or criticise rulers. Everyone was contented and satisfied -with things as they were. They made no excuse for their frivolity. In -fact a man who showed no disposition to join in the round of gaiety -immediately became “suspect.” An officer had more chances of making a -career for himself if he were a good dancer and could pirouette his -way into the good graces of the commander’s aged wife than if he spent -hours over maps and plans. His brother officers wondered why he wished -to investigate things.... Was he selling information to Russia? - -At this epoch winter sports were beginning to become a factor in the -life of the Austrians. Some girls asked their fathers to give them the -money ear-marked for balls to spend on ski and a winter outfit. In -the middle classes the innovation was not regarded as an advantage. -Winter sports cost more than balls. The girls were inclined to become -too emancipated, and their mothers spent anxious hours wondering -whether they had not taken cold or met with accidents. In the upper -classes winter sports and dancing were combined. The Austro-Hungarian -aristocrat is accustomed to an outdoor life, and the lower classes, -too, went ski-ing in the mountains just outside Vienna. The Government, -quick to see that it would be an advantage to have soldiers trained to -use skis for the army, encouraged winter sports, put on cheap trains -and extra trams to enable the people to go in for it thoroughly. - -The army of dressmakers, shoemakers, florists, and others who live by -manufacturing articles for the ball season naturally disapproved of -winter sports; but it is doubtful whether the new fashion really made -much difference to them, for the ball-rooms seemed as full as ever. - -There were large numbers of strangers in both Vienna and Budapesth; -curiously enough they were almost without exception people from within -the Empire or from the Balkans. Vienna was always the capital of the -Balkans. The women came to shop there, girls were sent to finishing -schools in the capital, and it was a kind of Mecca to which men from -far-off places in Rumania dreamed of coming once in their lives. The -Balkan kings visited Vienna, and reaped credit with their peoples -from having sat side by side with the Emperor, the great stickler for -etiquette, the arbiter of rank for the East. - -Such was Vienna, and such were to a lesser degree the provincial cities -of Austria-Hungary, which all modelled themselves on the capital, when -Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and the heir to the throne, Archduke Francis -Ferdinand, decided to embark upon an aggressive policy. The Archduke -fondly believed that the idea originated with himself, and that he was -right in taking advantage of the temporary disablement of the aged -Emperor to strike a blow for his country’s aggrandisement. He did not -see that he was doing an unwise thing in listening to the counsels of -a neighbouring monarch, whose interests were by no means identical -with those of his own country, and acting on these promptings, without -consulting the Emperor. Count Aehrenthal, the Foreign Minister, was -a creature of the new _régime_, and he took his instructions from -the coming man. Changes of policy for the Dual Monarchy are usually -announced at the meeting of the Delegations, an assembly of members -of the Austrian and of the Hungarian Parliaments, who are delegated -by their fellows to represent them at the meeting. The Delegations, -which sit in Vienna and in Budapesth alternatively, vote supplies for -all objects common to the two countries, such as the army and navy. -The small check that the Austrian and Hungarian Parliaments can put on -their rulers lies here. The members of the Delegations, however, were -men who had axes to grind and seldom interfered with the programme -announced by the Foreign Minister. - -It was at a meeting of the Delegations in Vienna, in the winter of -1908, that Baron Aehrenthal announced the fact that Austria-Hungary had -embarked upon an aggressive policy. The days of quiet and tranquillity -were over; the country intended to join in the march forward. It only -sought commercial expansion, it is true, but it was prepared to face -all and any consequences. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -SALONICA - - -Aehrenthal sketched a programme of commercial extension in the Near -East. The first step to be taken was the building of the Sanjak -railway. The Sanjak is a narrow strip of barren land which was at that -period occupied by Austrian troops. Aehrenthal now proposed to build -a railway through the Sanjak, with the terminus at Salonica. This -railway would give Austria-Hungary the control of the Balkans as far -as trade questions were concerned. Salonica would virtually become -Austrian property, not by the force of conquest, but by the natural -sequence of events. It had long been plain that the Turkish Empire was -crumbling. None knew better than the Austrians that the hour for the -final dissolution of the Turkish Empire had come. It therefore behoved -Austria-Hungary to anticipate her rivals and to secure the most -important port--Salonica. The building of the Sanjak railway would -have shortened the route to the East by many hours. Many statesmen in -Austria-Hungary did not approve of the Sanjak project. There was an -alternative and much quicker route over Albania. If a railway could be -built from Durazzo or Vallona across to Salonica, two days could be -saved on the route to the East. Many statesmen favoured this plan. The -Sanjak was a death-trap, they said; the line would run through gullies -among mountains where enemies could command it. Besides the danger of -enemy forces in case of war, the wild bands of half-civilised folk -in the Balkans must be considered too. They might plunder the train -at any time; it would be very easy to hold it up between the steep -defiles. In Albania there was flat, fertile country that would be -vastly more suited for railway building; it could, besides, be opened -up with advantage. The only trouble with regard to Albania was that -there was a treaty between Austria and Italy regarding any occupation -of that country. If Austria took northern Albania, as she hoped to do, -Italy was to have the southern part. Vallona, the best harbour on the -Adriatic, lay in the part claimed by Italy. - -Thus Austria-Hungary hesitated between two alternative schemes. The -German element in Austria was for pushing towards Salonica over the -Sanjak. The idea had come from Berlin, and had been carefully suggested -to Austrian diplomatists by the Emperor’s advisers. Aehrenthal -announced it publicly at the Delegations, and waited to see what effect -his audacious move would have upon Europe. The Greeks sitting in the -café in the Fleischmarkt in Vienna were the first on that memorable -night of the Delegations’ meeting to catch up the words, “To Salonica.” -“Salonica is Greek,” they said. “If it is wrested from the Turks, it -must fall to Greece.” Twenty-four hours later Europe said what it -thought of Austria’s plans of expansion. The old Emperor, Francis -Joseph, who had probably listened in a semi-comatose condition, as -he frequently did, to the report made by his Foreign Minister on the -Sanjak railway, summoned him to Schönbrunn in haste. There, in his -characteristic way, in language so plain that there was no mistaking -it, and that would have done credit to a Vienna cabby, the Emperor -forbade any thoughts of a forward policy. He had had misfortunes enough -in his long reign, he said. If any innovation was to be made it could -be undertaken by his successor; for the rest of his life there would -be quiet. He understood that Russia was aghast at Austria’s plans of -aggression, England was furious, and France asking what it all meant. -The announcement made at the Delegations might be regarded as unspoken. - -[Illustration: BARON AEHRENTHAL.] - -Strange to say, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the throne, -agreed with the Emperor. He considered that the forward movement in -the Balkans planned by Aehrenthal was ill-judged. He was aware that -Kaiser Wilhelm and the “German” party in Austria desired to open the -road to the East. The Archduke, however, took a much clearer view of -the political situation than the Kaiser and his advisers. He grasped -the very obvious fact that Italy was not a willing member of the Triple -Alliance. She was only waiting for an excuse that would sound at all -plausible to break loose from her bonds. Why the Archduke should be -keenly aware of a fact that was never even suspected by Kaiser Wilhelm -is not easy to say. Perhaps the intensity of his hatred enabled him to -read the national character aright, for the Archduke hated Italy with -a bitter hatred. He possessed estates in Italy, and considered that -the Italian Courts of Justice had treated him unfairly in a series of -law suits he had had about his property there. Moreover, there were -differences of temperament between the Austrians and Italians. Francis -Ferdinand was essentially a “German” Austrian--that is to say, an -Austrian with leanings towards Prussian methods, who wished to have -the Austrian army reorganised on Prussian methods. There was something -in the Italian character that roused the Archduke’s anger; both he and -Kaiser Wilhelm felt the rage, often manifested by the savage for things -he cannot understand, at Italy and Italy’s methods. This common dislike -for Italy which possessed both men was doubtless due to a remarkable -and startling change in the Italian character. During the last twenty -years the Italians have organised themselves on German lines; the -Italian of to-day has all the efficiency of the Prussian without his -cumbersome methods. When Kaiser Wilhelm went to Italy unexpectedly -to visit his friends there, he found hydroplanes that excelled those -at home moving about in the limpid waters of the Adriatic. He went -to Miramare, swelling with anger. Both he and Francis Ferdinand were -sufficiently intelligent to take in the position at a glance. Italy -was like a child that had stolen a march upon the world in a night by -attaining to her full stature while the others slept. Both raged at the -unexpected turn things had taken. While Kaiser Wilhelm was anxious -to keep Italy as an ally, because Germany and Austria-Hungary had so -small a coast-line, Francis Ferdinand, with much truer insight into -the interests of his country, said, “Fall upon Italy unexpectedly and -crush her.” Kaiser Wilhelm realised that the Austro-Hungarian fleet -would only be of use if it could emerge from the Adriatic. Bottled up -in the inland sea by the Italian fleet it was a negligible quantity. -He did not comprehend the bitter hatred felt by every Italian for the -ancient oppressor, the Austrian. He probably knew little of the ways in -which Italians in Austria were persecuted, in spite of the existence -of the Triple Alliance. The Government went about its work in a very -wary manner, and incidents which would have opened his eyes were -carefully hushed up. It is probable, too, that the Austrians deceived -the Kaiser as to the attitude of the Italians. Every Austrian knew in -his heart that there could never be anything but war between the two -countries. The manner in which they habitually alluded to the Italians -was sufficient to prove their intense hate. The Italian subjects living -in Austria reciprocated this sentiment in full. Whenever they found an -opportunity of paying back some of the Austrian hate for them, they -availed themselves of the chance. Archduke Francis Ferdinand always -used his influence to prevent Austro-Italians rising to power. He had -officials in Trieste removed from their posts merely because they were -“Italians.” Their places were taken by Slavs, who regarded the Archduke -as their protector. As a matter of fact, the Slavs were the only people -in Austria-Hungary who respected and liked the heir to the throne. -The Germans despised him. The Hungarians frankly detested him, and -the Italians execrated him. The Bohemians, the Croats, and the Serbs, -all Slav races, regarded him as their representative. In the racial -contests for place and power in Dalmatia, in Istria, the Slavs who -wished to oust the Italians from their places appealed to the Archduke, -and immediately got what they wanted, while the Czechs, who were in -deadly antagonism with the Germans in Bohemia, had a powerful advocate -in Countess Chotek. When the German officials tried to introduce the -teaching in German instead of the Czech language into elementary -schools in Bohemia in Czech districts, the Archduke stood by them and -prevented any encroachment by the German element. - -Thus Emperor Francis Joseph and his heir agreed, although from -different motives, in preventing the plan of the building of the -Sanjak railway being pursued. Kaiser Wilhelm, who had taken no part -in the disputes that were raging in Vienna, was glad that the idea -of Austria-Hungary’s embarking on an aggressive policy should be -ventilated, but did not wish her to take any course that might lead to -war either in the Balkans or with Italy. Neither country was prepared -to embark on an aggressive world-war. Kaiser Wilhelm encouraged -Austro-Hungarian statesmen to contemplate a series of wars with poor -and helpless neighbours, such as Italy, Montenegro, and Servia, but -he was really thinking of executing his projects, of placing Germany -“über alles!” He knew that this idea of aggressive warfare would render -it easier for the German party to obtain the armaments required for -the coming struggle, while public opinion in the country would become -accustomed to the idea of a policy of expansion. He cared little -that the Archduke was preparing for a _coup_ upon Italy when he was -contemplating a blow in the opposite direction. The necessity for -realising his plans made Kaiser Wilhelm regard all means justifiable, -even the deception of his allies. - -The storm raised by the Sanjak railway project gradually calmed down, -and Count Aehrenthal, baulked in his plans, retired to the background -to work out fresh plans for Austro-Hungarian aggrandisement; while -Archduke Francis Ferdinand, still sore at the Court Ball incident, -sulked upon his magnificent estate at Konospischt, in Bohemia, where he -superintended his wonderful collection of exotic plants and tried to -forget Vienna the dusty, that was so bad for his lungs. - -Kaiser Wilhelm became increasingly aware that the immediate necessities -of the situation rendered it important to gain Archduke Francis -Ferdinand to his side. The Kaiser was painfully conscious that neither -the aged Emperor nor his heir had any real regard for him. They were -inclined to look upon him as an upstart in many ways. The Kaiser’s -sudden excursions into realms that they regarded as distinctly not -regal annoyed them. What need had the Emperor of Germany to seek -distinction as a writer of plays? By such tricks he brought down the -whole level of royalty. All the Habsburgs are eminently dignified, and -Kaiser Wilhelm always seemed something of a royal mountebank to them, -with his strange longings after artistic fame, his childish wish for -popularity--a matter of the most complete indifference to his brother -monarch in Vienna. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -KAISER WILHELM IN VIENNA - - -Vienna, startled for an instant by the events connected with the -meeting of the Austro-Hungarian Delegations, soon sank back again -into complete apathy as regards foreign politics. The Sanjak railway -was forgotten and everyone was thinking of how the short time between -Easter and the “Derby,” the final event of the Vienna summer season, -was to be spent, when news came that Kaiser Wilhelm was about to visit -Vienna. He proposed to come to celebrate the aged Emperor’s jubilee -and to bring his whole family with him. The Viennese considered this -most tactless. Emperor Francis Joseph had lost his only son in a -drunken brawl, and now his professed friend wished to remind him of -the fact by bringing a family of handsome young men to accentuate the -contrast between the lonely old man and the Kaiser in the prime of -life, surrounded by his six sons. The Kaiser secretly planned another -“honour” for the Emperor. All the Federal Princes were to arrive in -Vienna before the Kaiser and to await him on the platform. The Kaiser -arranged for them and their retinue to reach Vienna separately and -almost in secrecy. No receptions were to be given them on arrival. He -only broke the news to the Emperor privately when all the arrangements -were complete and some of the Princes already on their way to Vienna. -The Emperor thereupon lost his temper, which had already been sorely -tried by the proposal to bring so many Imperial Princes. He sent a -message to say that his health would not allow of him receiving anyone -excepting the Kaiser. The Kaiser had to abandon his plan, which was -to have the Emperor of Austria and the German Federal Princes grouped -together on the little platform at Penzing, awaiting his arrival “like -the rising sun,” as the Vienna papers put it, and allow the Emperor to -do homage to him among his vassals, thus recognising him as overlord of -all the German-speaking peoples. - -The Press said what it thought of the Kaiser’s overweening ambition, -and he was very surprised. The Austrians were not so stupid as he had -thought. They had grasped his plan to make himself the man of the hour -instead of leaving the first place to the monarch whose jubilee was -being celebrated. - -Wilhelm’s fertile, restless brain had hardly abandoned one project -before it conceived another. He left his bevy of handsome sons at -home, but took his only daughter with him to Vienna. The heir to the -Austrian throne, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, had made a morganatic -marriage; his children could not succeed. Archduke Carl Francis Joseph, -the son of Archduke Otto, who had lately died a horrible death, would -be the next heir. Why should Princess Louise not become Empress of -Austria and Queen of Hungary? There was the little difficulty about -religion, but that could be managed. Louise and her mother, the -Empress, were informed that they would be allowed to accompany the -Kaiser. It is likely that the ladies had but small notice, for Princess -Louise wore skirts that were perfectly appropriate to the palace at -Potsdam, where she ranked as the greatest tomboy of the family, but -they were decidedly too short and too tight for the Austrian Court, -where ample petticoats are _de rigueur_. A tall, thin girl, looking -absolutely irrepressive, stalked up the platform by her mother’s side. -Distracted ladies-in-waiting had attempted to teach her the Austrian -Court curtsey--a most complicated manœuvre that takes years to learn. -They also tried to instil some ideas of the strictness of the Austrian -Court etiquette into her mind. She was the terror of the palace at -home; the ladies-in-waiting stood in great awe of the spoilt child. -They trembled when their turn to attend upon Her Royal Highness came -round. They feared what would happen when she got to Vienna. The change -from the free and easy manners of the Berlin Court to the unchangeable -rules and regulations of Vienna was enough to upset a more placid girl. -All the bowing and smiling upset Princess Louise, whose education had -been very “Protestant.” She put out her tongue at one of the stately -Archduchesses--behind her back, it is true, but the incident did not go -unnoticed. She dropped a bouquet that had been presented to her because -the weight annoyed her. The Empress of Germany looked dismayed at the -dismal failure. She had some idea of the Kaiser’s plans, and was aware -five minutes after the special train had pulled up on the platform -that the project had fallen through. Wilhelm, who is not by any means -sensitive, had not marked the by-play. The look on the horrified -face of the Empress should have warned him from committing a further -error; but he was always quite oblivious to atmospheres. He turned -round and, with a rough shoulder movement that was visible to everyone -on the platform, he actually “shoved”--no other word can describe the -movement--the Princess towards the young Archduke. The Princess, well -used to her father’s abrupt manners, smiled at the young Archduke, -who rose to the occasion in a manner worthy of the traditions of his -family, which is celebrated for its fine manners. But Kaiser Wilhelm’s -matrimonial plans had failed before they were really made. All the -women were against it. The Habsburgs objected to the presence of a -Protestant in their midst even though she might forsake her religion. -They knew that anything so foreign to themselves could never preside at -the Court of Vienna. Their opinion was shared by their guest, who hated -the gloomy Hofburg, and cared but little for Schönbrunn, where the -strict etiquette rendered the mother of the future heir to the throne a -mere puppet in the hands of attendants, who would not even allow her to -educate or control the destinies of her children. Princess Louise put a -final seal upon any possibility of negotiations being renewed by her -very decided conduct during the subsequent proceedings. Vienna was full -of stories of the strong-mindedness of the Kaiser’s only daughter. It -had had experience of strong-minded Princesses in the past. It wished -for nothing more of the same kind. Kaiser Wilhelm had lost. - -Baulked in his matrimonial schemes, he now turned to the political -situation. Emperor Francis Joseph was irritable. The visit, although on -a much smaller scale than had been originally planned, cost him much -money, and, though he had been extremely generous in his youth, the -Emperor had become strangely parsimonious in his old age. He grudged -the great expense that was invariably entailed by the Kaiser’s State -visits. The programme usually included some expensive outing. Sometimes -five miles of road had to be improved up to the royal automobile -standard. At another time Wilhelm would take a fancy to go shooting -after his stay in Vienna, and could not be induced to accept the -simple life that was the joy of the Emperor of Austria when among the -peasants. The hunting-box, the whole forest, had to be brought up to -the standard of an American millionaire. The Habsburgs, whose claim -to rank was too ancient and too secure to need any artificial pomp -to keep it up, rode through the deep forests on small, hardy ponies. -The Emperor of Germany required a road, and insisted upon its being -cut right through the forest. He was never secure of his position. -Beyond all these minor inconveniences he expected to be treated with -the utmost ceremony, and considered that it was incumbent upon the -frail old monarch in Schönbrunn to fetch him at the railway station, -to take him to his rooms along the chilly corridors of Schönbrunn -Palace, and to expose himself, in season and out of season, in order -to magnify the importance of his guest. It was further reported in -Vienna that Kaiser Wilhelm, ever penurious, had come to borrow money -from the aged Emperor--one of the richest sovereigns in Europe, if, -indeed, not the richest of all. All these things did not endear -Emperor Wilhelm to the Viennese. They showed their feelings by -refusing to get out the best bunting and by cheering their Emperor -frantically when alone, and pointedly refraining from any exhibition -of enthusiasm when the visitors passed. The people, too, perhaps, had -a true perception of what Kaiser Wilhelm sought, and recognised that -he was really patronising the old Emperor, suggesting that it was -time he took a back seat in a dozen insidious ways. Kaiser Wilhelm -hoped Archduke Francis Ferdinand would be easy to manage, but was not -convinced of this. Emperor Francis Joseph watched the growing intimacy -between his heir and the Kaiser with great misgivings. He knew that -toils were being wound round the Archduke, who believed that he could -accept obligations and not be called upon to pay for them. The aged -diplomatist at his side knew better. The experience of three-quarters -of a century had taught him the true inwardness of things. It was vain, -however, to utter warnings. He was not even discreet. When in a fit of -rage--such as attacks all the Habsburgs who are epileptic--nothing was -sacred. A man who was not able to control himself could not be trusted -with secrets that might imperil Austria’s relations with Germany. Thus -things drifted. Germany obtained increasing power in Austrian councils; -the only man who could lay a restraining hand upon his heir was old and -weary and unwilling for anything that spelt change or unrest. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -AFFAIRS IN TURKEY - - -It was clear to everyone who followed the course of events in the -Near East that the dissolution of the Turkish Empire was at hand. The -race towards ruin, that had gone on slowly before the introduction -of the telegraph and telephone, now began to suit its pace to the -times. Corruption of every kind was the order of the day in Turkey. -Nothing could be obtained without bribery. Every kind of enterprise -was stopped by the extortions of the tax-gatherer. Any man who was -known to possess ready money was plundered by corrupt officials. The -system of land-tenure prevented the peasants from putting any money -into improvements. The great mineral wealth in Turkey and the subject -lands could not be touched, for the law said that only the surface of -the land belonged to the proprietor; all mining rights remained the -property of the State. Mining engineers who came to search for hidden -wealth were murdered by the peasants, who feared that the Government -would confiscate their land. Men who went down to Turkey to do business -always spoke of the necessity of adopting quite other methods than -elsewhere. Money, even in the case of respectable firms, was not kept -in the bank, where it would fetch interest, but distributed among a -number of more or less distant relatives. Thus the stranger had no -means of discovering whether his customer could pay or could not pay. -The latter always had a clear case for the Courts, and could prove -absolute penury whether the necessity arose in connection with taxation -or with a tiresome customer. At the same time all business there was -done on the credit system. The European agent, therefore, never dealt -direct, but depended upon the local agent, who had a profound and -up-to-date knowledge of his customer’s financial standing. The fact -that no man could be forced to pay made tradesmen very honest, and -the Turk, even before the revolution, had an excellent reputation for -uprightness throughout South-Eastern Europe. “The Turk is a gentleman; -he always pays,” they said in Austria and in Hungary. Just as large -transactions were carried out in the latter countries without the -interposition of any legal man, and sums running into thousands passed -from hand to hand in small notes to avoid the heavy stamp duty, so -the Turk transacted business without documents, always keeping to his -word. The Austrian and German agent who overran Turkey and dumped his -least marketable goods upon the people, felt he was dealing with a -kindred soul, but, to avoid all risks, he fixed his prices to allow -for long waiting, and also to cover any unavoidable bad debts. He had -a serious competitor in business in the Balkans, and was gradually -being routed from his long-established haunts by the Italian “drummer.” -The Bohemian textile manufacturers had been accustomed to regard -Turkey and the Balkans as a kind of dumping-ground for bales of goods -that had not “taken” colour properly and for wares that showed some -deficiency. The arrival of cases of excellent wares from Milan at about -two-thirds of the price of the Austrian article naturally damaged their -market very considerably. It is certain that much of the friction -between Austria-Hungary and Italy was due to the growing keenness of -competition in trade upon the Balkans, and just at this period it was -getting very active. - -Turkey hung thus, like an over-ripe pear, the wasps swarming around -her, her Sultan Abdul Hamid committing crimes that cried to heaven, -when the news reached Vienna that the Third Army Corps at Salonica -was marching upon Constantinople. The revolution and the deposition -of Abdul Hamid were accomplished with a celerity that gave rise to -the suspicion that Austria knew more of the whole affair than she -chose to admit. The Austrian Government made desperate efforts to -keep the news from getting out until everything was accomplished, and -it is more than probable that the Young Turks were financed by the -Austrian Government. It is equally certain, however, that the Young -Turks chose a moment that suited themselves, and had not consulted -Austria as to details such as dates. Austria had set a vast machine -in motion, and could only stand aghast at the completeness of the -success of the rebels. It was not what she intended. With the opening -of a Turkish Parliament many questions that might have drifted -indefinitely became pressing. The chief of these was the future of -Bosnia and Herzegowina. Austria-Hungary had occupied these lands. For -many years she had carried on a rule that was not pleasing to the -population, formed almost exclusively of Serbo-Croats, who wished -to join their Servian neighbours across the frontier. With what the -Austro-Hungarian administrators regarded as singular blindness, they -felt that they would prefer the very progressive rule of King Peter to -the retrogressive government of subject-nations by the Central Power. -The few Mohammedan Albanians in Bosnia were content with the existing -state of affairs, which differed little from that under Turkish rule. -As they were merely 3 per cent. of the population, however, they were -of minor importance, although men of prominent position in most cases. - -The establishment of the Turkish Constitution changed the whole aspect -of affairs as regards Bosnia and Herzegowina. The countries, although -occupied by Austria-Hungary, were still under the suzerainty of Turkey. -They would have the right to send deputies to represent them at the new -Turkish National Assembly. If this were permitted, Austria felt that it -would be only a question of time before she was called upon to evacuate -the annexed lands. Turkey might become regenerate. She would, then -exercise the leading _rôle_ in the Balkans that Austria had reserved -for herself. - -Austria-Hungary decided that it was the moment for action. Only -one course was open to her. She must proclaim the annexation of -Bosnia-Herzegowina. Kaiser Wilhelm was consulted upon the advisability -of this step. He said that the step must be taken without warning. It -must come upon Europe as a surprise. Other countries had proclaimed -annexations--why not Austria-Hungary? - -Archduke Francis Ferdinand bitterly disapproved of Austria’s attention -being turned to the East instead of to Italy. His influence was at -a very low ebb at this particular time. Emperor Francis Joseph had -regained his health. It was even thought that the robust old man might -outlive the heir to the throne. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE ANNEXATION - - -The proclamation of the Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegowina in 1908, -with the evacuation of the Sanjak as a compensation to Turkey, took -Europe by surprise. The general feeling was one of utter astonishment, -that Austria-Hungary, herself far along the road to bankruptcy, should -presume to annex anything. It is doubtful whether any one realised that -Germany stood firm behind her in her high-handed action. Even if this -were known vaguely, no one was aware that Germany had been consulted, -had fathered the plan, and perhaps even conceived it in all its naked -unscrupulousness. When the spasm of astonishment was over there was -a loud outcry. Austria-Hungary had “torn up” the Treaty of Berlin in -violating Article 29. An army, that was ready for the eventualities -that the country shrewdly suspected might ensue, was hastily thrown -upon the Bosnian frontier, another was pushed up towards Russia. -Germany also despatched a large force to the Russian front. The country -resounded with the noise and confusion of a mobilisation, for, strange -to say, Austria-Hungary, although aware her troops would be required, -had made no definite preparations. Stories of Bohemian regiments, -driven into troop trains covered by their officers’ revolvers, ran -like wildfire through the country. Further reports soon proved that -the mobilisation was simply organised confusion. Germany heard and -marked. There could be no war under such conditions. Meanwhile, the -Austro-Hungarian mobilisation was followed by rapid action on the -other frontiers. Russia put troops on her frontiers. Servia, feeling -concerned for her safety, increased her frontier forces. Count -Aehrenthal, besides promising to evacuate the Sanjak, undertook to -compensate Turkey financially for the loss of her provinces. In all -these arrangements it must be noted that Turkey was never consulted. -She had to look on while her territory was taken away, powerless to -defend her interests. This was a matter of quite secondary interest to -the Great Powers, who simply demanded to know what were the intentions -of Austria-Hungary. The winter of 1908–09 was spent in negotiation. The -soldiers, carefully provided with winter clothing, spent the months on -the chilly frontiers, and pitiful letters of complaint of the severity -of the Galician and Servian climates reached Vienna. These were from -the common soldiers, whose lot has always been a hard one. They were -subjected to the severe discipline that prevails in the Prussian army, -but whereas the Prussian gets his full allowance of food-stuff and -has the proper clothing for the climate at the end of October, the -Austrian trooper is, as often as not, supplied with ice-making machines -in December and woollen sleeping-sacks in July. New needs that cropped -up at the front were only met long after the cold that made them -indispensable had changed to spring-like warmth and the armies felt the -inconveniences of an inefficient officialdom very severely. - -The young officers at the front, who were well provided with money, -spent a healthy winter. Ski-ing was one of the chief amusements; -they brought the sport back to Vienna, where it had previously been -something of a novelty. Otherwise the social life of the people was -but little affected by the diplomatic trouble that was causing such -perturbation at the Ballplatz. There was some complaining at the -scarcity of men. Vienna hostesses had always counted on providing each -girl with a choice of partners; this year the available men were either -getting on in life or unduly young, as the mobilisation had swept up -the rest. Those who remained at home, too, were overworked, and could -not spend their days in semi-somnolence in the office and their nights -in the whirling activity of the ball-room. It was only a year later, -on returning from the annual holiday, that people began to notice -that prices had gone up. The explanation was simple enough. The army, -after the unsuccessful mobilisation which had revealed all kinds of -deficiencies, began to make numerous demands. The guns they had tested -during the very frequent frontier skirmishes whose history has never -been written were useless. Much of the ammunition was counterfeit. -Stories of corruption touching even the highest officials were current. -Some great personages were dismissed without the customary decoration, -the Emperor plainly saying that he would show no mercy to those who had -betrayed their country. The excuse that they had no idea that a war -was perhaps pending did not palliate their crime in the eyes of the -aged Emperor, who is a soldier _par excellence_ in all that concerns -discipline and order. - -The discovery of many lacunae and “discrepancies” in the service made -Austria-Hungary herself chary of going to war. When the chance of a -compromise came she was ready to take it. This was the easier for -her, as Germany, who was prepared for a world-war in the month of -October, absolutely refused to back Austria-Hungary in an adventurous -policy in December. The reason was plain. Germany and her Emperor had -believed all the reports they had received of Austria’s readiness; -it was only when they saw how the mobilisation hung fire, and -realised how unwilling her men--especially those belonging to the -subject races--were to fight, that they saw they had been deceived, -not intentionally, but by the difference between what the Austrians -believed and the actual state of affairs. Kaiser Wilhelm began to -see for the first time that he could not take the Emperor’s word for -things; not that the aged man had the faintest intent to deceive -him, but simply that he lived in a world created by his courtiers, -and existed in the atmosphere prevalent at Courts a century ago. His -councillors, old men like himself, never told the Emperor anything -unpleasant. If they believed that he did not wish to hear it, the -truth was carefully concealed. It is doubtful whether the Emperor ever -knew of the discontent in the ranks of the army. - -Kaiser Wilhelm had but small difficulty in holding back the politicians -who sat in Vienna and appreciated his arguments. Modern wars, said the -Kaiser, cannot be waged without munitions and money. Austria-Hungary -had numbers of men, but her munitions were of ancient pattern; her guns -were not fit for active service. Wealth she possessed in plenty, as -Austria-Hungary is a rich country, but it was not realised. It was all -invested in lands, machinery, and other plant. Her subjects were not -accustomed to direct taxation to any extent. The military party could -not grasp these arguments. - -A great nation ought not to stoop to negotiate, it said. Why should -they hesitate when their army was over two millions strong? - -It is a curious fact that during the negotiations no one mentioned the -really salient point in so many words, nor asked, “By what right had -Germany, through Austria, arrogated to herself the power to disturb the -peace of Europe and to steal a march upon her neighbours in the night?” -Neither country has ever advanced a reason to excuse this action. -The first cause was doubtless Kaiser Wilhelm. In the plenitude of his -arrogance, which made him consider himself beyond all human laws, -he regarded the rights and wishes of others as entirely negligible -quantities where the greatness of the German Empire, which meant his -greatness, was concerned. Every German child was taught that Germany -should be supreme over all. In the schools they learnt that nothing, -not even truth or justice, could be allowed to interfere with Germany’s -commercial progress. The young men who stole into Italy or Bohemia as -clerks and took copies of the names of customers for the use of their -countrymen, were not considered thieves in the usual sense. They were -simply German patriots; men who had been reared from childhood to -consider that the old standards had fallen, and a new German philosophy -had taken its place. This teaching had one object, and one only, the -aggrandisement of Germany. Kaiser Wilhelm was at the head of this -movement. He regarded the other nations as effete and degenerate. -They had no right to block the way of the Prussians, who were a -reincarnation of the Goths of old, and who would sweep everything -before them. Prussians of high standing were not backward in expounding -this theory. The other German races murmured at the “unscrupulousness” -of the Prussian. They felt that men of this character were dangerous, -and that they ought not to be entrusted with the supreme command in -the Empire. Austria-Hungary, meanwhile, chafed at the bit that she was -beginning to feel. After all the delicate questions had been settled -and the terms of the agreement arranged, her statesmen sighed and said: -“This has been a mistake, we ought to have gone to war.” - -Statesmen saw that they had placed themselves too unreservedly in -Germany’s hands. Peace, too, had been preserved by unusual means. When -things had reached a very critical stage, the aged Emperor Francis -Joseph stemmed the current that was carrying the country towards -war. He let it be known that he objected to the peace being broken. -He wished to end his days in tranquillity. Such respect was felt for -the Emperor that this was sufficient to turn the scale in favour of -peace. Austrian statesmen, however, were encouraged in an irresponsible -feeling that they might go to great lengths in threatening war -without being called upon to back up their threats by action. The -Austro-Hungarian supreme War Lord could save the situation by a word. -Germany could prevent things reaching a climax if the Emperor’s -petition for peace were not sufficient. - -These ideas were radically wrong. The Emperor tacitly undertook not to -break the peace again when he made his appeal. It is certain that he -never intended to do so. But this should have hampered his statesmen. -It did not. Instead of feeling that the Emperor’s pledge to Europe laid -a responsibility upon them, they, on the contrary, felt that their acts -were always liable to be disavowed by the monarch, and that they were -not forced to show the same caution as they would if their decisions -were final. In the same way, they failed to realise that Germany would -inevitably demand compensation for her protection. The noblemen who -held the helm in Vienna were not a match for the calculating business -men who were pursuing a “real” policy at Berlin, and who had little to -do with ideals. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -PRINCE EGON FÜRSTENBERG AND COUNT TCHIRSKY. HOW THE KAISER “WORKED” -VIENNA - - -Kaiser Wilhelm had the good sense to keep away from Vienna during -the time of the annexation crisis. Very few knew the extent of his -influence in the Austrian capital, nor had they any idea how it was -exercised. The Kaiser was always well informed of everything that -was happening in Austria, and obtained his knowledge by attaching -personages like Max Egon Fürstenberg to his person. The Kaiser never -selected a friend except for the advancement of his own ends. Prince -Max, who had the position of a reigning sovereign, without the work -or responsibilities that were formerly attached to the title and -possessions, had the _entrée_ to all the most exclusive houses in -Germany and Austria-Hungary. Here he shared State secrets that it was -given only to very few to know. Kaiser Wilhelm was quick to see the -advantage of attaching such a man to his side. The Prince was flattered -by the monarch’s notice, and never thought that casual remarks that he -let fall were treasured up by his Royal host. The German Kaiser and -the Prince even speculated in stocks and shares together, financed -companies, and indulged in business that was quite legitimate for the -wealthy Prince, who could afford to lose heavily, but very dangerous -for a monarch whose purse was always exhausted. - -Prince Max, who is easy-going and good-humoured, cared little for his -failures, but Kaiser Wilhelm lost prestige with his people through his -financial transactions. Prince Max was very irresponsible in many ways. -Like many other Austrians, he failed to see that his country was on the -edge of a volcano. Things had always settled themselves before, and -they would again, he thought. It is doubtful whether he realised that -he was a mere tool in the hands of the Kaiser, and even if he did so, -his sardonic contempt of life made him indifferent to the unpatriotic -_rôle_ that he was playing in giving away his country’s secrets to -her worst enemy. Intelligent and well-versed in the traditions of -his family that has produced so many famous men, it is probable that -Prince Max could have saved Austria from falling into the hands of -the Germans had he realised what was happening. Unfortunately, he was -too much occupied in pursuing the latest craze of the moment to think -of serious matters. Under his charming manners he possessed a certain -acumen, but was inclined to think the Germans were guided by the same -motives as he was himself. The over-civilised, over-polished man of the -world fell an easy prey to the cold, calculating monarch on the other -side of the frontier. - -[Illustration: PRINCE MAX EGON FÜRSTENBERG.] - -Prince Max Egon Fürstenberg was one type of the Kaiser’s familiars. -Count Tchirsky, the German Ambassador at Vienna, was the prototype of -the others. The German Ambassador in Vienna was the _doyen_ of the -Diplomatic Corps. Cold-blooded, calculating, deep, he was the very -embodiment of the Kaiser’s ideal politician. Tchirsky did not know -what scruples meant, and his many years’ experience of the Court of -Vienna enabled him to put his fingers upon every weakness there. He -saw only the defects and missed much that was fine in the character -of the men with whom he had to deal. They spoke of him as the “Old -Spider” of the Metternichgasse, where he had his palace. He did not -play a leading _rôle_ in society; visitors to Vienna knew but little -about him, if indeed they realised his existence at all. He carried -on a bitter warfare against the members of the diplomatic body who -tried to oppose the Triple Alliance. His machinations were less openly, -but none the less fiercely, directed against Italy, the nominal, but -unwilling, ally of the Central Empires. Tchirsky, a man of dark plots, -contrived to acquire interest in one of the leading Vienna papers. This -interest developed into the effective control of the organ. He was -able, thus, under the guise of a newspaper attack, to render Vienna -almost intolerable for any diplomatist whose presence he considered -detrimental to the welfare of Germany. When the Emperor “conspicuously -turned his back upon the Russian military attaché” at a Court ball, the -fact was recorded with great gusto in Tchirsky’s paper. The attaché, -who was compromised in a spy case, would have left Vienna by the first -train on the morrow in any case. Emperor Francis Joseph was a soldier -and no courtier, and when he turned his back upon a foreigner there was -no mistaking the action. It was done squarely and openly. The record of -the German-owned Press did not improve the strained relations between -Russia and Austria-Hungary, for the fact that Germany directed the -paper’s policy was an open secret. A pro-English American Ambassador -was subjected to attacks of a kind that could only be conceived by the -fertile brain of Count Tchirsky. The Ambassador was accused of being -parsimonious, and his personal habits were described with an acrimony -that showed he had a powerful enemy. The coarseness of the language -used, too, exposed the source; only a Prussian could employ such -machinations against an enemy. How the Austrians, who prided themselves -on their hospitality and their courtesy to strangers, could allow such -an attack to appear can only be explained by the growing helplessness -of their statesmen when confronted by the powerful German. Tchirsky -further distinguished himself by making an attack through the Press -upon the wife of the British Ambassador. How far he was responsible for -the famous Cartwright interview it is difficult to say. The blow, it -was known at the time, came from Germany. Austrians might have listened -to a private conversation at a table in Marienbad, and put the words -uttered by various members of the British Colony into shape as their -views upon the Morocco question, but it needed the unscrupulousness -of a German to conceive the plan of putting the pronouncements into -the mouth of the British Ambassador. The latter was too astonished -by the impertinence of the act to realise what it meant. Indeed, it -is possible that the Ambassador’s indignant denials of ever having -entered into any discussion with the man who claimed to have obtained -the interview were suppressed like many other items of news and facts. -The only denial that did appear was late and inadequate. The British, -bound by traditions, never even suspected that German diplomacy could -resort to such means for gaining an advantage. No one realised their -absolute deadness to all sense of morality. When Count Tchirsky did -sally forth from his chilly palace in Vienna, it was to compass the -undoing of the frivolous Austrians. He would exact the payment of a -pledge, given over wine. Bargains, made in the ball-room, were reduced -next morning to writing, then stored away among the archives at Berlin, -and the carrying out of the conditions--conditions favourable to -Germany and disastrous to Austria--would be exacted with the cruelty -and callousness of a Prussian politician. Had Tchirsky himself hung -back, there were others to egg him on. The ideal condition of a -Europe in which Germany was supreme must be realised. Any remnants of -conscience that Tchirsky might have possessed had long been stifled by -intercourse with his Imperial master, who regarded himself as far above -all moral law. He was the supreme War Lord. His word had established a -new morality quite different from that generally accepted. The military -training enjoyed by almost all Germans made them the more ready to -accept this point of view. Discipline, enforced until the power of -independent reflection has been lost through want of use, relieved -them of the necessity of considering the morality of their acts. The -hymns of praise of Germany’s successful policy, sung by philosophers -and by the pastors of religion, who were foremost, as usual, in -advocating the policy of expediency that Germany might be exalted, -lulled any scruples felt by Tchirsky’s subordinates. He, himself a -survival of a former age, was incapable of imagining anything of the -kind. Truth was what the supreme lord decreed to be truth. Honesty was -merely another word for expediency. The Ambassador was surrounded by -a number of men, with no reputation to lose, who brought him news of -every fresh turn of events in Austria-Hungary. They cared little that -they were betraying their country to a hard taskmaster. The present -benefits of a flourishing banking account were ample compensation -for their treachery. These causes all combined to render Tchirsky -the least popular man in Vienna. When his name was mentioned, every -tongue was suddenly frozen into silence. Was the inquirer a spy? Did -he wish to sound the secret feelings of someone present? The Viennese -felt a distrust that was rather instinctive than realised. It was the -premonition of the closing of the brutal hand of German power upon the -crowd of gay butterflies on the banks of the Danube. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE “GREAT SERVIA” IDEA--SERVIAN ORGANISATION - - -While Austria-Hungary, with Germany behind her, was discussing the -tearing up of the Treaty of Berlin with the rest of Europe, both Powers -failed to observe developments that were taking place under their very -eyes. The Austro-Hungarian official sent off to Bosnia or Croatia cared -very little about the people entrusted to him. His one and only idea -was to scheme and plan until he obtained his move to Vienna. He took no -means to detect and watch the conspiracies against the Government that -were being constantly hatched in the cafés of the town where he lived. -In a fit of sudden and uncalled-for energy, he would make a search for -cups and saucers decorated with the Serb colours or vindictively punish -the parents of a small child for permitting her to wear a Serb sash -round her waist, instead of a simple piece of ribbon. This unexpected -activity naturally raised the wrath of the Serbo-Croats, the more so -because really seditious acts frequently escaped notice, or, if the -administrators knew about them, they avoided taking cognisance of them, -as it meant the opening up of large questions and much trouble with the -central authorities in Vienna. Thus the Serbs, who lived under Austrian -or Hungarian rule, were often permitted to go to great lengths without -any interference. The sudden swoops of an enraged magistrate, who took -action rather because the plotters had interfered with his personal -convenience than because it was really incumbent upon him to do so, -produced a feeling of insecurity among the subject races. They regarded -the local governor somewhat in the light of a dangerous but slumbering -beast, and they prayed that his slumber might continue undisturbed. -Some, however, went the length of trying to twist his tail, when -they knew that he had been sent to the provinces in disgrace, as was -generally the case. If a man had been exiled for more serious offences -than uncouthness of manner, or a failure to respond to the friendly -advances of the chief’s elderly wife, and her invitation to shine at -her somewhat monotonous afternoon teas, the Serbs, who were always -well-posted in the reasons that led to an official being sent to the -provinces, felt that he was not in a position to injure them without -damaging himself, and behaved accordingly. The eight million Young -Slavs, as they call themselves, under the dominion of Austria or of -Hungary have always been well organised. When one of their number -arrives at either Vienna or Budapesth he calls round at his Union. -Although he may not know a single word of German or Hungarian, the -society find him a job. Accustomed to heavy labour, the Serb or Croat -is much sought after, especially in the lower ranks of service. Time -goes by, the man-servant or maid-servant has learnt the language and -is firmly established in the household. There is trouble in the home -because of the failure of a German tailor to keep his word. The Slav -servant has a relative who is willing to undertake the job, although -it is nearly midnight. He is hastily fetched, and by the advice of his -friend within the camp fixes his charges a trifle below those asked -by the German. He remains master of the situation, the German being -ousted. Gradually the household needs are supplied by Slavs, who carry -out orders promptly and carefully, and have none of the supercilious -“take it or leave it” manner of the German purveyor. The Austrians -always say “Let one Slav into the house, and they rule the ingoings and -outgoings for the future.” - -The Slav is always an enigma, which years of close intercourse cannot -solve. His aspirations, his outlook on life are a sealed book to the -West European. The all-pervading and very distinct impression which -remains is that the Slavs have very distinct national aims, which they -are prepared to pursue with an utter persistence and ruthlessness, of -which no other peoples are capable. - -Just at this period the Young Slavs within the Austro-Hungarian realm -were making a determined effort for liberation. They felt, and felt -justly, that they were oppressed. They thirsted for education and -paid large taxes to secure that same education in order to enable -their children to take their places as equals with the dominant races. -Austria and Hungary both dreaded the rise of the Slavs, and restricted -their education as much as possible, devoting the funds voted for the -purpose to other objects. - -Things were so bad in this respect that a commission was sent over from -the States to ascertain how it could be possible at this date in the -civilisation of the world that such a large proportion of emigrants to -America should be illiterate. In some provinces it appeared from the -Government statistics that 69 per cent. of the annual recruits could -neither write nor read. The lack of education was most felt among -the Serbs, Croats, Poles and Little Russians. The Slavs, who possess -an uncommon amount of commonsense, felt that this withholding of -education was immoral, and that it served some deep ulterior purpose. -The Bohemians, who inhabited a rich manufacturing district, by force -of much agitation, were able to enforce their demands for education. -The Poles were miserably neglected, their representatives who attended -the Vienna Parliament were fêted and made much of, and, aristocrats -themselves for the most part, they were easily persuaded to forget the -wrongs of their people at home. In the Bukowina the people were on a -low level, and hardly realised their position. In Croatia, Dalmatia, -and especially in Bosnia, things were different. Italy was close by, -and the Slavs learnt how things were managed in that very progressive -and modern State. Servia and Montenegro were governed on lines that -contented the peoples there, and the Serbs across the frontier felt -that they would be better under the rule of King Peter than subject to -a governor who was so far from the centre that he could practically -deal with them as he pleased. It was seldom that the governor really -understood the vernacular. Being entirely German in his sympathies, he -naturally felt no interest in the Slav aspirations, except a desire -to crush them. While Vienna was using up her strength in arguing with -Europe, the Slavs considered that their opportunity had come for the -establishment of a vast Slav Empire, consisting of all the countries -inhabited by Slavs in Southern Austria and Hungary, which was to be -placed under the rule of the King of Servia. - -Negotiations for a union between Montenegro and Servia, for the -establishment of a common customs tariff, a common army, and for the -pursuance of a common foreign policy, were being carried on. Servia -hoped to extend her territory to the sea. Whether she thought to -incorporate the Slavs of Austria and Hungary among her people is -difficult to say, but she, like the rest of South-Eastern Europe, was -aware that Austria-Hungary was rotten to the core. It must in the near -future follow Turkey and share its fate. As events move much more -quickly to-day in the epoch of telegrams and railways than they did -in the period of coaches and couriers, a much more rapid dissolution -of the Empire was to be expected than in the case of Turkey that -had been tottering for centuries. While the Austrian and Hungarian -Slavs were looking to King Peter to deliver them from Austrian and -Hungarian tyranny, Austria was intriguing, and encouraging the Serbs -in Servia to rebel. She had as little success with the Serbs as -with the Italians across the Italian frontier, as both peoples are -ardently patriotic, and even the poorest scorned Austrian gold. The -determination of the Young Slavs to live under the rule of a monarch -of their own race became strengthened at every fresh proof of the -effeteness of Austro-Hungarian rule. Themselves strong and virile, -they felt that they required administrators who could deal with the -problems that came to them for settlement in the rough-and-ready manner -peculiar to the other side of the border; they had always completely -misunderstood the shelving of petitions, the cumbersome multiplication -of documents, peculiar to Austro-Hungarian officialdom. Rapid justice, -even if less correct in the matter of form, was preferable, they felt, -to the long and unprofitable dilatoriness of the proceedings under an -administration more especially careless in dealings with things that -concerned people living far from the capital. - -Austria-Hungary heard but little of the growing discontent in her -outlying provinces. Assassinations and attempts on the lives of -administrators multiplied, but the rulers in Vienna, busy with things -nearer home, simply suggested “that a heavier weight should be placed -upon the safety-valve.” After an outrage some few ringleaders were -hanged, half a dozen newspapers suppressed, and then the incident was -put away with other events of grave portent, signs of the times which, -however, were not allowed to disturb the gaiety of the capital. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA - - -It is difficult to understand the complete indifference with which -the growth of the Great Servian idea was regarded in Vienna. Eight -million Serbo-Croats under Austro-Hungarian rule were eager to join -forces with their brothers across the frontier, five million Serbs -and Montenegrins. Whether the indifference manifested at Vienna was -owing to the attitude of supercilious contempt of what was going on -around them which was generally adopted by Austro-German officials, -or whether they were really ignorant of the extent of the movement, -it is difficult to say. It is possible that politicians, who did -reflect upon the very evident increase of disaffection in the South, -merely regarded it as an indication that the small Germano-Austrian -and Magyar minorities must throw in their lot with Germany. Certainly -the relative numbers of Germans and Czechs, of Maygars and Serbs were -most alarming. Officials in high places naturally judged the position -more accurately than could the man in the street, because the published -statistics giving their relative numbers of Germano-Austrians and -Czechs, of Serbo-Croats and Magyars, were always manipulated to such an -extent that they were quite useless for scientific purposes. Another -set of correct figures was kept for the purposes of administration. -With an insolent disregard of her complete lack of success in ruling -the Serbo-Croats, Austria-Hungary not only added more millions to her -realm by annexing Bosnia and Herzegowina, but she now embarked on new -schemes of annexation and colonisation. - -New Turkey had less vitality than the old ruin that had just crumbled -to pieces. The Young Turks, when asked why they had not seized their -opportunity of securing the benefits they so much desired, which had -been within their grasp, said sadly that appearances were deceptive. -There had never been a chance of regeneration for the country. The -same power which had promoted the revolution had corrupted the new -Parliament--German money. Austrian interference had rendered them mere -puppets in the hands of unscrupulous Germans. They had not realised -this until too late. They had merely delivered their country over to -a worse foe than Abdul Hamid, who, whatever his vices and faults might -have been, acted in his own interests and in the interests of Turkey. -Germany had encouraged the revolution merely to precipitate the final -ruin of Turkey. She now thought that the moment for dissolution could -not be postponed. Austria, acting for her, proclaimed the fact of -Turkey’s disintegration upon the housetops, and suggested that Albania -and Macedonia should be made autonomous. The proposal sounded fair -and just. Everyone knew that the Macedonians had been fighting for -liberty for centuries. The claims of Albania were not so clear. Those -who lived close to the Balkans understood what the news of outrages -and massacres was worth. Outrages and massacres were certainly common -enough in both Macedonia and Albania, but news from the Balkans never -penetrates to Mid-Europe, unless it is to the advantage of some Great -Power that it should do so. Indeed, events of great importance happened -in the outlying provinces of Austria-Hungary without the rest of -Europe knowing anything about them. Rebellious Poles were shot down in -hundreds by dragoons in broad daylight. Even in Vienna and Budapesth -the soldiers dealt with the crowd in the most brutal manner, killing -and wounding unarmed citizens. Official telegrams would report riots, -mentioning a small number of injured and one killed. Thus it may be -understood that news from the Balkans, especially when it dealt with -outrages, was always political in its aim, and always biassed. Just at -this time Albanian massacres began to be very frequent. Now persons -acquainted with Albanians will always be very sceptical as to these -same massacres. The Mohammedan Albanian, a member of the predominant -race in the country, is very frequently a highly polished gentleman. -He speaks French very fluently of the variety spoken at Constantinople -and throughout the Balkans. Few Europeans can beat him in accuracy; -none come anywhere near him in fluency, the result of much practice. -He can neither read nor write, but having been partially educated at -Constantinople, he possesses great culture. Underneath is the wild man -of the highlands, who carries on blood feuds with the neighbouring -tribes, and never hesitates to slay a Turkish tax-gatherer at sight. -“Turkey,” say the Serbs, “tried to tax the Albanians for thousands -of years; she has never succeeded in obtaining a single _para_; she -commuted the taxation for soldiers, and all the finest Turkish -soldiers are really Albanians.” This was literally true. Practically -all the handsome Turkish guards are Albanians, and they have won Turkey -her reputation for producing splendid soldiers. The Albanian, too, -is an excellent merchant; he can only be compared with the Italian -for financial capacity. He naturally filled many of the important -posts under Abdul Hamid. Albanians seldom marry into alien races. -After twenty years spent in Constantinople, the Albanian returns -home to settle upon his small farm, if he cannot establish himself -upon the ancestral property. It is often a mere slip of barren land -upon the hillside, where ploughing must be done by hand, because no -horse or mule could keep a foothold on the steep slant. He purchases -the property and founds a family. It is clear that a man of this -disposition, with influence at Constantinople, would not allow his -people to be massacred unavenged. If the cunning tax-gatherer dare -not approach the mountains, even when guarded by a troop of Turkish -soldiers, it is unlikely that the somewhat effete men who compose the -real Turkish army would venture up country merely for the sake of -massacring odd Albanians. The latter seldom congregate in cities, but -are scattered far and wide throughout a roadless country. The Turks -sometimes sent large and well-equipped expeditions to Albania, to -avenge the killing of a governor or some other important functionary -who was misguided enough to venture into their midst. These expeditions -burnt out villages and killed every inhabitant they could lay hands on -in the approved Turkish fashion. But the result of such expeditions -was not great. The Albanians, who have an excellent system of -couriers, spread the news of any attempt against their liberties. The -inhabitants took to the mountains and slaughtered a large proportion -of the invading force from behind rocks, and from almost inaccessible -fastnesses among the mountains. But such expeditions, owing to their -cost in men and arms, were very rare. Owing to the jealousies of -Turkey, Austria, and Italy, the Albanian never lacked weapons. One -nation or the other was always ready to supply him with munitions to -carry on his nefarious plans against the others. - -The Christian Albanian is perhaps a trifle fiercer than his Mohammedan -brother. He has not enjoyed the advantages of a long stay in -Constantinople. He knows the Serb language, having learnt it from the -wild mountain Serbs on the other side of the frontier. He is quite -savage, like his neighbours. There is little to choose between the -Miridites and Malissores on the Albanian side of the border, and the -Montenegrins and Serbs across the mountains. The Albanian, in some -cases, however, has had a chance of improving his general education. -He is an inveterate emigrant. There is a large standing colony of -Albanians in the United States. In Boston alone there are many -thousands. They are young men, almost exclusively, for the Albanian -does not take his womenfolk with him, nor does he settle beyond the -ocean. He simply goes abroad to make his fortune. He works without -ceasing in the great factories of the States, he denies himself every -kind of pleasure, and eats the commonest food, prepared in a large -eating-house for members of his race, and saves continually. Existence, -supported upon a handful of maize or macaroni, cannot be interesting, -but he is willing to undergo the time of stress for the purpose of -developing into a landed peasant-proprietor in his own land. He is then -permitted to marry, and becomes the head of the family. His brothers -who have tilled the land at home are denied the privilege of marriage -until much later on in life, or maybe never reach a state of affluence -that permits them to enter wedlock at all. - -It gives a foreigner something of a shock to hear a handsome brigand -fresh from his mountains speaking perfect Boston English, and using -with the utmost assurance words that have been buried in oblivion since -the time of Shakespeare. - -Such is the Albanian of to-day. Reports of massacres carefully spread -from the Central News Bureau, under German influence, at Salonica, were -not accepted as facts in the south-eastern part of Europe. Italians, -acquainted with the scene of action, reckoned up that if the reports -issued in the Austrian papers were true, every Albanian must have -been massacred on ten different occasions, besides being tortured and -wounded times without number. - -The interest shown by Austria-Hungary and Germany in the welfare -of Albania was much deeper than that shown in Macedonia, because -Albania commanded the Adriatic. Italy took an equally great interest -in Albania, and to prevent any mistake about the final fate of the -country, began colonising it, planting her traders all along the -coast. There was a treaty between Austria and Italy, to the effect -that neither country should make any move in regard to Albania without -consulting the other. Neither considered that the spirit of the -agreement prevented the carrying on of intrigue. The Albanian, skilled -in the diplomacy of the East, pitted one set of agents against another, -and stored up rifles of the newest pattern for the carrying out of his -private vendettas and the repulsing of any attempt to civilise him. - -This was the condition of Albania when Austria-Hungary thought good -to duplicate her annexation trick. She proclaimed the autonomy of -Albania and Macedonia overnight, without consulting the other Powers. -Her idea of autonomy was rule under a German prince, who would use his -influence for his Fatherland. Austria meant to make another Bulgaria of -Macedonia, and another Rumania of Albania. Italy protested against this -arrangement. She objected to the ever-handy German princes being placed -on thrones near the sea-coast. Servia and Montenegro, too, were afraid -of German influence being extended in Albania, and did their best to -foment trouble there. Servia had long regarded the route over Albania -as her one chance of an outlet to the sea, and saw herself deprived -of “her little window into the Adriatic” by the plan that would make -Albania a sphere of Austro-German influence. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE BALKAN WAR - - -Germany and Austria were considering how the Turkish Empire could be -liquidated in a manner to secure the greatest advantage to themselves, -and in their egoistical view somewhat neglected the other factors in -the situation. Russia had great interests in the Balkans. Italy was -looking towards the time when her surplus population could be sent -there to colonise the rich lands that had been so neglected under the -rule of the Turks. The third factor--which Germany and Austria did not -think worth considering at all--was the Balkan peoples themselves. -Under Russian protection, they had conceived a grand scheme. A Balkan -League was formed. Bulgaria, Servia, Greece and Montenegro forgot -all their disputes and became allies. Their Ministers drew a map of -the Balkans, apportioning out among themselves the provinces that -then belonged to Turkey, the distribution being made according to the -nationality of the peoples who inhabited each district. Each country, -they considered, was to be ruled over by a king of its own nationality, -if possible. All the Bulgars in Macedonia were to be united under the -sceptre of King Ferdinand. The Kingdom of Servia was to stretch to the -Adriatic, Albania was to be divided between Montenegro and Servia. -Both countries would then have fine ports in the Adriatic. Greece was -to extend her coastline considerably. She was to have those parts of -Macedonia and of Albania that were inhabited by Greeks. - -The Bulgarian people were the soul of this movement for liberation. -King Ferdinand, who was always a German at heart, and who ruthlessly -betrayed his adopted country to serve German interests, was probably -dragged into the scheme by his enthusiastic people very much against -his will. The Bulgars who lived in Austria and in Hungary boldly said -that they had been preparing for the war against Turkey for forty -years. “Every effort has been made by great and small for nearly half -a century to throw off the Turkish yoke, and at last we shall do it,” -they said. And this in spite of the Germanophile King. Bulgarian -gardeners, who are employed all over Eastern Europe because of their -extraordinary skill, came to Hungary, toiled through a lifetime, saving -every possible penny of their earnings to return home with money for -the war fund. Their hate of the Turks was intense. They wished to free -their fellow Bulgars, who were oppressed by the Turkish tax-gatherers, -and who had very little benefit in return for years of toil spent in -cultivating tobacco-fields. While the Bulgars themselves were working -for an ideal, Ferdinand and his Ministers wished to take possession of -the rich tobacco-lands in Macedonia, which brought large revenues to -the Turkish State. The Bulgars’ great enthusiasm was only damped by a -profound mistrust of their Prince. They knew that Ferdinand ranked as -one of the best diplomatists in Europe, and were proud to have so rich -a man upon their throne. But they felt that in the difficult enterprise -they were about to undertake a monarch with more honesty of purpose -would have been fitter to deal with the situation. - -Although the Balkan League was formed with the ostensible purpose of -freeing Balkan lands from Turkish rule, the discontent in the Balkans -was due to other causes. Montenegro had no outlet to the sea that was -suitable or big enough for her needs. If she had possessed Cattaro, -one of the many excellent ports on the Hungarian coast, Servian goods -could have been exported as well as Montenegrin products. It was -Austria-Hungary who always opposed this. If she had allowed the Serbs -to send their agricultural products to other parts of Europe beyond -the Austro-Hungarian frontier all would have been well. There was a -shortage of meat in Germany and Italy, as well as in Austria itself. -But Austria, to please the Hungarian agrarians, interfered with all -export trade into Austria or Germany, and thus made the Slavs on the -Balkans determined to find an outlet to the sea. - -The Balkan war was really the curtain-raiser to the Great War. The King -of Montenegro was the first to begin. His troops were mobilised in -twenty-four hours. The Balkan League had advised him that the war was -about to begin, but it is more than possible that his very precipitate -action hastened a war that was not perhaps inevitable. The news that -Montenegro had mobilised was not taken seriously in Vienna. A story -went the round of the cafés that it was all a put-up affair. Nikita, -they said, had been engaged by Pathé Frères, he was to receive a -large sum of money for the films of a real mobilisation, and perhaps a -miniature battle with the Turks thrown in. Very soon, however, it was -seen that the Balkans were in deadly earnest. The Austrians, who knew -something of the fighting qualities of the Turks, never doubted that -they would have a complete walkover. The Turks had money, they had -arms. The Balkan peoples had none. Austria was perhaps not aware that -Germany had supplied Bulgaria with large stores of guns and ammunition. -The poor Balkan people had paid very dearly for the antique patterns, -and been swindled most atrociously over the whole deal. The sights of -the guns were wrong, and the Bulgarian gunners had had no instruction -in their work. - -Servia was supplied with French guns, and French gunners accompanied -the consignments to their destination, and taught the Serbs how to -manage the complicated weapons. Montenegro was well supplied with -ammunition. Where did it come from? The wild mountain tribes, both in -Montenegro and in Albania, were always supplied with the latest thing -in rifles and full supplies of ammunition. They had been disarmed time -and time again, but they merely surrendered ancient heirlooms, rifles -that served their grandfathers or great grandfathers. The good weapons -were hidden in caves in the mountains, or buried until better times -came, and they could carry them again. - -The first Balkan war began, and the unexpected happened. Turkish -troops were routed by the Bulgars, who fought with a courage and a -determination that won them the respect of Europe. The Bulgars pushed -on to Adrianople, but could not take it because the German guns were -useless. The Bulgars raged against the Germans. Did the Germans simply -look upon them as savages who could be supplied with inferior goods, -or had they supplied the guns knowing that they would be used against -the Turks? Neither Germany nor Austria wished the Turks to be defeated. -They were pleased that the Balkan peoples should be weakened by -fighting among themselves, but were very surprised and disappointed at -the course taken by the war and the total defeat of Turkey. - -After the war was over, the Balkan peoples began dividing up the -spoils. Austria, with Germany behind her, interfered in the settlement. -She would not allow Servia to have the territory she had conquered in -Albania, or any outlet to the sea. Servia thereupon demanded part of -Macedonia, instead of the territory assigned her by the preliminary -agreement. Ferdinand of Bulgaria was inclined to yield this, but -Austria encouraged him to stand firm, promising to help him if he -could not defeat that handful of savages, the Serbs. Russia, who had -encouraged the formation of the Balkan League, saw that if the States -began fighting among themselves, they would lose all their gains, and -publicly advised the Balkan kings to refrain from fighting and to be -satisfied with the land they had conquered. The States had enlarged -their borders considerably; it would take years to consolidate them. -Russia counselled them to attend to that business first, and then -think of further conquests. This counsel did not please Bulgaria. King -Ferdinand wired to Vienna for advice. Austria-Hungary and Germany -saw their chance. The Balkan peoples were disunited. They must be -encouraged to fight among themselves. Austria, acting without Germany, -despatched a two-thousand word telegram to Ferdinand of Bulgaria. It -promised an attack upon Servia from behind, while she was engaged -with Bulgaria in front. The preparations made just before an army is -mobilised were hastily put through. Men were warned for active service, -and every preparation made for starting a Balkan campaign. When -everything was ready Austria-Hungary notified her allies. It was soon -apparent that they refused to join in the campaign, or even to stand by -their ally. - -Italy--as was discovered long after--said that the Triple Alliance was -defensive, and not offensive. She not only refused to aid Austria, but -would not promise to remain neutral during the expedition. Germany, -seeing that an Austrian expedition to the Balkans meant trouble with -Italy, persuaded Austria to back out of her promise. Germany was not -sorry that Austrian prestige should suffer. She did everything she -could to discredit her ally in the Balkans. - -When Bulgaria had been completely beaten by her despised neighbour, -Serbia, Rumania fell upon her from behind and annexed a large piece -of territory. Ferdinand’s treachery to his allies had met with the -deserved reward. The Kaiser had no pity for him, and was not slow to -point out that whoever relied upon Austria was deceived. Had Ferdinand -applied to Berlin, instead of to Vienna, things would have gone -differently. - -Ferdinand, broken, aged, a politician who has lost his game, a King -bereft of territory, a soldier who had been defeated, fled from -Sofia to Vienna. At last he was forced to leave even that refuge. If -Austria-Hungary had meant to leave him to unravel the tangled skein -she had encouraged him to weave, she should have told him so before, -and not abandoned him in the darkest hour of his life. The Emperor -felt the justice of the reproaches that Ferdinand made him. He wished -to be rid of the troublesome monarch. The Vienna Press was let loose -upon Ferdinand. Stories to his discredit were circulated everywhere. -While his wife comforted the wounded, said the leading papers, he -stayed in the capital because he was afraid to return. He spent his -time in frivolity, joking with ballet girls behind the scenes, while -his consort was purchasing artificial limbs for the maimed from the -money that should have been devoted to her own personal uses. Ferdinand -soon discovered that in Vienna, as elsewhere, nothing succeeds like -success, and that failures are not wanted, either there or in other -foreign countries. He crept back to his summer palace, had the guards -doubled, and lived in fear and trembling. His throne was so shaken that -it seemed very doubtful whether it would regain its equilibrium. - -In disavowing Ferdinand Austria-Hungary lost her influence in the -Balkans. - -At this period Russia and Italy, the new Balkan Powers, were in the -ascendant. Austria advised Ferdinand to wait his time, when Bulgaria -would be able to take vengeance upon her neighbours, and reap the -reward of her treachery. Ferdinand, thoroughly tired of promises, and -bitterly regretting his treachery to his allies, which had brought him -the reward he so richly deserved, thanked fate that his wife and sons -were popular in the country, and that he could leave for his Hungarian -estates. He was sure that they could look after the interests of the -dynasty much better during his absence than when he was there, only -able to make lame explanations of his conduct in the past and his -inexplicable quarrel with the other Balkan States. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -KING FERDINAND OF BULGARIA, THE VAINEST MAN IN EUROPE - - -King Ferdinand was an interesting study as he crept away from Vienna, -all his hopes bankrupt, his people’s future compromised. The people -there considered him almost one of themselves, for the Coburgs had -always lived in Vienna. Prince Philip had a palace that commanded a -fine view right across the Ringstrasse. His brother Ferdinand lived -there when he came to Vienna, and was thus able to come to and fro, -_incognito_, whenever he pleased. The rest of Europe had no idea of -the frequency of his visits to the capital. Perhaps it was only the -theatre-managers who really were aware how often he was present in a -capital where everyone was at liberty to come and go, unmolested by the -crowd, unless he came as a monarch in state, when the Viennese were -the first to acclaim one of their children “who had gone so far in the -world,” as they expressed it. The general feeling in the city was -that Ferdinand was a great artist in diplomacy, perhaps the greatest -in Europe. In the capital of Austria he met many statesmen who came -there--to the “very edge of civilisation,” as they put it--to confer -upon the problems that then troubled Europe. Kaiser Wilhelm frequently -rushed through to Vienna in his automobile, without warning, and -took part in a short discussion of the situation, at which Ferdinand -assisted on many occasions. Kaiser Wilhelm, with his usual astuteness, -understood how to manage Ferdinand. He did not need money; that was a -great relief to the Kaiser, who was invariably short of it himself. -The Coburg family fortune was sufficient to provide for all his -private wants on a liberal scale. There is not the slightest doubt -that Ferdinand would have lost his throne long before had he been -forced to ask his subjects for money to supply his personal needs. -His independence in this respect placed him on a footing with the -proudest monarchs in Europe. Kaiser Wilhelm, prodigal of things that -cost him nothing, was able to lavish his gifts of wondering admiration -upon the King of Bulgaria. He tactfully praised qualities that his -friends imagined they possessed, and his delicate flattery of his -best “democratic” manner, that seemed to say there was no difference -in rank at all between the king of a Balkan State and the Emperor of -Germany, made Ferdinand a puppet in his hands. Wilhelm flattered him -into seeing things with his eyes, and mesmerised the dazzled monarch, -who had been a poor lieutenant, into thinking that he was really being -taken into the confidence of German statesmen and allowed to read -the secret thoughts of the great War Lord himself. The other Balkan -sovereigns, who had a clearer idea of the reality of things, could -not have been gulled so easily. They would have realised that there -was a reason for this preference, shown only of recent years, for a -man who commanded the route to Constantinople. Ferdinand, student of -political history, a consummate diplomatist, was, nevertheless, blinded -by the Kaiser, who appeared so simple--indeed, almost childlike--in -his aims, and so far removed from the world of diplomatists to which -Ferdinand belonged. This apparent simplicity of character, which has -puzzled so many, is due to a warped mind. Kaiser Wilhelm has long -considered that nothing mattered compared with the glorification of -Germany. The Almighty he considered had entrusted him with the task -of elevating the German nation. It was the supreme people of the -earth. It ought to be raised to a position which would make all other -people subservient to it, and the humble instrument for this work was -himself. He thus considered himself at liberty to break any law that -stood in his way, and, being a firm believer in the creed that the -end justifies the means, he was able to impress even people of great -and unusual acumen with a sense of his probity. King Ferdinand would -not trust the King of Montenegro, although Nikita was an open-handed, -open-hearted old mountaineer. He was, however, quite willing to accept -Kaiser Wilhelm’s estimate of himself as a man with a single aim that -must be accomplished at any cost. The King of Bulgaria prided himself -upon being the “Little Czar” of the Balkans, and aped the great Russian -Czar in many ways. He was naturally encouraged in this by Germany. His -insatiate vanity prevented him from seeing that the delicate flattery -poured into his ears by German diplomatists was merely dictated by -self-interest. They wished to detach him from Austria and secure the -allegiance of Bulgaria for Germany, to the detriment of Emperor Francis -Joseph and his prestige among the Balkan peoples. Ferdinand would -swallow any bait, walk into any trap, if an appeal to his vanity -were made. Order after order was bestowed upon him; he received so many -decorations that his uniform shone like a coat of mail with the small -medals that are worn instead of the large originals. When he made his -triumphal progress to Vienna for the first time in his new capacity -as king, his tunic was one mass of sparkling Orders. The Viennese, -who are accustomed to decorations on a wholesale scale, as they are -conferred for very slight services in Austria-Hungary, and worn with -great ostentation by all and sundry at the Court, said he glittered and -sparkled like a dancing girl at a fair. They were quick to mark the -point where the grandiose becomes ridiculous. They saw that a king so -overloaded with Orders was absurd, not regal. “But, after all, for the -Balkans--perhaps it impresses those savages down there at Sofia,” and -with a shrug of their shoulders they turned to look at his handsome -sons, Slavonic in type, and without decorations; for Ferdinand never -allowed his sons to play a leading _rôle_ in any way. They were simple -soldiers, who might mingle with the people and play the democrat while -he acted the sovereign lord. - -[Illustration: KING FERDINAND OF BULGARIA.] - -[Illustration: KING NIKITA OF MONTENEGRO.] - -The sons made a much better impression upon the populace than the -father. They seemed to fit the frame into which they were born much -better than the king who had been transported from living among the -gayest and most cynical people in Europe to deal with the crude -realities of the Balkans. Ferdinand had left his country repeatedly -when the fear of assassination was too much for him. He has always been -a coward. Even his soldierly training did not give him a grasp of what -is expected of a man and a monarch. Like Kaiser Wilhelm, he always -wore a mailed shirt or some other form of armour. Like Kaiser Wilhelm, -he felt peculiarly safe in Vienna, as the police system is so perfect -that any attempt upon the life of a monarch is almost impossible. They -manage to keep a record of the business of every person who comes to -the city. No suspects dare venture into the zone controlled by the -Vienna police. The Austrian Emperor, as long as his health allowed, -strolled about the city quite unconcerned for any danger. Kaiser -Wilhelm found, too, that he could promenade unguarded, simply because -the police had eliminated all chance of trouble. After the perils of -Sofia Ferdinand enjoyed this feeling of complete security among the -light-hearted Viennese. He would never have definitely broken with the -Emperor of Austria, because his favourite retreat would have been -closed to him for ever. He had the feeling deep in his heart that he -might be forced to abdicate at any moment. Then Austria would afford -him shelter. There he could keep up his state, receive the respect and -homage due to one who had been king and retain his _amour propre_. - -It is probable that Ferdinand had but a low estimate of the -intellectual attainments and the mental grasp of the Emperor of Austria -himself. Like all the members of a younger generation who listened -to the wisdom of Kaiser Wilhelm, he regarded him as “played out” and -a “back number.” This made him an easier tool in the hands of Kaiser -Wilhelm, and also led to his getting a reputation for treachery which -perhaps he did not wholly deserve. There was a very general feeling in -Austria-Hungary which was sedulously fostered by Kaiser Wilhelm and -his agents that promises made to the aged Emperor were not binding. -They were only given to humour the old man, who was already in his -dotage. Ferdinand of Bulgaria on several occasions failed to keep his -engagements to the Emperor, although they had been solemnly made. -Kaiser Wilhelm contrived to make Ferdinand and others besides see that -the aged Emperor was not a factor to be reckoned with seriously, and -that the Empire was crumbling visibly. He and Germany were all that -mattered in Europe. These influences go far to explain Ferdinand’s -policy during the Balkan war and afterwards. A man who can be led by -his vanity is unfit for any position of importance, and still less -to rule with an absolute sway such as he exercised in Bulgaria. His -Parliament, which should have exercised a restraining influence, was -rendered useless, as the leading members could be “bought” at any time. -Ready money is rare in the Balkans, and the Austrian diplomatist knew -full well the price of every politician at Sofia. It was amazingly -small. Sometimes they stood out for an Order as well as money as the -price of their dishonour, but as a rule money was sufficient to buy -them to betray their country. It is surprising that men who had risen -straight from the soil should have shown themselves so venial, but they -had the example of their king before them, and this explains much. The -atmosphere at Sofia was one of intrigue and crime. No one could stand -against it. The common people, sturdy peasants, dimly comprehended that -their king was not doing the best for them. They wished to join in -any plot for his undoing that might be suggested to them. They looked -towards the Czar of All the Russias to deliver them from a distasteful -alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary. This made Ferdinand anxious -to conciliate Russia if he wished to retain the sympathies of his -people. The Austrians failed to understand these “extra tours,” as -they called Ferdinand’s sudden _volte-face_ in favour of Russia and -the Slavs. The Viennese, although they liked him, mistrusted him -profoundly. Just as some strange instinct led them to suspect the -bluff friendliness of Kaiser Wilhelm, they regarded Ferdinand as an -unknown book--a book of possibilities that might be to their advantage -or might betray them to Russia, for both Germany and Austria-Hungary -regarded the growing Russian menace with fear--a fear perhaps shared -by Ferdinand, who had seen that Servia and Montenegro, who trusted -implicitly to Russia, had accomplished much of their aims. They had -fulfilled many of their aspirations, and were in a fair way to realise -the rest. Ferdinand, instead of obtaining advantages for his country, -was now bribed to quiescence and silence by a new honour. The Golden -Fleece was conferred upon him. This gratification of his vanity bound -him closer to Austria-Hungary, for he owed the decoration to the good -offices of Emperor Francis Joseph. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -THE PRINCE OF WIED - - -The Powers of Europe decided that Albania should be constituted an -independent kingdom, and a king chosen from among the European princes. -The new ruler was to belong to some family that had possessed sovereign -rights in the past, and this limited the choice very much. He was to -come to his new home with all the lustre lent by the acknowledgment -of his fellow rulers to one of equal birth. Many candidates, more or -less suitable, were ready to accept the throne. Europe discussed their -relative merits. The only people who had no voice at all in the matter -were the Albanians themselves. They naturally did not want a sovereign -chosen by the Powers, but one selected by themselves. They frankly said -a complete stranger should be chosen, as the Roman Catholic tribes -would not acknowledge the domination of a Mohammedan; the Mohammedans -would object to the chief of one of the Christian tribes; and the -Greeks would submit to neither. Europe knew full well that the task -of civilising the nation would be no easy one, and it was generally -thought that the life of the new king would not be worth a month’s -purchase. Some of the malcontents were certain to attempt his life, -almost as certain to succeed in killing him. Other people said that -the task of ruling over Albania need not be more difficult than that -of civilising Rumania or Bulgaria, and that it was only a question of -finding the right man. Unfortunately, the Powers did not act loyally -towards the new country. They made no attempt to study the interests of -the population, but sought a ruler whose selection should provoke the -minimum of objection from the other Powers. Germany wanted to place a -German prince on the throne. Italy naturally objected to any man who -would be a mere puppet in the hands of Austria or Germany. Austria -objected to any Italian candidates. Finally the Powers agreed to accept -a prince of irreproachable reputation and sprung from a very old -family, but utterly devoid of brains. The Prince von Wied was selected -for his lack of any prominent characteristics. The new prince had the -outward appearance of a monarch, being extremely tall and handsome, -while his reputation as a military man left nothing to be desired. -Nothing had ever been heard of him outside or indeed inside Germany, -and the news was soon circulated in the inner circles of diplomacy that -he had simply been selected as a figure-head. It was never expected -that he would accomplish anything in any way. He had spent his life in -German military circles and was the “ideal officer.” Like most of his -brethren in arms, he was empty-headed, possessed of an intelligence -below the average, and spent his time in looking after his estates. -This negative information was not unsatisfactory. The most important -fact about the prince was carefully concealed, however. He was deep -in debt. This was common among the young German officers, but whereas -their debts were limited by the fact that purveyors refused to trust -them, the Prince of Wied was heavily involved. The Albanians, who had -agents all over Europe, discovered his predicament. They considered -that a Balkan king must possess a fortune of his own, as they did not -wish to pay a large civil list. All the Balkan princes who had come as -strangers into the land brought riches and not debts with them. This -gave them weight, not only among their peers, but also among their -subjects. A prince or king cannot be a pauper. Quite apart from minor -considerations, his monetary difficulties would make him venial. The -Albanians, accustomed to bribery and to rulers of very questionable -morality, openly voiced this objection. They had no opinion of German -or any other probity when exposed to temptation. The Italians in -Albania, who had hoped for an Italian duke to forward their interests, -did their best to exaggerate the financial straits of the Prince von -Wied. While many stories about his poverty were heard, nothing was -said about the family estates, which had been sufficient guarantee -for the moneylenders. The moneylenders, who were ready to trust the -Prince of Wied indefinitely, refused however to leave their money -with a Balkan prince; that was a different matter. Jokes were heard -in the cafés about the “pauper king” and Europe’s appointment of a -“beggar sovereign.” The Servians, whose kings were poor but honest, -openly derided the new importation. All these reports spread throughout -Albania like wildfire. It is remarkable that news is circulated much -more quickly in Albania than in civilised countries. It is always -the salient facts that are seized upon, unimportant details being -neglected in a manner peculiar to people who can neither read nor -write, and whose heads are therefore phenomenally clear. Descriptions -of the Prince, allusions to his martial figure, were good enough for -the German papers. - -Albania did not heed them. She knew that she was to be governed by a -man who knew no word of the language, who brought no troops with him, -and who not only had no money but was deep in debt. It was not thus -that Albania pictured her king. She would even prefer to live under -the domination of one of the native princes, who would have been as -successful as the King of Montenegro in keeping his subjects in due -order. There were several of these men who could have mounted the -throne, and who would have known how to wield the sceptre. It did not -suit Europe to create an independent Albania, however. Neither Italy -nor Austria really wished the new venture to be a success, as they -desired to share Albania, dividing it into two spheres of influence. - -Prince von Wied had one saving virtue--he was modest and had no -delusions on the subject of his capabilities. He hesitated greatly -before accepting the charge. Alone, he would never have assumed the -office thrust upon him. Unfortunately, he had a wife who was both -ambitious and lacking in intelligence. The Princess of Wied imagined -that the Albanians could be ruled by the introduction of the same -methods that impressed the intellectual circles in a German town. -She was accustomed to preside over a number of ladies, “seekers of -culture,” and thought that she could exercise a similar influence over -the Albanians. Neither she nor her husband realised that, when they -left Germany for Albania, they were stepping right out of the twentieth -century into the tenth. They both imagined that the Albanians would -be impressed by the antique furniture which they sent on in advance -to furnish the villa at Durazzo, not realising that the Albanians, -accustomed to all the pomp of the Turkish pasha, simply regarded their -“antiques” as a collection of quaint-looking lumber. The Albanians were -correct in their estimate, for the objects which Princess von Wied -considered so valuable were seen to be mere rubbish by the connoisseur. -The Vienna furnishers who came down to arrange for the arrival of the -new Prince, were horrified at the condition in which they found the -palace. It was built, like all Albanian houses, as a kind of fortress. -There were no windows at all on the lower floors. Loopholes, from -which the muzzles of guns projected, served instead of windows. Large -apertures were too dangerous in a country inhabited by natives who were -in the habit of potting-at the occupants of rooms on the ground floor. -Inside the immense barn-like house the Vienna furnishers found vermin -of all sorts. This is common in Albania, but the state of the palace -was such that it should have warned them that the coming Prince was not -popular, for they might have known that the rats had been introduced -into the apartments as a protest. The rat-holes were hastily stopped -up with cement, the mildewed walls were draped with costly hangings, -but the workmen who were taken down for the job felt that it was no -place either for a lady or children, and said so freely. Although they -could not speak the Albanian language, they felt the antipathy of the -natives. They were aware of the opposition that showed itself in a -hundred different ways, too small to particularise, but all of which -revealed dangers and difficulties for the new monarch. - -[Illustration: THE PRINCE OF WIED.] - -The Prince made a round of the chief Courts of Europe, before reaching -his new country. His fellow sovereigns were willing to do all they -could to give him a good “send-off,” and he was fêted everywhere. -Diplomatists, accustomed to judging men, thought very poorly of his -chances of success. He had numberless opportunities of finding out -something about his future subjects. Men fresh from the Balkans were -invited to meet him, but he did not care to avail himself of their -information. Neither did he consult any statesmen of experience as to -how he should act in any given circumstances; he appeared to think that -he would know all this by instinct when once he had assumed the crown. -Thus those accustomed to the cares of State watched the new man depart -with strong misgivings. - -The manner of his arrival was the initial mistake. He slipped into -his new kingdom almost unannounced. He sneaked into the country like -a political refugee who wishes to avoid the notice of the police. A -handful of Albanians, gathered together at the last moment, shouted -“Hurrah!” when he appeared, but even their enthusiasm was purchased, -and not having been paid for on the usual scale, was correspondingly -feeble and ineffectual. After making this unfortunate entry, the -Prince settled down to do--nothing. The Albanians had learnt that -the money given by the Powers for the administration of Albania had -been applied to pay the Prince’s private debts, as the creditors had -refused to allow him to leave Germany with his obligations unsettled; -and they refused to welcome him. The Princess decorated her house, -and attended to the furnishing of rooms for her children. She, at -least, was delighted at the chance of being able to play at being a -real Princess. The Prince himself was less contented. He was doubtful -of the intentions of Essad Pasha, and confused by the different -instructions he had received. Kaiser Wilhelm had promised to stand by -him in his usual “shining armour” fashion, if he did exactly as the -German envoy suggested. The Prince, however, was shrewd enough to see -that German influence was of little value in the Balkans. Italy was -evidently the dominant Power in Albania. Her agents had spent money -freely. The Prince had reason to believe that Austria and Germany had -also made large expenditures on the glorious work of colonisation, but -he failed to observe the fruits. The younger generation of Albanians -spoke Italian, which was taught in the schools. Proficiency in Italian -was necessary for all who engaged in commerce and trade, as all the -coasting business was with Italy. Although attempts had been made -to establish schools where instruction was imparted in German, they -refused to attend them and were very averse to adopting German habits -or customs. While the Prince spent his time in avoiding complications, -by remaining within the palace, the Princess conferred with Viennese -decorators about the furnishing. This naturally prejudiced the local -workmen, and showed that she had not any grasp of the first duties of -a ruling princess. Shortly after the arrival of the new Royal family, -news was received that Albanian insurgents were advancing upon the -capital. No one knew what they wanted. It is doubtful whether they -knew themselves. They were aware that there was loot to be had in -the palace. Perhaps that was the secret of then coming. The Prince, -who had insisted upon two warships being stationed off Durazzo, now -telegraphed for aid. More ships were sent. The Powers regarded this as -unnecessary--Durazzo is situated at the farther end of a peninsula. The -only path between Durazzo and the mainland is over a bottomless morass. -The insurgents could only approach the place in single file and the -approach to the palace could be swept by the cannon on the warships. - -The Albanian insurgents might attempt a surprise attack, but all -through the night searchlights swept the narrow neck of land that led -to Durazzo. - -The Prince was afraid of the unknown. Away from drill books and -civilisation, he was quite helpless. It was at this critical moment -that one of the cleverest diplomatists in Europe--the Italian Minister, -Alliotto--who had been sent to Albania with a watching brief, played -his trump card. When the danger seemed worst, he persuaded the Prince -to flee. The “modern knight,” the representative of up-to-date chivalry -as practised in the Guards in Berlin, actually fled from his new -country and took refuge on the battleship. After several hours’ stay -on the ship nothing happened, and he realised that he had been fooled -by the astute diplomatist. The palace was not looted, could never have -been looted, with the guns from the warships turned upon the twisting -path across the marshes. No single Albanian insurgent could reach the -spot. He left his wife and children in safety, and returned to the -capital he had left, to resume a crown as one resumes an umbrella laid -down at the club. He was received with derision. All Europe had got -news of his flight. The Italian diplomatist had taken care of that. -Photographs were taken on the spot. They showed the Prince leaving the -palace in a panic and getting into the ship’s boat, and afterwards -climbing up the side of the ship. They were circulated through the -European Press. Pictures of the palace, and of the small groups of -tatterdemalions who had forced a German Prince and military expert to -abdicate, were sown broadcast. Europe did not know that a swift little -Italian boat had been waiting for weeks to carry away the news. The -Italians knew that Germany and Austria would contradict the news of the -Prince’s flight. So they said: “Photographs cannot be contradicted. Let -us have plenty.” - -The Prince was the laughing-stock of Europe. He was forced to abdicate. -Even the Kaiser felt he could not advise him to remain on the throne -after the painful incident. He did not even dare to return to Germany, -but spent months in Italy, travelling, before he cared to face the -music at Berlin. Germany and Austria had played against Italy for -diplomatic supremacy in Albania. Italy had won all along the line. Not -only had she succeeded in disgracing the German princelet, she had -attained her own object, too--lowering Austrian prestige in the Balkans -and raising her own. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -THE KING OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS - - -The most interesting figure in South-Eastern Europe was King Nikita. -He ruled over the smallest patch of country that can call itself a -kingdom, but he is, perhaps, a more consummate diplomatist than any -of his fellow Balkan monarchs who have been swayed by the King of -Montenegro without suspecting it. He has great influence in a number -of countries. This is due to his extraordinary foresight. He had a -family of girls, who came of untainted stock, with a family reputation -for sound health, both physical and mental. Surrounded by his handsome -family, he realised that Europe was tired of German princesses--that -their presence in every Court of Europe was unpleasing to many -monarchs, who did not wish German women to know State secrets and -to be in a position to pass them on to powerful relatives at home. -He appears to have made a complete study of the subject of royal -marriages. His girls, unlike the ordinary Balkan princesses, were -brought up very simply. It is even reported that they were able to -milk the cows and goats that strayed near the country home where they -were educated. They had a training in practical housework, which took -the place of the frivolities that usually go to make up princesses’ -lives. When they became of marriageable age, Nikita secluded them more -carefully than before. No breath of scandal ever touched them. But -their good qualities were reported far and wide, and did not escape -those monarchs who were in search of a wife for the heir to the throne. -Nikita managed to secure the throne of Italy for one daughter. The -Italians are always grateful to the King for bestowing his daughter -upon their ruler. The children that have been born to him are healthy -beyond those of any of the aristocrats that surround the throne, for -they inherit the sound constitution of their grandfather, the heartiest -and halest man in Europe. The Grand Duke who took a daughter of the -King of Montenegro to preside over his vast estates in Russia has never -regretted his choice. Although both men have a needy father-in-law, -and perhaps grudge the money that frequently flows to Cettinje, they -have secured wives with virtues that are worth much gold. The King of -Montenegro enjoyed immunity from attack because of his highly placed -sons-in-law, and was able to play a part in the politics of Europe -that would not have been possible under other circumstances. After -having taken the title of King instead of Prince, he came to Vienna -to pay his first visit in the new capacity. Emperor Francis Joseph, -ever ready to support all dignitaries, received him in a worthy -manner, putting a suite of rooms reserved for kings at his disposal. -King Nikita, who was seldom seen in Vienna, was decidedly popular, -and the crowd showed great enthusiasm in welcoming him. He managed -to enhance the importance of his visit by a circumstance that caused -much speculation at the time. It was arranged that Nikita should go -to the races and watch the Austrian “Derby,” the closing event of the -early summer season. He was accompanied by Archduke Francis Ferdinand -and Duchess Hohenberg and a number of other members of the Imperial -family, who always crowded into the Imperial box at the races, as they -are all intensely interested in all that concerns horses. The King of -Montenegro is also interested in everything connected with outdoor -sports, and looked forward to the event. Early on that Sunday morning -the rumour was circulated in Vienna that an attempt was to be made upon -the life of the visitor. Why anyone should wish to assassinate the King -of Montenegro was a mystery--whether the King had the report circulated -himself to increase his importance, or what it meant, was not clear. -All Vienna hurried down, in spite of the blazing heat; no one wished -to be absent at such a time. The police had taken precautions, which -showed that they at least anticipated something. Every visitor to the -Imperial enclosure had to walk through a long line of detectives and -diplomatic agents. If none of them recognised him, he was followed -and carefully hustled, as if by accident, into a corner far off the -Imperial box. Other detectives crowded him and ascertained whether he -had a bomb about his person by bumping against him. Persons in official -capacities were, on the contrary, propelled as if by some unseen force -to the front of the box, where they were forced to remain by pure -physical pressure of the cordon of police in plain clothes, in spite -of the blazing sun that beat down on the racecourse. The old King came -into the box. Duchess Hohenberg sat at his right, and entertained him -in her best and most vivacious manner. He greatly appreciated the -trouble that she was taking with him in pointing out the different -horses and telling him which colours belonged to this great aristocrat -or that great politician. Archduchess Maria Annunziata, the abbess of -a Bohemian convent, who had been charged with the task of conversing -with the King, was only too willing to relinquish her seat of honour -and to retire to the back to watch the racing with one of the juvenile -Archdukes. The King watched the pretty woman by his side with -admiration; her animation pleased him. Nikita felt in his element, the -most important man in the place. He did not cut a bad figure even among -the Austrian and Hungarian Archdukes, who are finely-built men, many of -them being extraordinarily handsome. After the event of the afternoon -was run and the cheering had ceased, the King, Archduke and Duchess -departed, as is the custom of royalty. The members of the Imperial -family stayed to watch the rest of the events, and only left five -minutes before the end. - -Upon the departure of the King and the Archduke the police cordon -immediately relaxed. Persons who had been sandwiched in to form part -of the buffer that protected the Imperial box had free passage. -The feeling of oppression, of expectation, relaxed. But still there -was no explanation of the mysterious threats against the life of so -unimportant a sovereign as the King of Montenegro. In the light of -after events it occurred to many who assisted at that running of the -Derby that it was the life of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand which -was sought on that day. It was the first time for many months that -he had appeared in public, and the dislike felt for him both by the -people and by his near relatives had reached a dangerous pitch. No -such tragedy as happened later at Sarajevo took place simply because -the Austrian police was so efficiently organised and so powerful that -it could prevent anything of the sort by a process of elimination. The -same process might be witnessed every summer in Ischl, where no one was -allowed to take up his residence unless he could give a satisfactory -account of himself to the police. This was easy in Austria-Hungary, as -there was no shifting population to be dealt with. An exact record of -the past life of every person resident within the empire is kept. All -suspects are watched. Thus Austria was the safest place in Europe for -monarchs. - -King Nikita departed as he had arrived, amid the acclamations of the -population. He had been gratified by the invitation, and King Peter of -Servia had been correspondingly humiliated. He had never been invited -to come to the Austro-Hungarian Court. This was a standing source of -annoyance to the Serbs, who considered that it would have given him the -prestige that he somehow lacked. They considered that the tragedy that -had preceded his accession to the throne should be forgotten after the -lapse of years. Emperor Francis Joseph, one of whose chief aims in life -is the maintenance of the dignity of rulers and the magnifying of the -vocation of kings, did not take this view. He said that as long as he -lived King Peter should never come to Vienna. It would, perhaps, have -been better had less been done to honour the King of Montenegro under -these circumstances. In this and many other trifling affairs the wounds -already inflicted upon Servian _amour propre_ were kept open instead of -being allowed to heal. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -EMIGRATION PROMOTED BY GERMANY--SOCIAL QUESTIONS IN THE DUAL MONARCHY - - -The numbers of emigrants to Canada, the States, and South America -had been increasing in an alarming manner for many years. The large -band of men who left their country might be divided into two classes. -The larger class was composed of men who, weary of living under -Austro-Hungarian administration, left the country for good, worked for -money to build up a new home beyond the seas, and subsequently sent -money to pay the fares of their wives and children, or other relatives -to the new country. - -The second class of emigrant that swelled the returns was the “season -emigrant.” He left for one, two, or three years, supported his family -at home while working abroad, and returned with his savings at the -end of the time to enrich the country of his birth. This class of -man increased the prosperity of the country. The American Government -encouraged the permanent emigrant and objected to the “season” -emigrant, who refused to become naturalised, and formed part of a large -foreign element that it always regarded as potentially dangerous. The -Austro-Hungarian Government, on the contrary, naturally encouraged -the “season” emigrant, and did everything possible to deter men from -agricultural countries from emigrating permanently. - -During the Balkan wars the subject-races, always oppressed by the -Central Government, were subjected to much harsh treatment because -disorders were feared. Repressive measures were carried out very -cruelly; no allowance was made for race and natural sympathy with -their relatives across the border. The governors cared nothing if -they could cow the population into obedience. The more independent -spirits naturally escaped beyond the seas to avoid persecution. The -mobilisation and the long time that the army remained on the frontiers -made the Slavs fear that a war was coming. They did not desire to fight -against the Serbs nor the Russians. The Austro-Italians who inhabit the -southern coast-line and man the Austro-Hungarian fleet did not wish to -be called upon to fight against Italy. Thus almost all the inhabitants -near the coast considered it better to get away while they could, and -emigration on a vast scale began. Whole regions were depopulated. It -was impossible to move off the main route of travel in Austria-Hungary -at this period without being literally besieged by would-be emigrants. -How could they learn English? Could it be done by correspondence? What -other qualifications were necessary for emigrants to the States? It -seemed as if the whole agricultural population was packing up to leave. - -The Emperor once wished to send some rare game to New Zealand, and -asked for a couple of men to accompany them. The entire country-side -offered to travel with them to the far-off land, intending never -to return. Istria, Hungary, Galicia, and the Bukowina swarmed with -emigration agents. These agents were quite unscrupulous in their -methods. They simply desired to make money quickly. They got the -usual bonus from the companies on each emigrant induced to travel by -their line, and besides were subsidised by big companies who wished -to populate large tracts of land abroad. These companies promised the -emigrants free holdings. The peasant, who was greedy for freehold -land, naturally jumped at the offer, and left his village without much -persuasion. The agents, knowing full well that the Austro-Hungarian -Government must not get information as to the way in which the country -was being literally bled of its best military material, shipped the -young men of military age _viâ_ Bremen or Hamburg. The wives and -children went _viâ_ Trieste or Fiume. Thus the figures sent in to the -Austro-Hungarian Government gave no indication of what was going on. -This business went on undetected for about ten years. - -Suddenly the explosion came. Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to -the throne, discovered that a hundred thousand recruits fit for service -had got away in a single year. An inquiry was held into the matter. A -ramification of frauds, such as could only exist where the officials -were in sympathy with the population, was discovered. In many cases -boys were registered as girls with female names. When they grew up they -left the country or remained in some remote village where no one had -any interest to reveal their presence. Their employers did not want to -spare them for the army. Others whose mothers had not been sufficiently -far-seeing to arrange matters early in life emigrated, with documents -borrowed from a friend for the occasion. The documents were then sent -back by messenger over the frontier to the rightful owner. When either -of these methods was impracticable, medical certificates testifying -unfitness were procured. Certificates of this kind were cheap. The -demand was so great that there was a keen competition, and military -doctors were not able to stand out for large bribes, especially in -out-of-the-way places. The feeling of the whole country was with the -man who refused to fight for the German and Magyar overlords. - -A number of emigration agents were hastily clapped into prison, -travelling offices were closed, and a minute investigation was begun. - -Archduke Francis Ferdinand, who undertook the task himself, soon -discovered that Austria-Hungary had been drained of its best fighting -material by Germany. Cheap passages had been offered to emigrants -by the Hamburg and Bremen lines. They were no doubt anxious to make -substantial profits. He went into the figures and was startled to find -that the heavy Government subsidies enabled them to carry emigrants at -a loss. He immediately detected the hand of Kaiser Wilhelm behind this. -Germany had robbed her Poles of their land in order to colonise German -Poland with Teutons. The Kaiser was now trying to drain Austria-Hungary -of its Slav population and to replace them by German emigrants. That -was the meaning of the great emigrant traffic and of the secrecy with -which it had been carried on. - -Francis Ferdinand was furious when he discovered the truth. Men of -military age were not allowed to cross the frontier without explaining -where they were going. - -The emigrants, however, got away in hundreds every week, in spite of -all restrictions. The trouble that had been made about recruits leaving -the country convinced people on the frontiers and at the sea coast that -a great war was coming. The Slavs and the Italians, who were determined -not to be involved, took train to the nearest frontier station and -simply walked across without passports. It was soon discovered that -as the German emigration figures fell, the numbers of young men of -military age leaving Russia and Italy for the States increased. -Emigration had not been stopped; it had only been diverted to other -channels. This discovery enraged the Austrian Government. - -Sentinels were posted on the frontiers to watch for young men, but as -the sentinels belonged to the disaffected races the men got past all -the same. - -The restriction upon emigration pressed particularly hardly upon -the Bosnian Slavs. The seething discontent that had increased every -year since the annexation would never have become dangerous had the -restless spirits been allowed to leave for the States. Families would -have felt that their sons were safe from the bad treatment in the -army and would have waited patiently until they had enough money to -join them in the States. The sudden checking of all these hopes, -the shutting of the only door of escape, brought the discontent to -a head. There were rumours of disaffection among the subject-races -everywhere. Sure of a warm welcome from their fellow-countrymen on the -other side should trouble force them to leave, the people along the -frontiers became very restless. There was every indication that the -Austro-Hungarian conglomeration of nationalities and States could not -be kept together much longer. Archduke Francis Ferdinand was pleased -at these indications. He, in common with the remainder of the military -party, was looking for an excuse for a war. Thus he and the army put -more pressure upon the Serbs in Hungary instead of relieving them from -some of the grosser forms of oppression. Kaiser Wilhelm encouraged the -Archduke in this policy. He wished Austria-Hungary to realise that it -had reached a crisis in its history that could only be solved by a war. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE AGRARIANS AND THE SHORTAGE OF FOOD - - -The Agrarians, or great landowners, both in Austria and Hungary were -largely responsible for the Great War. If commercial relations between -Austria and the Balkans had been satisfactory there would have been -no discontent. The Balkans are agricultural lands; large crops of -corn, vegetable products, and meat were produced. Hungary is also a -rich agricultural country, and supplies its own needs entirely, with a -surplus for Austria. Austria and Germany cannot exist on the produce -of their land. Both countries have densely populated manufacturing -districts that must be supplied with food. Hungary wished to obtain -the best prices for her commodities. She therefore objected to Balkan -products being imported. The goods had to enter over her railways. -She prevented their coming in by imposing vexatious restrictions and -refusing cargoes on all kinds of grounds. Austria would not forbid -the import of meat and other products directly. This would have -prejudiced her political relations with the Balkans. Nor did she wish -to discourage the Balkan peoples from breeding cattle. The shortage -of meat in Austria might force the Government to import it at any -time. So she took a most unworthy course. She allowed the Agrarians -to carry on their nefarious methods and thus earned the bitter hatred -of the Balkan peoples, especially of Servia and Montenegro. For some -years cattle-breeders in the Balkan countries did not realise why -their products were returned so frequently. Finally, discovering that -they were simply the playthings of the Agrarians, they ceased to breed -cattle and turned their vast pastures into corn land. The Agrarians, -men who travelled but little and had no grasp of the speed with which -innovations are introduced and new plans adopted in this century, were -sadly surprised and not a little dismayed when they discovered that -the Serbs and other Balkan countries had no more meat for sale. Every -summer there was a considerable shortage of meat in Austria and the -cities of Hungary. This was due to a number of causes insignificant -in themselves, but far-reaching as regards the history of Europe. The -butchers said the regular annual shortage was largely owing to supplies -being sent to Germany, to Bohemia, and the Tyrol in the tourist season, -when large quantities of meat were required for the foreigners who -came into the country. The real reason was that the country was being -drained of its best blood by emigration. Farmers were forced to kill -off their cattle because there were no shepherds to care for it. The -day of the small peasant-proprietor was over. He had left for the -States. It was found more profitable to grow corn than to keep cattle -for the market on the immense farms on the great Hungarian plains. -No one had realised that the Balkan States had rendered themselves -independent of Austria-Hungary, and that no supply would be forthcoming -even when the frontiers were thrown open. The Agrarians, when they -heard of the shortage, suggested that the people should do without -meat. Riots ensued, and violent scenes occurred in Vienna. The military -was brought out to disperse the crowd. Hungarian hussars were brought -from Budapesth to shoot on a crowd chiefly made up of Germans and -Slavs. As the soldiers rode forward to charge the people in front of -the Vienna Rathhaus, women climbed into their saddles, and, rendered -desperate by fear for their husbands and children, wound themselves -round the waists of the hussars, thus effectually preventing them -from using their swords. Some men had four women hanging from their -waists as they charged upon the crowd. The horses, trained for show -and parade, were very careful not to dislodge the extra riders and -advanced at an amble. The Hungarian officers who led the men tried -to incite them to show a different spirit, but although they charged -the crowd not more than a hundred civilians were seriously injured. -The men cut the air above their heads with their long sabres, and -although they were Hungarians and Magyars, and were faced by a crowd -they disliked and despised, humanitarian feelings were stronger -than the commands of their officers. Many people in Vienna that day -doubted whether conscripts would ever fight against the populace. -Before night, however, the spirit of the troops changed. The people, -desperate with hunger, put up barricades in some of the chief streets; -they tore down the gas lamps and set fire to the stream of coal-gas -thus released. They plundered the shops of unpopular tradesmen and -distributed eatables among the crowd. When the troops appeared they -were received by a shower of stones, while even the pavements were -torn up to provide missiles. The soldiers, thoroughly enraged, turned -a murderous fire upon the people. The city was put under martial law, -and everyone who ventured through the streets was searched for weapons. -Walking the streets was a dangerous pastime for strangers, as sentries -only challenged once and shot if the command to halt were not complied -with. Similar riots on a larger scale took place in Budapesth. They -were suppressed in a more brutal manner than those in Vienna, while -in Prague the situation became so alarming that a revolution was -feared. It was then that the Agrarian party became alarmed, and agreed -to a suggestion for the importation of frozen meat from Argentina. A -committee of officials and experts was sent to Argentina to arrange for -the sending of frozen meat to Trieste. The Argentine Government was -ready to comply with all the very intricate demands and requirements -of the Austrian Government, and, being unversed in the history -of the Balkans, believed that Austria was capable of a perfectly -straightforward deal. One party of the Government, seeing the gravity -of the disturbances, really wished to alleviate the sufferings of the -people by the importation of frozen meat. The Agrarians, on whose head -the blood-guilt of the European war really rests, played the same -unstatesmanlike trick upon Argentina as they had successfully carried -out in the case of the Balkans. The first load of meat duly arrived. It -was sold immediately. This did not suit the short-sighted Agrarians, -who immediately began a plan for the defeat of the innovation. With the -consent of the Government they began an agitation against frozen meat. -Butchers circulated stories that it was unsound, and as it was sold -at prices that corresponded very nearly with those of fresh meat, it -naturally remained on their hands. This was seized upon as an excuse -by the Government to stop the import of any more meat. Even then the -Government could not act with common straightforwardness. The cargo was -allowed to come, and turned back at Trieste. The boat ran over to an -Italian port, where the meat was sold without difficulty. But Austrian -credit had suffered largely. The political relations with Argentina -were strained, and the country lost many a good customer through her -dishonesty. This mattered little to the Agrarians, who got good prices -for their meat. - -Another attempt was made to introduce sea-fish for popular consumption. -The Government put a quick goods train service on from the Adriatic, -and with cars especially constructed for keeping fresh fish in ice -through the hot nights. This did not suit the Agrarians, who had -immense breeding-places for carp and who reared trout in their -streams. As was to be expected, the trains were delayed, and the fish -reached Vienna and Budapesth in a state unfit for food. No statesman -in Austria-Hungary raised his voice against this trickery. No one -cared whether the people starved or not, provided the Agrarians were -satisfied. Archdukes, who might have raised their voices and have made -them heard, were themselves engaged in trade. They had immense dairies -and other establishments, where the produce of their lands was sold. -Their interests were contrary to those of the people and to those of -the country at large. They sided with the Agrarians in what was a -crisis in their own history and that of their country. Meat riots were -succeeded by disturbances about house accommodation. In order to keep -up rents, regulations preventing the building of new blocks of flats -were made in both Vienna and Budapesth. Similar enactments existed in -many other large cities in Austria-Hungary, but they pressed hardest -of all in the capitals. The landlords, freed from healthy competition, -not only demanded high rents, but they refused to accept tenants with -children. Men well able to pay high rents were forced to go from house -to house begging the porter to show them flats, and were turned away -time and time again simply because they had the misfortune to have a -family consisting not of six healthy children, but of one quiet child -of ten. At one period things were so bad that a workman with six -children, who had been unable to get accommodation anywhere, camped out -with his family on the Graben, the chief promenade in the very centre -of the city. Others knocked up wooden shanties on Crown land near the -mountains. At last the city decided to put up a number of sheds for the -accommodation of persons who had been expelled from the flats because -they had children. In Budapesth things were much worse. There were -riots, and the effigies of unpopular landlords were burned. Troops were -called out and rioters shot, but this brutal suppression of the working -class only increased the irritation felt against the Government. It was -clear even to the uninitiated that affairs were reaching a climax. The -discontent that had begun in the working classes was quickly spreading -to the small employé and even to the professional classes and officers -in the army. This was due not only to lack of food or accommodation, -but to the enormous increase in the cost of living, which had its root -in the alarming rise in taxation. This taxation was due to the two -mobilisations during the Annexation crisis and the Balkan wars, which -had cost Austria-Hungary many millions. The discovery that many things -essential to an army were lacking had led to reckless expenditure. Not -only had money been spent on legitimate needs, but immense swindles -had been perpetrated in connection with army supplies. Highly-placed -personages had been connected with these incidents which consequently -were never properly sifted, those most deeply implicated having the -power to prevent investigation. Further, mistakes on a vast scale were -made. The type of cannon recommended for the army, and supplied to all -the regiments, proved to be quite useless when employed in frontier -skirmishes. It was replaced by new weapons at enormous cost. Other -occurrences of the same kind led to the Budget being far above the -yearly income of the State. It became apparent to all responsible for -the conduct of the State that something must happen. The strain was too -great--a breakdown somewhere was inevitable. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -COUNT LEOPOLD BERCHTOLD AND COUNT STEPAN TISZA, THE MEN WHO DECIDED ON -WAR - - -Count Berchtold, the Austro-Hungarian Minister who was responsible -for the policy that led to the Great War, is the prototype of the -Austro-Hungarian aristocrat, and essentially a gentleman. He was for -this reason totally unfit to cope with the crowd of unscrupulous -pro-German politicians around him. He was brought up in the old school, -and no one who knows him personally would hesitate to describe him as -a gentleman _par excellence_. The fine, delicate features, the slim, -slender hands, and a bearing that has something almost apologetic, are -characteristic of the man. He is the ideal landowner and feudal lord, -able to manage large estates, a merciful landlord who would remit rent -in bad years, a kindly neighbour, and valued friend. - -Count Berchtold’s greatest interest was horse-racing, and his large -fortune enabled him to keep a splendid stud. He invariably attended all -the big race-meetings, but he was there merely to watch the horses, -not to meet the representatives of the diplomatic and political world -like his fellow-officials. His eye never wandered from the course -during the whole meeting. Other politicians never so much as glanced at -the horses; they were concentrating their attention on more important -matters. A secretary posted them in the events to enable them to -discuss them when necessary, to keep up the farce that they were there -to watch the horses. They watched their opportunity to slip up to some -great man and discuss some point at issue between them in a friendly -and casual way. The Foreign Minister knew nothing of such manœuvres. -If he wished to discuss a delicate matter with the Ambassador of some -unfriendly Power, he sought him in his Embassy and at once raised -the question to an affair of State instead of ascertaining in a -non-committal way how matters stood before formulating a demand. Count -Berchtold was essentially an honest and straightforward man when he -took over the onerous duties of Foreign Minister, and had no slur -upon his character. He was very loth to assume the responsibilities -of office, and only accepted at the Emperor’s direct request. He felt -that he was not fit to take the helm of State at such a critical -moment. There is not the slightest doubt that the Count was correct -in the estimate of his own powers. It would have required a much less -simple-minded man to guide the country through the troubled waters -which seethed all around. The Hungarian aristocrat, perhaps more than -the Austrian noble, lives a somewhat secluded life far from railroad -and market town. He is brought up in the same way as the old feudal -barons in the Middle Ages. He is surrounded by a swarm of servants, -whom he regards more in the light of serfs than free men. He fills the -obligations as well as enjoys the privileges of a feudal overlord. The -young aristocrat enjoys life. It is made up of hunting, often in the -primæval forest; he is constantly invited to shooting-parties, and -spends his time in that and other manly and outdoor occupations. He is -always an expert climber, can stalk a chamois, and would never fear for -his footing on the most precipitous rocks. He can fence, box, and is, -of course, an expert swordsman. He never knows when he may be called -upon to fight a duel, with any weapons. He learns to speak four or -five languages from native tutors. He must be proficient in German, -French, and, if possible, English and Italian, before he leaves the -schoolroom. He acquires these languages without trouble, often from his -nurses, and learns to ride while still little more than a baby. All -these accomplishments fit him to cut a figure in the fashionable world, -but form a poor equipment for battling with foreign diplomatists, who -have had the advantage of a training in a much severer school. Even if -the education, which he receives at the hands of a tutor, chosen rather -for his sporting proclivities than for his erudition, is completed by -a university course, no professor in Austria-Hungary would venture to -deal with a young aristocrat in the same fashion as with a student -belonging to the middle classes. Thus, although the aristocrat is -peculiarly suited to occupy important positions on account of his -birth and manners, he is frequently unfit to deal with very intricate -problems or to match his wits against those of other politicians. Count -Berchtold was a great favourite in Vienna because of his hospitality. -The Hungarians are known far and wide for their hearty hospitality, and -he even excelled the traditions of his race. He gave entertainments -at the Ballplatz, the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Ministry, close to -the Hofburg, that were unique of their kind. He had a kindly word -for everyone who entered the vast _salles_ that opened one into the -other at the top of the great marble staircase. Beneath the historic -portraits he entertained Archduchess and peasant deputy with unvarying -affability. When he was seen in other social centres it was always -conceded that he was the most distinguished-looking man in the room. -The tall, dark figure flitted restlessly to and fro, always anxious to -contribute his part to making the entertainment a success. But close -observers noted something in the formation of the skull and the glance -of the eye that denoted lack of firmness. He was a man who could be -persuaded against his better judgment. Had he been called upon, like -most of his predecessors in office, to be a mere figurehead, all would -have been well, but under the actual circumstances it was fatal to the -peace of Europe. It is more than probable that Berchtold was chosen to -fill the important post at the suggestion of Count Tchirsky, or some -other emissary of Kaiser Wilhelm, who desired to have a weak man in -power in Vienna. - -Once he had taken office, Count Berchtold discovered that all quiet -was at an end. There were constant attacks upon him in the German -subsidised Press of Vienna. During the long diplomatic struggles that -took place while he held office he was accused of hesitation and of -vacillation. He was, however, merely trying to steer a middle course -between the two policies dictated by the two parties within the Empire. -The Emperor was firm in his desire to die in peace. His reign had begun -with the loss of territory following upon defeat on the battlefield. -It was well known that he absolutely refused to contemplate any policy -that might lead the Empire into further hostilities. It was the Emperor -who sent the autograph letter to the Czar in the Annexation year, -begging him to allow him to go down to the grave in peace, and to -desist from a war which seemed inevitable. On the other hand, Archduke -Francis Ferdinand was anxious for a war. He was at the head of the -military party, composed of the younger aristocrats, who were more or -less tools in the hands of Kaiser Wilhelm. They comprehended nothing of -what war meant at this period in the world’s history. They suspected -nothing of the plans of Kaiser Wilhelm, who pushed the Emperor of -Austria into the foreground when he wished the scales to be turned in -favour of peace, and skilfully brought forward the military party -when he wished Austria-Hungary to threaten war. Count Berchtold was -very sensitive to public opinion; the attacks made upon him by the -Press, hinting that he was lacking in courage, annoyed him. They also -prepared public opinion for war. Austria-Hungary was depicted as the -sufferer from a hundred slights--as the down-trodden country that was -forced to bear all kinds of insults. Insults from Servia, insults -from Montenegro, had been accepted lying down. All news of what the -small Balkan States had to endure before they made the protests was, -of course, suppressed. Their point of view was never considered. -Caricatures of Count Berchtold, showing him on his way to Salonica but -frightened to go on by the claws of the Russian bear, were published in -the comic papers. The lengths to which these papers went in turning the -Foreign Minister to ridicule--a deadly crime in Austria-Hungary--was -indicative of the strength of the Imperial Germans in Austria. They -were even able to protect their minions against the Austrian censor. -When any politician showed indications of strong-mindedness and of -a disposition to resist German influence, the terrors of the German -subsidised Press were turned upon him. He invariably had to go. The -Press in Count Berchtold’s case, however, was merely used to bring him -to a sense of his own impotence and to deceive him as to the state of -public opinion. The Germans did not desire his dismissal, although they -frequently had rumours of his impending resignation published. His -being in office suited their purpose much too well for them to wish -to see him leave his place. Count Tchirsky and other pro-Prussians -filled the air with rumours of the Emperor’s inability to rule. They -said that the old man was in his dotage. This sounded reasonable, -although it was by no means the case. Count Berchtold was naturally -inclined to believe these reports, as, although he was very loyal to -his sovereign, he, like many other men of the modern school, could -not comprehend the monarch’s peculiar idiosyncrasies, and was apt to -mistake his religious fervour for an expression of feeble-mindedness. -This rendered Berchtold ready to believe the insinuations that were -cunningly suggested to him that the Emperor could not be trusted with -secrets of State. He might tell all to his father-confessor, who would -report it to Rome, where the hated Italians might learn it, said the -German diplomatists. Berchtold thus entered on a course that led to the -undoing of his country. He acted without consulting the Emperor, and -concealed important facts from him at times of crisis. His tempters no -doubt showed him good and sufficient reason why he should do this. The -course was, however, a lapse from honesty--an honesty that had been -Berchtold’s chief virtue. So long as the supreme power was vested in -one man, that man, whatever his age, should have been in possession -of the full facts of the case. The Emperor of Austria alone had to -decide whether there should be peace or war, and his Foreign Minister -had no right to deceive him on any point. Count Berchtold and the -German Ambassador had guilty secrets between them. It was thus that -the Ambassador got his hold over the Foreign Minister and used it -mercilessly. The country gentleman could not believe that the German -aristocrats around him were liars and were capable of acts unthought-of -by persons of his simple creed. - -History will pronounce judgment on Berchtold. Contemporaries see -him as a weak man, who lost his country’s cause through a complete -inability to cope with the scoundrels who surrounded him. He was unable -to comprehend the peculiar art of lying that German diplomacy had -brought to a fine art, the sphinx-like promises that could be made -and interpreted according to need. A man of less honourable instincts -would have been more capable of dealing with the situation; a man of -character might have saved his country. - -Count Tisza, the Hungarian Premier, was a man of iron will. He was -frequently called the Hungarian “Cromwell,” “the man with the mailed -fist.” He had fought more duels than any other Hungarian aristocrat, -and his courage was well proven. Not only had he physical courage, -but moral courage as well. Like Count Berchtold, he had received the -education and training of a Hungarian aristocrat. He is an autocrat of -the old school, whose strong will has never been broken by opposition. -Possessed of great strength of character, but educated in an atmosphere -of unreality, he had no grasp of what was really happening in Europe. -Tisza always prided himself on his loyalty to the Emperor. When the -sovereign told him to reduce the rebellious Hungarian Parliament to -order, he did not hesitate to order the soldiers to drag out offending -members. On another occasion he had armed men placed at the entrance -to the House to prevent the entrance of all refractory members. The -Emperor and Tisza both looked upon the Parliament as a necessary evil -that must be dealt with in the best way circumstances allowed. Neither -of them considered that the people had any rights. They were not of the -same flesh and blood as Emperors and Counts. - -This autocratic idea, born of circumstances and surroundings, led both -men to act in a most tyrannous way towards the people. Tisza especially -had a profound contempt for the mob. He looked upon the subject-peoples -as beneath contempt. Neither he nor his Imperial master could brook -Notes send by the Serbs. It seemed to them the acme of impertinence -that a nation of so little importance should dare to address the -Emperor of Austria as an equal. - -Count Tisza has always been most anxious to make Hungary equal to -Austria. He considered that the two nations should enjoy equal rights. -He resented the fact that the Court was established at Vienna, and -that Budapesth always took a second place. Tisza and every Hungarian -statesmen knew that the common funds were spent for the benefit of -Austria rather than for that of Hungary. At the same time Hungary, who -claimed equal rights with Austria, always refused to take a half of -the common expenses on her shoulders; the Hungarian share was always -a third, Austria paying two-thirds. Hungary is very wealthy, but -has very little ready money. Her nobles regulate taxation and take -great care that the burden falls on the people in the way of indirect -taxation of necessities. Before the war there was no income tax in -Hungary, although the revenues enjoyed by the great landowners are -immense. Kaiser Wilhelm was very exactly informed of the relations -between Austria and Hungary. He took pains to attach Tisza to his -person. Tisza was invited to Berlin frequently; he was summoned to -confer with the Kaiser constantly, while Count Berchtold was seldom -consulted. The Kaiser dazzled Tisza and the Hungarians with promises -of assistance in their fight against Austria. The Kaiser seemed to be -the only man who comprehended their position. An ambitious and warlike -people, the Magyar minority could not be swamped by the Slavs within -the kingdom, or overwhelmed by the Germans in Austria. Count Tisza, -although a very strong man, is not capable of comprehending a character -like that of Kaiser Wilhelm. Single of purpose himself, he cannot -comprehend duplicity in another. Like the Emperor Francis Joseph and -Count Berchtold, he was duped. He desired to go to war with Servia -because, like Count Berchtold, his personal vanity had been hurt. He -could not take an international view of the situation. The great Slav -peril within the Empire seemed more important to him than the fear of -All-German domination. - -[Illustration: COUNT BERCHTOLD.] - -[Illustration: COUNT TISZA.] - -Count Tisza might have done much to save his country from ruin; -instead, he preferred to see the subject-races oppressed. He considered -that a war that would enable the Government to thin out the Slavs, by -letting them fight one against the other, the soldiers from within -the Empire against those without, would secure the supremacy of the -Magyars. He failed to comprehend that the Magyars were to be thinned -out in their turn to make way for Germans who wished to exploit the -rich treasures of Hungary and exhaust her mineral wealth. - -Count Tisza was a gambler accustomed to play with gentlemen; when he -played at statesmanship with the German Emperor he did not count upon -his adversary using loaded dice. - -The very uprightness of his character prevented his suspecting others. -The man in the street suspected Kaiser Wilhelm; the Premier did not. - -The Hungarian aristocrat had never been “up against life”; he had no -instinct to guide him. He fondly believed that he was twisting the -Kaiser round his finger and using him for his own ends. These ends -were the glorification of Hungary, for Tisza is a patriot to his -finger-tips. Unfortunately, he was deeply imbued with the sentiment -that a king cannot commit meannesses. He placed the Kaiser on the same -level as a Hungarian noble. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -AUSTRIA-HUNGARY AS A MILITARY AND NAVAL POWER - - -In 1907 Austria-Hungary, where conscription is in force, had an army -of about three million men when fully mobilised. These men were of -excellent physique, since they were selected as the most promising -material among a number of men fit for service. Every year when the -annual contingent of recruits came up for service, a larger number were -passed as “fit” than could be put into training. About a third of the -“fit” were sent home; they were selected by lot, and although they were -not called upon to serve immediately, they were under the obligation to -do so when required. Thus there was a large second line of untrained -men fit for service and ready to be called up when necessary. The high -standard of efficiency resulted in only the very best material being -selected; there were many among the rejected who could be called to -the colours in time of necessity. - -Besides this, the military authorities pursued a definite policy. They -were willing to grant exemption to the city man who could be usefully -employed in clerical work in war time, and devoted their energies to -training the peasant for actual fighting. - -All this resulted in the official figures of the available men giving -no real estimate of the numbers that were actually available. - -Much money and attention were devoted to the minor branches of -the service. Armament factories were increased and flying fields -established in connection with all the army corps headquarters. The -preparations for a possible war, while being carried on with great -energy and at great expense, were somewhat delayed by an incurable -habit, peculiar to the Austrians, of giving great attention to branches -of the service that were anything but essential. Experiments were made -in ski-running on the Alps in winter. Small companies of men were -frequently lost in the Tyrol while trying to cross difficult ground. -It was felt in the country generally that the attempts to get over the -glaciers and snowfields might just as well have been made in summer, -when there was not the same danger from avalanches, and even if war -with Italy were inevitable, ski-running practised within view of the -Italian frontier was not likely to calm Italian susceptibilities. -Aviation, which had long been recognised as the war weapon of the -future, was quite neglected. The Government refused to purchase the -necessary airships. The Austrians, with all their mechanical genius, -were not able to make the motors for aeroplanes. Austrian inventors -had to obtain motors from France before their airships could fly. The -conservatism of thought and methods which made the Austro-Hungarian -Government neglect the air service, led them to misread the signs of -the times, and to allow the fleet to sink to a mere nothing. Although -they were building up the fortifications along the Austro-Hungarian -frontier, a queer optimism made them count upon Italy’s help in the -Mediterranean. Meanwhile they worked up their land fortifications. -The Austro-Hungarian naval ports are models of what Nature can do in -the way of natural defences. Cattaro is practically impregnable from -the sea side. The gulf winds in and out, and the approach to the city -can be defended at every turn. The military and naval authorities -felt quite secure of Cattaro, and it was only in the Annexation year, -when there was trouble with Montenegro, that it was discovered that -the cannon on the summit of Mount Lovcen could be fired right into -Cattaro. The boundary line between Austria-Hungary and Montenegro runs -close to the summit of the mountain. The Austrians considered that -it would be very easy to capture the top of the precipitous mountain -should war break out between the small country and themselves, but it -was a very serious offset to the value of Cattaro. There was a large -choice of suitable naval ports along the coast besides Cattaro. The -only consideration that made a selection difficult was the question of -railway communications with the interior. - -Sebenico was also built out as a naval base, but, like Cattaro, there -was no railway to connect it with the interior, as the narrow gauge -Bosnian railways were of little practical use for military purposes. -They were either light mountain railways or narrow gauge. This meant -that all transports must be unloaded at the Hungarian frontier. Neither -Cattaro nor Sebenico could thus be utilised as first-class naval bases -until the Bosno-Herzegowinan railway system had been changed. Plans for -this project were made and the money was voted, but the work had not -been begun at the outbreak of the Great War. The naval authorities -established excellent wireless stations and repairing shops at these -ports. The Government was disinclined to spend money on these ports, -because the population was either Italian or Serb, and not easy to cow -into subjection, like inland peoples. A seafaring people were always -able to make good their escape should danger threaten. If the sea coast -were watched too carefully for them to get away by boat, there was a -wild mountainous district behind, where a man could hide among the -rocky crags undisturbed until the hue and cry after him had died down. -Just as the Bohemians near the German frontier were always inclined to -be restive, and the Government more or less obliged to take a lenient -view of their offences, so the Dalmatians were seldom subjected to -persecution. Austria-Hungary never let off her wrath on those able to -defend themselves. - -Political considerations hampered the Austro-Hungarian Government in -her choice of ports and in her shipbuilding. Austria wished to get all -the shipbuilding orders, and was willing to make concessions to Hungary -in agricultural affairs in order to secure them. Hungary, however, was -not disposed to accept these. - -Austria-Hungary only settled upon a definite naval policy after the -Annexation crisis. It was decided then that the new boats should -be built in Trieste, and then tugged round to Pola for fitting. -The Hungarians complained bitterly, and insisted upon some orders -being placed at Fiume also. Slips for Dreadnoughts were prepared in -Hungarian dockyards. The first Dreadnoughts, however, were built at the -Stablimento Tecnico, in Trieste. This caused a storm of indignation all -along the Adriatic. Austria had fostered Trieste at the expense of all -other ports--both Hungarian and Italian--on the sea coast. Two railways -carried goods from Trieste to Vienna. Preference tariffs were given to -goods shipped over the Austrian ports. Italian firms found it cheaper -to get their goods via Trieste than via Venice. Every form of ruse -and trickery for magnifying the importance of Trieste and decreasing -that of Venice was used. In some cases, Austrian firms received large -State subventions to enable them to undersell Italian firms. Thus -Trieste absorbed much of the trade that formerly went _via_ Genoa to -Switzerland and Germany. In bolstering up Trieste and its trade the -Government was not actuated by commercial considerations only. The -mercantile fleet proved an excellent training-school for sailors; -the population was composed mostly of Italians and Slavs, seafaring -people who had been accustomed to earn their living on the water for -generations and generations. Austria-Hungary, when contemplating her -failures in many parts of the country, could always point to Trieste -as a complete success. Unfortunately, Kaiser Wilhelm also regarded the -seaport as an entire success. The splendid docks, stretching miles -inland, where light boats could be built, the yards at Montfalcone, -all stirred a feeling of covetousness in the monarch, who was never -satisfied. He actually commenced negotiations to get possession of -Trieste. He needed a port in the Mediterranean or in the Adriatic for -the re-fitting, re-fuelling, and provisioning of German ships in times -of peace. Austria-Hungary refused on one occasion to cede her best port -to Kaiser Wilhelm, but an agreement that Germany could use it as a -coaling-station was entered into. - -The first Dreadnoughts built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy just after -the Annexation crisis were laid down secretly. Although permission to -build Dreadnoughts had been given at the Delegations, many Members -of Parliament opposed the granting of the money, on the ground that -Austria-Hungary could not afford to embark on a policy that might -embroil her with other nations. Her army was sufficiently large to -protect her and assure her that respect among the Great Powers that -she had a right to demand. The Government, to save argument, thus laid -down the Dreadnoughts without announcing the fact. When the news that -the first ship was partially ready and the second had already been -laid down was made public, the other nations of Europe naturally felt -that Austria-Hungary had stolen a march upon them. She specialised in -building submarines and torpedoes at this time. The necessary expense -was provided for by a special species of book-keeping. Money voted -for education and similar purposes was devoted to the construction of -submarines, and the public and Europe were kept in ignorance of the -true uses to which it was put. - -Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the late heir to the throne of -Austria-Hungary, was especially interested in shipbuilding. He had a -valid excuse for remaining far from the capital. The fine dust from -the limestone with which Vienna is built injured his lungs, which were -already delicate. He therefore stayed for the greater part of the year -at Miramare, a beautiful castle close to Trieste, or at Brioni, farther -along the coast. The Duchess and the children enjoyed the stay near -the sea. He ran to and fro in a swift yacht, visited Pola and Fiume, -and assisted at the experiments which were being carried on there. -Kaiser Wilhelm frequently came to visit Corfu, and stayed at Miramare -_en route_. The two men who were plotting for world-empire spent many -hours together. The Kaiser was frequently accompanied by experts, who -travelled _incognito_ at the command of the Emperor. - -Archduke Francis Ferdinand, brought up, like all the Austro-Hungarian -Imperial family, in an atmosphere of unreality, suspected nothing of -the Kaiser’s ulterior motives in coming to Trieste. He even followed -his suggestions for the gradual removal of all Italians employed in -Government service. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -ARCHDUKE CARL FRANCIS JOSEPH - - -Archduke Carl Francis Joseph resembles the present Emperor of Austria -and King of Hungary very closely, though the resemblance is apparent -rather in a certain peculiar charm of manner than in a similarity of -features. Their colouring is identical, and when on the outbreak of war -the aged Emperor made a triumphal entry into Vienna amid enthusiastic -crowds such as the capital had never seen, with the heir to the throne -by his side in an open carriage, everyone remarked on a resemblance -that had escaped them before. “He might be the Emperor’s grandson,” -was heard on every side, as the two men who held the destinies of the -land in their hands went by. They sat stiffly upright, for both have -the carriage that marks a thorough military training; both acknowledged -the frenzied acclamations of the crowd with a truly royal reserve, -in contrast with the eagerness of Ferdinand of Bulgaria or Wilhelm of -Prussia, who could not conceal their extreme delight at the shouts of -the populace. Both Emperor and Archduke have always been popular. - -[Illustration: ARCHDUKE CARL FRANCIS JOSEPH.] - -[Illustration: PRINCESS ZITA OF PARMA.] - -The Archduke had received the careful training that is given to one -who is expected to fill a high place in life. He learned English at -the same time as he learned German from an English governess, who -succeeded in implanting a love for her native land in the heart of the -young Archduke. The Austrians considered that he was too British in his -tastes in many ways, and much too inclined to go in for games of every -kind instead of attending to the more serious studies that took up so -large a part of his time already. While the young Archduke showed great -enthusiasm for tennis, for dancing and skating, he cared but little for -abstruse studies. None of the Habsburgs ever gave evidence of great -mental powers, and the Archduke was true to the family traditions in -this respect. Educated in Vienna, where dancing and music are regarded -as the chief end of life, it was natural that he should enjoy both. It -is also a debatable point whether accomplishments of this kind are not -more desirable for the young man who wishes to get into touch with his -subjects and with foreign diplomatists than a taste for discussion. -Unfortunately, the Archduke was encouraged to pursue a very frivolous -life. The wicked uncle of the fairy tale is frequently seen in real -life. In this case he enjoyed unusual powers. When Archduke Otto died -he left his brother, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, guardian to his two -boys. The heir to the throne and his ambitious morganatic wife thus -had the care of educating the boy who was to succeed to the throne -instead of their own boys. It is doubtful whether they could have felt -kindly towards him in any case. Being what they were, both ambitious -and unscrupulous, they did everything they could to ruin the boy. He -was surrounded by persons who turned his thoughts towards subjects -unfit for him, and who led him astray at an age when he should have -been attending to his schoolbooks. The sudden change from a life of -convent-like severity to one of the greatest dissipation and licence -was sufficient to turn the head of any young man, and much more so that -of the heir-presumptive to a brilliant throne. When he appeared in a -ballroom the women flattered him, not for position perhaps so much as -for his youthful grace and manners. The Archduke and his wife threw -in the way of the Archduke people of vicious life, who did their best -to ruin him in every way. The frivolity of his disposition, mingled -with a certain lightheartedness that led him to take nothing seriously, -saved him from these snares. The Archduke had him removed from the -Vienna Court, where he was far too popular, on the pretext that he was -“going the pace” too fast. The Emperor made inquiries, and discovered -that the Archduke was leading a comparatively simple life compared -with that of many of his elders. He was banished to his regiment -garrisoned on the Elbe; however, he got frequent leave to come to -Vienna _incognito_, when he could not interfere with his uncle, who was -so unpopular that he never ventured to walk about the streets like the -rest of the Imperial family. It is probable that, instead of lessening -his popularity, these long periods of enforced absence endeared the -young Archduke to the hearts of his future subjects. He, too, knew -how to speak a number of languages and dialects. Italian he spoke -like his native tongue, and he knew French, the diplomatic language -of the Balkans, thoroughly. He knew Czech really well, and also spoke -Hungarian, having learnt both languages as a child. The heir to the -throne knew neither, not having learnt them when young, as there were -several lives between him and the throne. All these facts made him less -inclined to love his nephew, who seemed to possess all the graces that -he lacked. All the machinations against him, although actuated by the -deepest hate, had no result because of his simplicity of character. -When he returned to Vienna after a long, enforced absence, he went at -once to the Belvedere and thanked his uncle and aunt for the kind care -that held him far from the capital. He did not say that he had all the -amusement that he needed. He had been present at every _première_ of -importance, assisted at many balls that did not figure in the columns -of the papers devoted to Court news, and generally had an amusing -time without being trammelled by the strict etiquette that would have -regulated his movements had he been in the capital on an official -visit. Always smiling and good-humoured, he never even noticed the -machinations that were directed against him. He was high in favour -with the Emperor, who often expressed the wish that the younger man -were coming to the throne instead of the next heir, for Archduke Carl -had never caused him a moment’s uneasiness. This was saying much at a -Court where most of the youthful members had committed some breach -of etiquette at least, many of them having caused the Emperor much -trouble by their love affairs. Archduke Carl, instead of a variety of -_affaires_, had offered all the warmth of his youthful devotion on the -shrine of one of the most amusing and accomplished Vienna actresses. -He carried flowers and flung them on the stage at her feet very often, -and showed his preference in many ways. As the lady was already a woman -far on in years, she accepted his boyish devotion without allowing him -to do anything compromising for his future. She acted the _rôle_ of -the good fairy who saved the prince from all the snares spread for his -undoing. When the Archduke fell in love with an old playmate at a Court -ball, he made his actress friend his first _confidante_. The Archduke, -like most of his relations, married solely for love, and was able to -accomplish his desire, although there was much opposition in some -quarters. Princess Zita, of Parma, the daughter of an old and decaying -race, was a child of the Vienna Court. She had been convent-bred, and, -like her husband, she was educated partly on English lines. She had -spent some years at the convent at the Isle of Wight, where several of -her near relatives occupy important positions among the Sisters. She -lives part of the year in Italy, and is essentially Italian in type and -character. Her great charm of manner fitted her to become an Empress; -the only objection that could be made to the match was that she came -of a family of worn-out stock already related to the Habsburgs, and -not likely to improve that degenerate line. This objection would have -been considered fatal at some Courts. At Vienna the fact that Princess -Zita was distinguished for her piety and was completely in the hands -of the Church over-rode all other considerations, and the match was -allowed to proceed. It has turned out most happily. The Viennese were -pleased to have a Princess that they knew. They made no secret of the -fact that it was a grave mistake to import princesses. They said that -such young women did not know enough to hold their own against the -intrigues of the family, who were invariably jealous of the “first lady -at the Court.” The women did their best to poison the young lives of -imported princesses with tales of scandal and by other less reputable -means. Princess Zita had a crowd of powerful relations to stand by her -and protect her from the harm that befell the late Empress Elizabeth. -She was well acquainted with the atmosphere of the Court, and, like -a child at home, knew how to avoid all the pitfalls spread for her -undoing. Princess Zita accompanied her husband everywhere when it was -possible. Before the war she travelled over the whole of the Galician -frontier in his company. With deep understanding of the character of -the peasants, she purchased their livestock at the exorbitant prices -they demanded for her poultry farm. Unlike Duchess Hohenberg, who -complained that she was overcharged when the peasants asked too much, -she threw away sums of money, small intrinsically, but large in the -eyes of the poor inhabitants of the land. The progress made by the -newly-married pair was a great success. The birth of a son, while -putting a seal upon the popularity of both, undid the hopes and plans -nourished at the Belvedere. Duchess Hohenberg despaired of seeing -either of her fine boys upon the throne. The remainder of the Court -held a brief for Archduke Carl and Princess Zita, and protected them -against Duchess Hohenberg. Little Zita had grown up among them, and no -one grudged her the high place she occupied. She did not even displace -the “first lady of the Court.” Archduchess Annunziata, the niece of the -Emperor, immediately resigned her place to the younger woman who was -to be the future Empress, but the little Princess was too much taken -up by her duties as mother to learn the whole of the strict etiquette -that the “first lady” is called upon to observe. Her aunt arranged, -therefore, to preside at the more formal functions, where the Princess, -who was nothing but a child, might make some dreadful mistake, and -to instruct her gradually. This simplified matters greatly for the -Princess, who thus made no enemies. Archduchess Annunziata had presided -at the Court ever since the tragic death of Empress Elizabeth. She was -tired of the burden, and wished to retire to her convent at Prague -for the remainder of her life. She took no pleasure in standing erect -and gracious on a platform at the top of the ballroom and saying the -appropriate thing to each of the dignitaries presented to her notice. -The _rôle_ that would have rejoiced Duchess Hohenberg beyond everything -annoyed her. - -Archduke Francis Ferdinand and Duchess Hohenberg, sitting sullen and -gloomy at Konopischt, still tried to keep the heir-presumptive far from -the capital. He and Princess Zita were only allowed to show themselves -publicly in Vienna on rare occasions. This led to their being cheered -frantically whenever they did show themselves. Exaggerated stories -of the jealousy shown by the Archduke went all round the city. The -Emperor frequently called the younger man to his side, and was struck -by his modesty and mild demeanour. Archduke Carl was naturally most -unassuming. His personal attendants were much attached to him because -of his great generosity, but always said that he was impulsive to a -degree that made him difficult to arrange for; he made plans absolutely -upon the spur of the moment without stopping to consider. - -Such was the young Archduke as he was known in Vienna when the -murder of Sarajevo altered the entire course of his life. The weight -of responsibility suddenly thrown upon his shoulders made him show -character--strength of character that must have been there all the -time, carefully concealed beneath the pleasant manners of a young -courtier. This was seen at the funeral of the victims of Sarajevo. He -insisted upon walking behind the funeral coach that bore his uncle and -aunt to their last rest. The Master of the Ceremonies at the Vienna -Court had arranged that no member of the House of Habsburg should -demean himself by paying this respect to the dead, and he represented -this to the Archduke on the steps of the railway station. The Archduke -became quite red in the face with excitement as he pointed out to the -amazed official that he was now heir to the throne, and that he would -decide upon what was the correct thing at Court. All Vienna saw and -applauded. He walked alone behind the coffins as first mourner with the -air of sadness and solemnity which the occasion demanded. At the same -time he freed himself from the domination of the much-dreaded Master of -the Ceremonies once and for all. - -The Archduke and his wife were naturally pro-Italian. Even before his -marriage the Archduke had always shown more sympathy for the Italians -than was felt by other Habsburgs. The happiest days of his life had -been spent on Italian ground at Viareggio, where he was able to live on -the water far away from the Court and its exigencies. He was inclined -to trust the Italians, and, unlike his uncle, disliked the Slavs. He -was, too, decidedly pro-British before the war. When he was selected to -go to England to represent the Emperor, he made his preparations with -the greatest alacrity, pleased to think that he had been chosen for the -mission. - -Kaiser Wilhelm regarded the heir-presumptive to the throne as a young -man of no importance in his schemes. He believed that a youth who -was so thoroughly under the influence of his mother had neither the -character nor the intelligence to oppose his plans. Kaiser Wilhelm, -perhaps, neglected that obstinacy which is a leading characteristic -of the Habsburgs, and which has enabled them to resist many an attack -upon their prerogative in the past, and may have an important and -unexpected influence on the future. While the late heir to the throne -of Austria-Hungary was entirely in the hands of the Jesuits, neither -Emperor Francis Joseph nor his present heir ever allowed them to -dictate in affairs of State. They held that religion and statecraft -were different matters that must be kept scrupulously apart. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -AUSTRIA-HUNGARY FACED BY REVOLUTION OR WAR--THE FINANCIAL FACTOR - - -Austria and Hungary strike the casual visitor as very like any other -European country, and so long as he remains on the beaten path he -finds no reason to revise his judgment. Vienna, Budapesth, Prague, are -very like Milan or Berlin. There is plenty of ready money, and every -indication of a somewhat too advanced civilisation. In fact, decadence -is suggested rather than under-cultivation. The ease with which the -city people have adopted every new invention, and the facility with -which they adapt themselves to modern appliances and conveniences, -quite deceives the stranger. He naturally supposes that people who -made constant and excellent use of the telephone at a time when it -was just being introduced into the western countries of Europe are -necessarily advanced in other matters. Everything looks very up to -date. The fashionable watering-places, like Karlsbad and Marienbad, -are the essence of modernity. Everything is carefully arranged for the -comfort of the traveller, and for the man who can afford the utmost -refinement of comfort it is perfection. If he takes a long walk out -from his splendidly appointed hotel, and spends a day or two up country -in Bohemia, he will soon discover a different state of things. - -The first shock is the knowledge that the forest is not safe for anyone -who rashly wanders away from carefully tended paths and marked trees -that show the direction. These immense woods are not merely unsafe, -but any stranger to the district who strays among the denser parts -will probably not return, for the peasants are inclined to be savage. -If a German falls into the hands of Czechs in a small Bohemian town -he usually gets badly mauled before the police, who are really in -sympathy with the towns-people and do not hurry unduly, can interfere. -This kind of outrage, which may be found chronicled without any -excuse or explanation in the small local papers, goes on within a few -miles of the ultra-civilised Marienbad, where urbane and polished -politicians conferred with King Edward, and spoke of their land as one -of the civilised countries of Europe. No one ever thought of pushing -inquiries as to what the native peasant was like. Horrible crimes are -frequently reported from Bohemia, but they attract little attention. -The foreigners do not read the kind of paper that delights in horrible -detail, while the Viennese know too well how very backward much of the -country population is, and naturally wish to keep the knowledge from -the world. The various races that live within the confines of Austria -proper are of mild and somewhat timid disposition, but the Hungarians -are fierce and cruel. - -Many peasants, who own considerable wealth in the shape of land, that -has come down to them from their fathers, have never seen a gold coin, -nor even possessed a 15s. banknote in their lives. Very little gold -circulates in Austria or Hungary at any time, the people preferring -notes. Apart from this, however, many peasants never handle money. -Their whole business is carried on by barter. A peculiar method -of trading is known as “pauschal.” It is extremely simple in its -operation. A dairy-farmer undertakes to supply one of his neighbours -with butter, milk and eggs all the year round. The neighbour supplies -him with pork, vegetables, or some other commodity that he has at his -disposal. The same method of barter is applied to the shoemaker and -to the weaver of linen. If one party suffers a slight disadvantage -through the arrangement it is considered that it will be made up -another season, when his requirements will be larger. This system -obviates any keeping of accounts, and is of great convenience, as -it enables the parties concerned to forecast their expenses for the -coming year with certainty. In some districts, where there is less -mutual dependence, and therefore less mutual trust and confidence, -the accounts are chalked up behind the door, and one supply of goods -rendered against another. But no money passes from hand to hand. The -peasant has a lively distrust of banks, born of experience; and he -considers that the natural end of a bank is failure. He therefore -invests his money in stock, in enriching the land, if he is the -absolute proprietor, and always locks up a certain sum for emergencies, -turning it into jewellery, which is worn by the women. In times of -terror the peasant girl conceals her necklace--usually made of coins -which are out of circulation--and always has the wherewithal to procure -herself temporary shelter. The peasant women, too, wear belts of -solid silver, which can be converted into cash at a moment’s notice, -should necessity arise. The peasant never interferes with his wife’s -jewellery, whatever may be his need; it is her dowry for herself and -her children in times of dire distress. - -These circumstances and habits account for the curious phenomenon of a -population rich in property, but having no ready money. This explains, -too, the remarkable fact that only about 4 per cent. of the population -of Austria pay income-tax. The tax is imposed upon everyone earning -over £50 per annum. Moving about among the peasant proprietors, among -the large population engaged in cottage industries, it is impossible to -believe that these people are living on incomes below £50 per annum. -It is true that they have no money, or only rare coins, but they are -living at a high standard of comfort, and many who earn £20 per annum -in actual coins, consume products got upon the exchange and barter -system worth several hundreds of pounds. - -The small fraction of the population which is taxed for income for -carrying on a trade or profession, and in a dozen other vexatious ways, -is heavily hampered. A man must even pay a heavy tax for the upkeep -of his religion if he is a non-Catholic. Indeed, it is difficult to -see how any business can be made to pay with the heavy taxation that -hampers trade on every hand, and practically prevents Austrian traders -from being able to compete with German firms, which instead of being -hampered are assisted by their Government. - -In the days of quiet and calm before Austria-Hungary was led to think -of world-empire by her ambitious ally, the Minister of Finance actually -turned out budgets without a deficit; some years there was even a -surplus. It was, of course, impossible to ascertain how far these -figures corresponded with actual facts, for “double book-keeping” was -not peculiar to private persons in Austria-Hungary. It was a matter of -common knowledge that Government statistics were manipulated to suit -the requirements of the political situation. - -When the country embarked upon her new military and naval policy, -large sums of money were needed. There were meetings between leading -financiers to consider how best it could be collected from a country -that possessed no liquid wealth. Taxes were clapped on imports. -This brought but little revenue, as the country people fed on the -products of their own growing. The various State monopolies, such as -tobacco, brought in large revenues. The attempt to get money from -the agricultural population, however, failed. This meant that the -capitals and large manufacturing districts must find the necessary -funds for reckless expenditure on armaments. Great hardships resulted. -The working-classes were forced to pay heavy taxes upon all goods -entering the city. They already bore heavy import duties, and the -cost of many articles of necessity was almost prohibitive. Sugar, -which was made from beetroot in the country, and sold to England -at less than cost price, in order to gain a foreign market, cost -5d. a pound in Austria-Hungary. The taxation became heavier every -year, and the authorities failed to see that the burden was falling -exclusively upon the middle-classes and the working-classes dwelling -in the large cities. Austria-Hungary tried to float loans in France. -The political situation was so strained that, although France was -willing to lend money to Russia, she refused, point-blank, to lend -to Austria or to Hungary on any terms. The loans had to be taken up -in Germany. Germany needed money herself; she had been spending all -her available capital upon raw material for the forging of cannon. At -every meeting of the Austrian Parliament members protested against -the laying down of Dreadnoughts when the financial situation of the -country was so precarious. There were constant riots in the towns, -the Austro-Hungarian system of reckless suppression of disorders -applied to quell the disorders only increased the mass of discontent -and disaffection. There came a time when politicians began to see -that only a successful war could save the position. The Hungarians -were threatening to break loose from Austria. They considered that -the finances were mismanaged. Too much of the money voted for the -Dual Monarchy, and administered by the Common Minister of Finance, -was devoted to Austrian needs, to the disadvantage and detriment -of her less powerful neighbour, Hungary. Such suspicions were very -well founded, especially as regards the sums secretly devoted to war -material. If education were defective in Austria, it was still more -neglected in Hungary. - -Vienna had become the real capital, Budapesth being neglected through -the ill-health and advancing age of the Emperor. It was clear that the -Emperor could not travel to Budapesth without risk to his health, since -the climate did not suit him. - -Hungary said that she would prefer to administer her own finances. She -could very well provide for her own military and naval requirements. -She wished to take a part of the executive power into her own hands. -This would have weakened Austria considerably. Instead of ranking as -a first-class Power she would fall to the rank of a secondary one. -Bohemia, too, wished for separation. She felt that her prosperous -factories, her ironworks, were contributing a very large share of -wealth to the country, and that while the Bohemians were heavily taxed, -they got no compensation for the extra money that they poured into the -State chest. - -The leading statesmen realised towards the year 1912 that they were -faced by the choice of war or revolution in Austria-Hungary. The -huge sums needed to pay off the debts already incurred by the costs -connected with two mobilisations, and the ever-increasing military and -naval needs were landing the country in an _impasse_ from which there -were only two roads of escape. If the House of Habsburg wished to -maintain its proud position some action must be taken. The politicians -round the throne thought that a successful war with Italy would be -the most desirable event. They dared not moot this question in the -presence of the aged Emperor. He was firm for peace. This conviction, -that was deeply rooted in his mind, was strengthened by his growing -parsimoniousness. Very generous as a young man, he had grown almost -miserly as old age crept upon him. When he was ill he regretted that -there should be speculation upon the Stock Exchange, and that the “poor -people should lose their money,” to use his own words. This economy, -which he wished to see exercised, not only in his own private affairs, -but throughout the State, would alone have made him abhor the thought -of war, which he knew meant expenditure. The military party hoped that -he might either die, or be brought to see that his remaining at the -head of affairs any longer was a mistake from every point of view. -They realised that something must be done. If the Emperor would only -abdicate, they could act. - -Prices of ordinary necessities rose 30 per cent. during the three years -preceding the war. The small clerk, the officer, and everyone with a -limited income and a certain position to keep up, was reduced to going -without many articles of prime necessity, or to getting into debt. Many -chose this last alternative; especially was this the case with the -officers, who were thus the more anxious for war, as they had nothing -to lose and much to gain by being on active service. - -If the middle classes in Austria-Hungary had possessed large sums -invested in stocks and shares, like the French or the Swiss, the large -class representing this interest would have objected to war. This was -not the case, as all speculation and almost all liquid capital was in -the hands of the Jews. They were firm for peace. They completely failed -to see where the policy of the country was leading. Their lack of -influence, and the barrier that kept them from being able to exchange -views and opinions freely and as man to man with the aristocrats, -prevented them from seeing what was about to happen. They believed -that the country might go on in its peaceful way, even after the death -of the Emperor, which was the date commonly fixed in the country for -the disruption of the Empire. Perhaps the Jews and the financial -section would have been right in their estimate had it not been for the -ambitions of the German Kaiser. They did not appreciate the mentality -of the Austrian Imperial family, in whom the power of decision was -really vested, and could not understand that it would prefer to allow -itself to become the cats-paw of Germany, rather than see its power -diminished by the loss of part of its lands. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN CONSTITUTION - - -The Austro-Hungarian Constitution exists on paper, but that is all. -The Austrian Parliament met at Vienna, the Hungarian Parliament still -meets at Budapesth, but the National Assemblies never exercised any -actual power. This was partly due to the clever management of those in -authority, but chiefly to the policy of the Emperor, an old autocrat, -who considered that all means were justifiable if all real power could -be kept in his hands. Much of the blame, however, was due to the people -themselves, who held aloof from politics. Some of the most highly -educated men in the country said that the Constitution was a farce, and -that they refused to have anything to do with it. Others refused to -vote to mark their disapprobation. The Government thereupon made voting -obligatory. Anyone who refused to record his vote without due cause was -liable to fine and imprisonment. Thus the Government kept up the farce -of a constitutional system. - -Reflecting people of all nationalities within the Dual Monarchy -realised that the people had no power. All decisions in the realm of -the foreign policy of the country were made by the reigning monarch. -No Minister was held responsible. The power of voting money for the -army and navy and all objects common to Austria and Hungary was not -invested in the Parliaments, but held by the Delegations. The Delegates -were elected by the Parliaments, but the nominations were made by -Government, and men noted for their pliability were selected. Delegates -sometimes protested against expenditure. An instance of this kind -occurred when Austria-Hungary embarked upon her big fleet policy. Money -was asked for to build Dreadnoughts. The Delegations refused. - -The Government did not give up its project. It gave orders to the -Stablimento Tecnico in Trieste to lay down the first ship “on spec.,” -with a very broad hint as to who would purchase the vessel when -complete. This dishonesty, first towards the taxpayers, then towards -Europe, is a particularly striking sample of the policy carried on by -the country. - -Members of Parliament in both Austria and Hungary received payment -for each day’s attendance. When Parliament was dissolved this payment -ceased. The members were, for the most part, men who required the -money to live. They had given up their profession to come to Vienna to -represent their constituencies, and the closing of Parliament meant the -cutting off of their incomes. It was therefore to their interest to do -nothing to anger the Government. The laws of the Constitution provided -for the election of another Parliament, but in actual practice it -remained shut until it pleased the Emperor to permit another election -to take place. Persons of importance did not seek election to the -“Punch and Judy” show or madhouse on the Ringstrasse, as the Austrian -Parliament was usually called. - -A stormy sitting at the Vienna Parliament was an interesting sight. A -cordon of police usually guarded the stately block of buildings when -a row was going on within. From time to time a side door would open -and angry attendants would throw out a dozen men, panting from the -struggle. They would fall on the soft carpet of snow, and then be sent -about their business by the police beyond. They were the public who -had been sitting in the gallery and who had joined too loudly in the -demonstrations going on below. Inside the atmosphere was thick. The -Parliament had been sitting for two days and nights unceasingly. The -Czechs, who wished to obstruct the passing of a Bill, had been behaving -like buffoons. They rattled their desks and banged the lids to drown -the speaker’s voice. They brought all kinds of noisy instruments to -disturb the deliberations. Rain-machines, used in theatres to imitate -the sound of rain on the roofs, were rattled; other members blew upon -trumpets and penny whistles. Czechs of huge build spoke for ten hours -at a time. Friends supplied them with water and chocolate while they -carried on their obstruction. At night the Opposition slept in the -passages upon mattresses. Rolled in top-coats, they were ready to -swarm in whenever their services were required at a moment’s notice. -The attendants smiled at the heaps of bodies lying prone, but ready to -fight. The floor of the Parliament was untidy. Balls of paper soaked in -ink that had been flung at an opponent or at the President were seen on -the floor. All kinds of missiles lay thick, for the attendants, careful -of their personal safety, had not ventured to pick them up. It was -difficult to realise that the Austrian Parliament was not a third-rate -tavern. - -Year after year the Parliament spent the precious hours that should -have been given to making its voice heard in the country to this kind -of foolishness. The Opposition, instead of securing a majority, always -hoped to delay business and thus secure concessions that the majority -was unwilling to grant. They did not see that they were playing the -game of the Central Administration, which rejoiced to see them making -themselves ridiculous and losing such influence as they possessed by -virtue of their office. - -In Hungary things were worse than in Austria. The elections were -nothing more than a farce. There was no secret ballot. Votes were -openly bought and sold. When the Government could not secure a majority -for its candidate, soldiers were used to keep the Opposition voters -from the booths. The Hungarians clamoured for general suffrage and the -removal of the property qualification, which kept the election in the -hands of a few men, but they asked in vain. Their country districts -were represented by Government candidates, and even in the towns it was -seldom that an independent candidate of any standing got in. - -The disorders were even worse than in the Vienna Parliament. The -President, Count Tisza, thought nothing of clearing the House with -soldiers, and had the members chased into the street at the point -of the bayonet. The members were constantly sending challenges and -fighting duels among themselves instead of attending to business. - -The Government delegated large powers to the local Diets, which decided -questions of expenditure, and, upon the whole, acquitted themselves -of their tasks in a very satisfactory manner. Unfortunately, much of -the money that was granted for local purposes remained unspent, as the -permission required for liquidating the sums did not come from the -Central Government. If a road were required for military purposes or -a railway needed for the transport of troops, the Central Government -made a handsome contribution to the cost; if it were simply required -for the development of the country generally, the project was not -encouraged. When the Diets ventured into the realms of politics they -were promptly informed that they must keep within the limits of their -own jurisdiction. - -The central authorities in Vienna and Budapesth had for years followed -a policy of blinding the people; they had encouraged frivolity in every -form. Everything was done to turn people’s minds from serious subjects -to pleasure and enjoyment. The reputation enjoyed by both Vienna and -Budapesth as the gayest capitals in Europe was fully deserved. The -intellectual Classes were completely hoodwinked, and had no idea of -what was really going on, either at home or abroad. The same results -were accomplished in the country by keeping the people in ignorance -and withholding education from them. While much money was spent on the -education of Germans and Magyars, the ruling races, great economy was -practised towards the Slavs. The powerful Bohemians managed to secure -education for their children, and the Government statistics show that -100 per cent. of the children of school age in Bohemia actually were in -attendance at school in 1906. In Galicia only 85 per cent. are reported -as in attendance; while in Croatia 68 per cent. went to school, and -in Bosnia and Herzegowina only 14 per cent. In every case the local -authorities were forced to provide education for the children, unless -they lived on isolated farms where it was really impossible. The -Government, however, refused its grants wherever it could, as the -money was needed for purposes which did not appear in the Budget. The -Slavs and Croats protested bitterly against a system which inflicted -upon them heavy taxes, mostly indirect, and kept the benefits for the -ruling races. This maladministration was one of the chief causes of the -continual unrest among the subject-peoples. - -The Emperor, and indeed all the members of the Imperial family, lived -in an atmosphere apart. They never considered whither their policy was -leading, nor that the system of suppression could not be carried on -indefinitely at this period of history. Most of the men in power would -have shone in the Middle Ages; they were useless and impracticable now -that commercial travellers have taken the places of knights-errant and -trade is more important than armaments. They did not realise that in -suppressing progress they were handicapping the country in its race -for commercial supremacy and preventing its being able to compete with -Germany at home and abroad. In their fear of the “people” getting to -the fore, they neglected the foe beyond the frontier. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -WHO MURDERED THE ARCHDUKE? - - -The constant friction between Emperor Francis Joseph and his heir was -always increased when the autumn manœuvres came round. The Emperor, who -was over eighty, wished to attend them, and on two occasions they had -to be put off, as the doctors said that the monarch could not spend -his nights sleeping in a tent. Archduke Francis Ferdinand was always -too ready to take up the duties which would have been performed by -the Emperor had he been younger. Thus the hatred between the reigning -monarch and his heir increased every year. The Emperor was prepared to -allow his heir a large sum of money if he would consent to resign his -right to the throne. This was not because of his personal antipathy. -The doctors who attended the Archduke said that he was not entirely -responsible for his actions. They suspected that he had an abscess on -the brain. He had committed hasty, ill-considered actions that could -be pardoned in an Archduke, but that were not possible for an Emperor, -who must always keep his temper. The Imperial family dreaded the time -of his coming to the throne. They had notified the Emperor that they -would withdraw from the Court if Duchess Hohenberg were made Empress. -At that epoch no one doubted that the Archduke would create her Empress -of Austria and Queen of Hungary on his accession. - -The manœuvres in Bosnia--arranged to take place there because the -peoples of the newly-annexed provinces had been somewhat restless--were -about to take place. Archduke Francis Ferdinand decided to assist. His -wife said that she would accompany him. The Emperor was very angry. He -did not wish the Archduke to go to Bosnia. He was much too unpopular -to take such a risk. When Emperor Francis Joseph heard that Duchess -Hohenberg was to accompany her husband, his wrath knew no bounds. The -ladies of the Imperial family never accompanied their husbands on such -occasions. If the Archduke and his wife went to Bosnia she would be -received as the future Empress of Austria. The Emperor forbade him to -take her. The Archduke insisted. If there was any danger, his wife, who -was really courageous, would wish to be at his side. The Emperor, who -was very jealous about his authority, was extremely angry. It is very -probable that he did not hide his feelings from his near relations. - -The next news that reached Vienna was that the Archduke and his wife -had been assassinated at Sarajevo. The crime was committed on a Sunday. -It was midsummer in Vienna, and, strange to say, every important -personage was on the spot. As a rule, the official personages left -Vienna on the Saturday, when there were two consecutive holidays, as -in this case, the Monday being a _fête_-day, and spent the week-end -at the Semmering. On this particular occasion everyone was in Vienna. -The Emperor was at Ischl. The telegram with the news was sent there -first. He exclaimed, “What impertinence of those Bosnians!” but was not -otherwise moved. - -The official account of the assassination, which was full of -discrepancies, was then sent to Vienna. According to this account, a -bomb had been thrown at the Archduke and his wife on their way to the -Sarajevo town-hall. It had failed to kill them. The Archduke, little -moved by the occurrence, merely taunted the Mayor of Sarajevo with the -lack of courtesy that the people had shown. “Instead of presenting us -with bouquets, you receive us with bombs.” The Archduke could afford -to make merry over his escape. He naturally expected that the streets -had been cleared of people during his long visit to the town-hall. It -was a matter of elementary precaution. The Bosnian police, however, -had received instructions from Vienna that the Archduke’s safety was -to be left in the hands of the military. The Archduke and his wife -entered the car. The driver started off. He was in the plot. He drove -them right across the road to where the murderer was waiting. This -meant running the car on the wrong side of the road. Everyone noticed -this, but no one protested. No one seized the assassin after he had -fired at the Archduke’s head. He had ample time to kill the wife too. -The boy, too, knew a secret that was carefully kept in the Imperial -family. Archduke Francis Ferdinand was wearing armour. For this reason -the assassins tried to kill him with a bomb. This attempt having -failed, the assassin fired at his head instead of at his breast. -Both Kaiser Wilhelm and Archduke Francis Ferdinand spent much time -and thought in trying to find bullet-proof armour. At the time of the -assassination the Archduke was wearing a silken vest an inch thick. It -was woven obliquely--made on the same principle as the jackets used -for automobile tyres. It was warranted to turn the point of a knife -or bullet. The vest was cumbersome and somewhat warm. It gave the -Archduke an appearance of extreme stoutness. He, however, knowing how -intensely he was hated in Austria and Hungary, never cared to appear in -public without some protective armour. Steel corselets were excellent -in bygone days, but are no use against a modern rifle. The Archduke -feared he might be shot from a window. The secret that the Archduke was -wearing armour was known to half-a-dozen people at most. The assassin -must have learnt it from a member of the Imperial family. - -A number of reporters started for Sarajevo that night to find out what -had really happened there on that dark Sunday. They were turned back -by the police. All letters from individuals in Sarajevo were censored. -The telegraphic service was suspended. The police were never even -reprimanded for allowing the heir to the throne to be assassinated. On -the contrary, the heads of the force were promoted shortly afterwards. - -In Vienna the news was received with ill-concealed satisfaction. -Everyone, from Archduke to crossing-sweeper, feared the day of his -coming to power. The story went out to the world that the Archduke -Francis Ferdinand had been killed by Serbs. This was not true. The -young men concerned in the conspiracy were Bosnians, and Austrian -subjects. The Government, however, saw that there was a chance of -forcing a war upon Servia. If Austria could only prove that Servia had -been responsible for the crime, she could undertake her long-planned -“vengeance promenade” to Belgrade with the assurance that Europe would -not interfere. Statesmen anticipated no difficulty in fastening the -guilt on Servia, as the murders of King Alexander and Queen Draga were -not forgotten. Austria, however, forgot her own black record. Emperor -Maximilian of Mexico had been shot. It was always felt that more might -have been done by his own family for his safety. Empress Elizabeth had -been assassinated at Geneva. Her decease was most convenient. The -country was wearied of hearing of the pilgrimage of the heartbroken -woman through Europe. Crown Prince Rudolf, who was much too popular, -had also been murdered mysteriously. The persons concerned in his -death had all been exiled. They had been sent to South America, but -pensions sufficient to keep them in luxury for the rest of their lives -had been bestowed upon them. These riches were only held on condition -that the fearful night at the lonely hunting-box near Vienna was never -mentioned. Emperor Francis Joseph had thus lost his three nearest -relatives by assassination. - -The news of the Archduke’s assassination was only discussed in whispers -in Vienna. Everyone was afraid of arrest. Nevertheless, no one thought -of accusing Servia. Archduke Francis Ferdinand was the one man in -all the country who favoured the Slavs. His wife’s influence would -secure advancement at Court for every man with Slavonic blood in his -veins. The Germans feared that they would be overrun with them. While -Austrians and Hungarians generally detested the Archduke, the Slavs -loved him devotedly. It was clear that neither the Austrian Slavs nor -Servia had any interest in the Archduke’s death. They had everything to -lose. - -The Imperial family was most anxious for his death. Archduke Frederick -had never forgotten the slight put upon his daughter. - -The assassin had definite instructions to murder the Duchess Hohenberg. -Such orders could only come from persons actuated by motives of -personal hatred. No one else in the world desired her death. Women, -especially aristocrats and the mothers of families, are held in -great veneration in Slav countries. It is certain that had the -Bosnians arranged the plot, the Archduke would have been shot, but -the morganatic wife spared. She was not even a member of the Imperial -family. Why should she be sacrificed? - -The remains of the Archduke and his wife were brought to Vienna. -The Austrians, a Catholic people, and accustomed to exaggerated -respect being paid to the dead, were deeply shocked at the funeral -arrangements. The Imperial family wished that every possible insult -should be shown to the remains of the defunct lady-in-waiting. - -Italians living in Trieste describe with horror the landing of the -coffins, which were brought from Bosnia by sea. They had no cause to -love the Archduke, but were outraged by the disrespect to the dead. The -sailors who carried them from the ship let one coffin drop upon the -quay through carelessness. It lay there until they had taken breath -and felt inclined to resume their burden. The funeral arrangements -in Vienna were of a very third-class order. The Austrians said: “The -Imperial family has no respect--not even for death. Their hate pursues -its victims beyond the tomb.” The city was filled with reports of -unseemly disputes about the funeral arrangements. The Imperial family -wished to separate the pair of lovers, who had been so loyal to each -other in life, and bury them separately. It was an outrage, they said, -that any Habsburg should walk behind the coffin of a morganatic wife. -Finally, it was arranged that the coffins should lie in state side by -side in the Hofburg Chapel. The Chapelle Ardente was poorly fitted; -trappings for a third-class funeral were used. The military party -in Austria-Hungary was indignant that such an insult should be put -on a soldier. Old men, dressed in their uniforms ablaze with Orders -and military decorations, entered the sombre chapel, which was not -even properly supplied with candles. Bursting with indignation and -rage, they knelt and said a short prayer for the dead. The deep-toned -mutterings sounded more like cries for vengeance than prayers for -the souls of the departed. Bohemian nobles came into the chapel. They -glared at the unseemly sight. Everything was poverty-stricken. - -Early in the morning a huge crowd had gathered to take part in the -procession in front of the coffins. Every Austro-Hungarian subject -has the right to see the face of the deceased monarch or of the heir -to the throne after death. The Archduke’s coffin was sealed down. -His face could not be exposed; his head had been so disfigured. But, -nevertheless, the Ringstrasse was filled with people. They were -permitted to enter the chapel in single file. The police on the great -Ringstrasse sent many home, assuring them that their turn to enter -the Hofburg would never be reached. This show of popular sympathy had -enraged the Court. When the funeral procession was on its way to the -station in Vienna after the lying-in-state, an unrehearsed incident -took place. A large number of Bohemian aristocrats, with Prince Max -Egon Fürstenburg at their head, assembled in one of the squares. They -were either in costume or uniform, and were wearing the arms that -belonged to their rank--short daggers, for the most part. They walked -bareheaded behind the funeral as chief mourners to show their respect -to Duchess Hohenberg, a member of the Bohemian aristocracy, and their -resentment at the insults that had been heaped upon her head. Who were -the proud Habsburgs to treat a Bohemian and a woman in such a way? -Their whole attitude was not one of mourning, but of protest. - -The final scenes took place at Arstatten, beyond the Danube. They were -disgraceful beyond anything that had happened before. A violent storm -forced the funeral _cortège_ to take refuge in an inn. The mutes became -offensively drunk. Ghastly stories of the coffins being knocked off the -chairs that were supporting them were circulated in Vienna. These may -have been exaggerated. There was, however, some truth in the tales of -impiety. - -There was no one responsible in charge of the funeral. This was -extraordinary, as the most unimportant Court ceremonies are always -managed by experts long trained to do the right thing. Nothing is left -to chance or accident. But the Archduke, the heir to the throne, was -buried with less respect than would have been shown to an employé in -the Court service had he died that week. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -WHY GERMANY DECIDED UPON WAR - - -Austria-Hungary had long been anxious to go to war. She had been -straining at the leash for years. The peaceful issue to the Annexation -crisis had not pleased Austrian statesmen. They were still less -satisfied at the check put upon their aggressive plans at the time of -the signing of the Treaty of Bucharest. In the first instance, the -credit of preserving peace was entirely due to Germany. She was not -ready. On the second occasion, Italy’s refusal to fight against the -Serbs or to stand by Austria in an aggressive war was probably the -decisive factor, for then Germany was ready, and only waiting for a -good pretext to break the peace of Europe. - -When Kaiser Wilhelm heard of the assassination at Sarajevo he -immediately saw that the chance so long sought had come. Such an -opportunity would never occur again. But he knew that he must play -his cards with skill. The Emperor of Austria would be delighted at a -chance of punishing Servia, for her statesmen, who felt secure under -the protection of Russia, had used expressions in parleying with -Austria that irritated the aged Emperor. He could not brook that small -Balkan States of very recent growth should place themselves on a level -with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His councillors succeeded in making -him believe that the Serbs were responsible for the crime of Sarajevo. -The aged Emperor, perhaps, had some suspicion of the truth. He did not -want to know it, however. Providence had intervened and removed an -obnoxious personage, and had at the same time given Austria a chance of -thrashing Servia. The Emperor considered that the thrashing was long -overdue. Why should he, the faithful son of the Church, inquire too -closely into events that had fallen out so propitiously? The Emperor, -however, only wished to send a punitive expedition to Belgrade. -Gunboats could bombard the capital from the Danube, and Austria’s -honour would be satisfied. The Emperor in no wise wished for a war with -Russia. Apart from other considerations, he was bound in honour not to -seek a quarrel with the “peace” Czar. When the Annexation crisis was -at its height, Emperor Francis Joseph sent Prince Hohenlohe to St. -Petersburg with an autograph letter, begging the Czar to allow him to -end his days in peace. The terms in which this document was couched -made it almost impossible for Austria to seek war with Russia so long -as Emperor Francis Joseph was at the head of affairs. It was a breach -of the honour that reigns among monarchs, for the appeal had been made -as from a brother-sovereign. Kaiser Wilhelm was aware of this. But he -was ready to stoop to any crime to accomplish his object. He and his -councillors decided that the aged man at Schönbrunn could be deceived. -He must think that the war would be merely a local affair. The -Austrians, too, were longing to show their prowess against Servia, but -a war with Russia would not be popular either in Austria or Hungary. It -is doubtful whether any Austro-Hungarian statesman who understood the -situation would have consented to acts that must inevitably lead to a -European war. The idea of a series of small wars, first against Italy -and then against the mutinous Balkan States, was favoured in Vienna. -Kaiser Wilhelm had a singular talent for discovering unscrupulous men. -The German Ambassador in Vienna, Count Tchirsky, was a complete tool -in the hands of the Kaiser. He did not hesitate to lie to Count Tisza -when occasion occurred. Count Tisza is a man of peculiar loyalty, and -he could not understand utter unscrupulousness in another. Moreover, -like all aristocrats, he was at a disadvantage in dealing with Germans, -as he was a gentleman and his opponents were not. He was always at -Budapesth, and therefore had no chance of watching the machinations -employed by the Germans in Vienna. With Count Berchtold the German -Ambassador had an easy task. The Count did not take things seriously, -and fell into the toils spread for him by German statesmen. He really -believed that the Emperor was an old man in his dotage, and neglected -the other side of his character. In spite of his age and weakness, the -Emperor Francis Joseph had enjoyed a unique experience as the oldest -reigning monarch in Europe, and was able through this to judge of any -question with an acumen exhibited by few politicians. - -Germany decided that the moment for letting a European war break loose -had come, and her reasons for this decision were weighty. The most -important of all was the “Slav danger,” as it was generally called -in Germany and Austria-Hungary. Twenty years ago the German family -averaged sixteen to eighteen children. In Austria, too, large families -had been the rule. The Magyars in Hungary still boasted big families, -but the cancer that had bitten into German social life was beginning -to be seen there, too. The one-child family had become the fashion in -Germany. The mode was adopted by the Germans in Austria. Statesmen -scolded, and proposed to tax bachelors and childless couples. But -they were unable to stop the terrifying decrease in the population. -Meanwhile, the Slavonic races in both Germany and Austria and Hungary -multiplied very rapidly. Military men complained that regiments, -officers and men, were composed entirely of Slavs, because there were -not sufficient Austro-Germans or Magyars. It was impossible to enter -a room where men of purely German extraction had assembled without -hearing of this “Slav danger,” which hung like a nightmare over the -ruling races in Germany. Austria and Hungary saw their preponderance -threatened. They doctored statistics to hide the truth. This was -of little use. The Slav type was unmistakable. Slavs did not care -to intermarry with Germans, and the race remained purely Slavonic, -although Serbs and Czechs often intermarried. A war would afford an -opportunity of reducing the Slav population. The military authorities -had arranged to place the regiments composed of subject-races in the -front of the battle so that they might be killed off. In 1914 leading -men in both Germany and Austria-Hungary considered that war was -inevitable within the next five years if they were to retain their -supremacy. - -The financial factor, too, was largely responsible for hastening -the date of the war. Large sums had been spent on armaments in both -Germany and Austria-Hungary far beyond the capacity of either country. -Taxation had risen imperceptibly, and with it the cost of living. This -had affected the middle classes. It is doubtful whether the families -of officials in State employ and army officers ever got a really -satisfactory meal in the last years of preparation. Men dressed in -gorgeous uniforms, and with Orders and decorations that showed their -rank, walked about the streets gaunt and hungry-looking. - -People said, “This cannot go on.” Statesmen saw that it would be -revolution or war. Austria was faced with bankruptcy unless she could -fight a successful war which would open fresh regions for exploitation -and relieve her of her surplus Slavs. - -Undue importance was attached to news of unrest in Great Britain, -both in Germany and Austria-Hungary. Spies, men who were only too -ready to believe that Britain was at her last gasp, brought back -reports that a revolution was about to break out. The Irish question -was misunderstood. The greed and hate that had been nurtured in every -German heart prevented the spy from exercising any judgment, while -the statesmen who should have controlled their reports had also lost -their usual faculty of calm judgment in the bitterness of their hate. -The woman question, which was seen in its ugliest aspects abroad, made -the Germans realise that there was something wrong. Why were they -so discontented? What had been done to render them so bitter? The -question was asked in the Press and in public, and no explanation was -forthcoming. - -Jews who travelled throughout Europe on business brought back evil -reports of conditions in England. They said that they had searched the -length and breadth of the land for a capable business man to push their -interests. They had returned from their quest unsatisfied. Germans and -Austrians who had resided in England explained this by saying that all -the better elements in the country had emigrated long ago. Men could -find no work unless they had influence. These facts were confirmed by -observation, and undue importance was attached to them, single examples -being too hastily accepted as indicative of the general state of things. - -The preference shown by English business men for German clerks was -regarded as another proof that the English were “a back number.” - -If Britain were degenerating, Russia was on the up-grade. She was -arming. She was reforming her public offices. Large loans had been -contracted, and she was about to build railways to the frontier. The -Austro-Russian front in Galicia bristled with fortresses. Every week -brought news of some new fortifications, made either on the Austrian -or the Russian side. The Slav peoples in the Balkans were also on the -up-grade. Everywhere the Germans saw themselves surrounded by Slavs, -who were educating and improving themselves. - -Meanwhile, not only the German people, but the German army, was -deteriorating. Nasty stories, like _The Small Garrison_, were being -written, describing life in small garrison towns. The Austrian and -Hungarian officers were also suffering from the corrupt life which they -led. It was very uncertain whether they would have the necessary nerve -to take the initiative at a crisis. Kaiser Wilhelm saw that the time -was not far distant when his officers would be as bad as the Austrians. -It was bad policy to wait until the growing evil that had corrupted the -Austro-Hungarian army had infected his own. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -DIPLOMATIC METHODS: A COMPARISON - - -Diplomacy had succeeded in keeping the peace on two former occasions. -In Western Europe it was believed that it would be successful again. -Austria’s intention of going to war was not regarded as serious. The -European financier especially could not bring himself to believe in -war. Some of the ablest men in Europe sat in the open-air café on -the Ringstrasse, unable to close an eye in sleep for fear that they -should miss news of supreme importance and not be there to “cover” at -the critical moment. At two in the morning the great houses on either -side of the street shook as the motors carrying the big guns rumbled -past the café. They were taken off at dead of night and deposited on -the low-lying ground near the Danube. Next morning the great gun was -taken to pieces. One half of the immense engine of destruction was -slung on big hooks on a frame made for the purpose. It looked like a -great hollow cradle that would have provided sleeping accommodation -for a couple of men as it swirled and rocked when the train took a -steep gradient. “Why have they brought out their big guns, which are -so difficult to transport on the steep gradients in this mountainous -country, if they do not mean business?” “Merely to frighten Servia -and cow her into submission.” “Then why is everything being done so -secretly?” “Merely to heighten the effect,” was the reply. Foreign -diplomacy was not so blind, but it sat tight, and refused to give any -opinion. - -The State controls the railways in Austro-Hungary, excepting for -one or two lines. The great termini in Vienna lie at different ends -of the city. Ordinary passengers had to cross the town in cabs. The -Orient express, however, was allowed to make use of the military -communication railway to save time. This circular railway joined up -all the big junctions. It had been constructed for purely military -purposes to pass troops and munitions from one station to the other -quickly and secretly. In solitary places, sidings, with an iron pontoon -for heavy guns, and perhaps an immense crane, stood moss-grown and -idle. They were ready against the great day when Austria would go to -war. The chief preparations were made in the Prater, an Imperial park -that had been thrown open to the public many years before. In the -waste swamp-land behind the park, which stretched down to the main -stream of the Danube, there were cranes used for unloading barges -that came up the river from the Balkans, and that also served for the -mobilisation. Just beyond this ground there was a café much frequented -by the diplomatists of Vienna. Close by was the British Golf Club. -The café had, no doubt, come into fashion because the chiefs of the -Diplomatic Service in Austria congregated there to meet military men, -who took their morning ride, where they could supervise the training of -recruits, in the waste land beyond. But the position of the golf ground -needed explanation. Who had chosen to plump the course right in the -midst of the probable scene of any military preparation? - -No answer will ever be made to this question. The British diplomatist, -when he has a streak of Celtic blood in his make-up, is undoubtedly -the finest in the world. He has the great gift of silence. Other men -of great repute and long training always envy the Englishman his -imperturbable face, which serves him as a complete mask. Nothing -provokes him into a display of emotion; his habitual calm prevents the -enemy ever surprising him into a betrayal of his country’s secrets -by a smile or a grimace. This is a unique gift. The secret police -in every city of Europe will tell you that there is no catching an -Englishman off his guard. His news is always sound. He does not care -for information from doubtful sources; he misdoubts the foreigner and -all his ways. He takes endless trouble in following up clues, but will -not venture to draw conclusions. He is careful never to compromise -himself by employing unworthy tools, and is never in “trouble” with the -authorities or under suspicion like other diplomatists. - -Unfortunately, there are always too few of him. He is hampered by -having no residents in the British colony that he can consult. The -first years of a diplomatist’s life in a foreign country are occupied -in learning the lie of the land. Until he is acquainted with the -rudiments of the language and the significance of the utterances of the -different papers, he can do no useful work. - -The German diplomatist, a man without a vestige of imagination, -ignorant of the very first rules of diplomacy, unaware of the -meaning of delicacy in his conduct as the guest of a foreign monarch, -nevertheless frequently contrives to defeat his opponents. Why is this? -How is it done? The German would be incapable of producing the results -that he has been able to show were it not for the powerful “hand behind -the throne.” Diplomatists at a Court like Vienna must be noblemen, and -it is a matter of general knowledge that German aristocrats are not -astute as a general rule. They have no conception of anything beyond -the obvious. Hints and allusions are quite thrown away upon them. Now -a diplomatist must be a man of very delicate perceptions. It may be -safely said that such a thing does not exist in Germany. The Prussian -especially is very obtuse. The Germans possess one great virtue. -They are aware of their deficiencies. The diplomatist, who feels he -is lacking in all the essential qualities of a politician, takes a -partner--a very active partner, who is never seen or heard, but, none -the less, is responsible for much of the work. He is a Jew, who manages -the whole organisation of the work. He finances the diplomatist. German -diplomatists are not paid much in proportion to the show that they -are expected to make. Everything is “solid,” but nothing more. The -Government, however, authorises an almost unlimited expenses account. -This money is not squandered. Much is spent in the form of tips to -persons who may be of use. No other diplomatist could venture to pay -small sums of money to all sorts of doubtful persons in the first -years of his residence at a foreign Court. Such persons might be, and -probably are, spies of the Government, or members of the secret police. -The German diplomatist is not troubled with these doubts. On entering -his embassy he finds a record of all the work, clean and unclean, done -by his predecessors, and the financial man, who has been in the post -for years, in charge. Every successful means of getting information is -suggested to him. He thus gets the benefit of the experience of his -predecessors, avoids their mistakes, and improves on their methods, -as every new man can. No German nobleman could carry on this business -unaided. The Jew is a man of business, _par excellence_. His principle -is, “Never take anything without paying for it.” He not only pays for -any little service rendered, delicately considering the feelings of the -recipient, and where gold would give offence he sees that an order, or, -perhaps, a much-coveted title is bestowed, but he always makes sure -that the recipient is satisfied. A Jew, concerned in statecraft, will -never allow a tool, however humble, to go away discontented, for if he -did he would have made him a dangerous enemy, instead of a grateful -servant. - -A young diplomatist starting for the Balkans will carry a set of -instructions which regulate his every act in everyday life. “Put up -at the ---- Hotel.” “Give the waiter at the ---- restaurant a big -tip ... not sufficient to excite suspicion, but enough to render -him communicative.” “Find means of getting to know the big German -manufacturer at ----without being seen with him too much.” “Cultivate -the men connected with travel bureaux as much as possible without -compromising your position.” Imagine a young Englishman told off to -cultivate men behind a counter! But the proud German will make any -sacrifice, willingly, and, indeed, counts it no loss, for he is never -a snob. Snobbism is unknown in either Germany or Austria-Hungary. -Diplomatists are always born within the magic circle. They are always -men belonging to families admitted to Court functions. This means an -ancient family. Persons outside this circle are not regarded as equals. -Far from it. They are so far removed from the nobility that they -are looked upon as people of different flesh and blood. The German -aristocrat thinks of the commoner somewhat as the Spaniard of the -Southern States regards a nigger. But just because he condescends, he -is very polite. The poor commoner must not guess his feelings. He can -treat him as a friend and a brother without any risk of suffering loss -of caste in the eyes of his peers. Where comparison is impossible there -is no fear of his losing rank by associating with men of a different -mould. - -The young Englishman might speak in the street to a prominent -fellow-countryman engaged in trade. Never, however, would he condescend -to sit down at one table with his vulgar wife, and thus make a -willing slave of him for ever. The Jew, watching the steps of the new -diplomatists, is very careful to ascertain that any favour conferred -will be accepted with gratitude, otherwise it is never offered. - -The German diplomatist always speaks a number of languages, sometimes -with a slight accent, sometimes like a native. He learnt them in the -nursery. The British diplomatist usually speaks the language of the -country to which he is accredited more or less fluently, but he seldom -knows a second language. French is the language of the Balkans. But -the variety spoken is very unlike pure Parisian. It is only possible to -converse with Albanian princes, Turkish pashas, Rumanians, and other -people from the south if one’s knowledge of French is very exact. -Fluency in French makes intercourse with Italians and Russians easy, as -they all speak it. A man who has business in the South or in the Tyrol -should also speak Italian. The people there know German as well as -Italian, but dislike speaking it. They feel mistrust towards anyone who -uses the tongue of the oppressor. Besides they do not care to discuss -politics or give information of any kind in a language that every spy -or would-be spy within hearing can understand. No commercial traveller -would start off without a thorough knowledge of the languages prevalent -in the country in which he was to do business, but there is a great -laxity of views in regard to the standard of linguistic talent required -in the diplomatist. - -The members of Embassies and Legations of the British Empire are, for -the most part, purely British. Any strain of foreign blood impairs -their usefulness to such an extent that this is well. The foreign -politicians who deal with members of the Diplomatic Corps naturally -mistrust any half-breeds, as they call them. They prefer to have to -deal with a prospective enemy who declares his feelings openly, rather -than to be obliged to negotiate with the son of a German mother, -who may be secretly inclined to favour his mother’s race and make -concessions that will not be ratified by the home Government. - -If the British Diplomatic Service is unique in its special line -because it is homogeneous, the men being all of the same type as -their _confrères_ in the Home Office or War Office at home, the same -cannot be said for the Consular Service, which, especially in remote -parts of Europe, is of but small or no benefit to Britain, while it -has been of immense advantage to her rivals in trade. In cases where -there is a genuine Briton at the head of affairs, he naturally takes -a British view of all disputes that come along and form his daily -work. But he is a startling exception. Most of the men in the Consular -Service were Germans or natives; they gave their services for nothing, -saying that the title lent them importance. It did. It enabled them to -interfere in the thousand and one difficulties that are always arising -between shippers and the Government--their own Government--and to -place the British case in a bad light. The shipper, not knowing the -language, was quite helpless, and went back home the poorer in cash -and disheartened. His owners were annoyed, and decided that they would -cease to carry on dealings with the country in question. A German firm -was quite ready to rush in to benefit by the facts which the consul had -carefully ascertained during the negotiations, and snap up the trade. -The German consul usually gave away large sums of money among the -indigent in the British colony, and thus placed himself in a position -that was very difficult to assail. If any powerful resident felt that -the consul was not acting altogether in British interests, the latest -subscription, probably a princely donation to some British charity, -caused him to revise his hasty judgment. A man so truly charitable -could not be guilty of meannesses such as he had suspected. He did not -realise that the consul put the thumping big subscription down in his -expenses account, entered as “Money to blind British residents.” The -British merchant prince, perhaps, did not care to assist some poor -countryman; he left it to the consul, who took the money ostensibly -from his own pocket, and the Englishman, ashamed at his niggardliness, -felt that his mouth was effectually shut, even when he was more -than doubtful about some action taken with regard to his country’s -interests. These things happened in many places, and led British -subjects living abroad to regard justice and law as non-existent so -far as they were concerned. They were forced to have resort to all -kinds of subterfuges to obtain the most elementary rights. They avoided -litigation at any cost, for they knew that with a German consul it -could only go against them. Old residents who knew the language and -customs of the country were able to carry on business even in the -German strongholds, for, after all, the Englishman is the best business -man in the world. But they had to work at a disadvantage. Germans stood -ready to take up the trade should the creator of the connection be -ill or die. And the resident consul was always ready to replace the -Englishman by his own man. - -In places where there was a British consul all this was different. -The authorities, feeling that a strong hand would protect British -subjects, hesitated to attack any one of them without due cause. -In these cities the British subject enjoyed the same immunity from -unwarranted interference as the Italian. The Italian consul, at the -cost of much inconvenience and annoyance to himself, would stand by a -fellow-citizen until he obtained his rights. The authorities, knowing -this, were frightened to interfere with any man who was carrying on a -legitimate business. The Italian consul knew that he had his Government -behind him in protecting Italian trade, and that his mission was to -carry on warfare with the German; nor did he scruple to use the same -weapons as his adversary. He was even capable of going one better. -Perhaps of all the peoples of Europe the Italian alone understands the -peculiar character of the German--an experience that has been bought at -the price of much suffering. He knows that it is fatal to wait until -the German takes the offensive. The blow must come from the other side. -Then the German’s indolence will make him careful of provoking an -adversary of this calibre a second time. The Prussian is essentially -a bully; he can only be brought to reason by a frontal attack, and -those who know him will not hesitate to make it with or without excuse, -provided they get in the first blow, for the struggle must come sooner -or later. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII - -PUNITIVE EXPEDITION OR WORLD-WAR? - - -Germany and Austria-Hungary hastened on their preparations. Transports -of munitions were hurried to the front. The building of the new War -Ministry in Vienna, which had long been proceeding, was hurried on. The -Government did not care to go to war with all the mobilisation plans -lying in the old building. It was situated in a crowded part of the -city close to the flower market. It would have been very easy to blow -up the entire structure. Many of the Slavs within the Empire would not -have hesitated to use their opportunity of throwing everything into -confusion. The new War Office on the Ringstrasse, built in the newest -and worst style of architecture, was easily guarded. - -The German preparations were on a much vaster scale than those -made in Austria-Hungary. Germany was preparing for a world-war, -Austria-Hungary for a punitive expedition against Servia. Austria has -always been solicitous of the good opinion of other countries. She now -sent out batches of official despatches intended to incriminate Servia -in the eyes of Europe. Germany, who cared little upon what pretext she -began the Great War, and knew that she must earn hatred for herself -throughout the civilised world, did nothing to prepare the world. -She knew that it was a general war. Why waste time and efforts in -justifying Germany’s right to be “über alles”? Conquerors of the world -do not stop to explain their methods. - -As the weeks went by Austria-Hungary began to weaken in her resolve. -German diplomatists noticed the hesitation. They suggested that a -stiff Note should be sent to Servia. When the text of the famous Note -appeared, it was noticed that the phraseology was not Austrian. It was -not couched in the soft language--a sort of modified German--spoken on -the banks of the Danube, but in the rude terms heard farther north. -Everyone said that the text of the Note had been written in Berlin. It -is just possible that Count Tisza had been a party to it. He kept up -constant intercourse with Berlin, and may have visited the Emperor -or been consulted over the telephone. The intention of the Note was -clear. No State with any claim to sovereign rights could accept it. -Austria-Hungary demanded the right to send her own police to Servia -to investigate the crime of Sarajevo, although it had been committed -on Austrian ground by Austrian subjects. No Serb was implicated. -The Austrian Government was unable to bring any proofs of Servian -complicity beyond vague assertions that the assassin had received -instruction in military exercises in the ranks of a volunteer corps in -Belgrade. Austria relied upon the strength of unproven assertions to -establish an absolutely untenable case. The Note was not only couched -in the most insulting terms; it demanded an answer within forty-eight -hours. During those forty-eight hours strong diplomatic pressure was -brought to bear upon Servia. She finally consented to eat humble pie. -She was willing to do this in spite of her recent conquests. She had -vanquished Bulgaria and had added considerably to the extent of her -territory. Russia fully appreciated her position. It was difficult for -any Government to accept the terms of such a Note, for the people could -not be expected to understand the political necessity. Nevertheless, -at four o’clock on the fatal Saturday, news was received from Belgrade -that Servia had resolved to submit. Her diplomatists said that she had -no choice. Her army was exhausted. Her stock of munitions was low. She -needed all her available funds to carry on the work of reconstruction -of the devastated country. The Albanians, in the newly acquired -regions, were giving continual trouble. They descended from their -mountains and stole cattle from the Serbs. Expeditions had been sent -against them, but, as the Serbs said, the Albanians had been accustomed -from time immemorial to make an annual descent into the plains for -the purpose of re-victualling, and the fact that the land where their -depredations were made belonged to Servia instead of being a part of -the decrepit Turkish Empire made no difference. Many of the Albanians -hardly knew of the change of government. They needed cattle and corn, -and naturally made raids to get it. Servia, however, was forced to keep -an army on the frontier because of them. - -These considerations, and the pressure brought to bear by the Russian -Ambassador, rendered Servia willing to consent to any terms. - -Russia stood by her small ally, and sent out an official warning that -she could “not remain indifferent to Servia’s fate.” This softened -the natural chagrin felt by the small State in yielding to Austria. -Servia’s answer was a soft reply to a rough question. She accepted most -of the cruel conditions imposed upon her, but desired to refer one -point to a Hague Convention. Everyone in Austria considered the answer -sufficient. The news circulated in Vienna that the crisis was over. An -emissary from the Vatican, who had been working hard for peace, spread -the joyful news through the city. His face shone with satisfaction as -he passed from group to group in the waiting crowd. “It was a near -thing,” he said, “but the Serbs are well advised to give in.” - -Big financiers breathed again, and some of the newspapers began -printing extra editions. The editions were mere sheets of paper, -distributed gratis, as newspapers may not be hawked in the streets in -Austria. They quoted an article in the Servian official paper, saying -that Servia was willing to give in to the demands. - -Time went on; such information as could be obtained from persons -connected with foreign diplomatic circles confirmed the news of peace. - -As evening set in the news was received that the official answer from -Servia had come. It was quite satisfactory. The Austrian Government had -never thought of Servia’s making such complete surrender. Many people -started off for week-ends in the country, sure that the _communiqué_ -that would be issued by the Vienna Foreign Office that night would be -merely an elaboration of the news already spread throughout the city. - -The Vienna Bourse, which had been falling slowly and steadily ever -since the assassination of the Archduke, had reached its lowest point -that morning. Servia’s answer had reached Vienna in time to effect -a lightning improvement, and prices were better than they had been -since the beginning of the crisis. Thus there resulted the remarkable -phenomenon that prices were steady and firm on the very day that a -world-war was decided. The Bourse was closed for many months after the -fatal Saturday, the official closing prices remaining a remarkable -testimony to the narrowness of the margin between war and peace. -While the great financiers played on a peace basis, others waited. -Why was the _communiqué_ not issued? Was there a hitch? It was known -that Count Berchtold, the Austro-Hungarian Minister, had telephoned -to Berlin. He wished to consult with the Kaiser before accepting the -reply as sufficient. The German Government said it was too late to -retreat; Servia’s answer must not be accepted, and counselled Berchtold -to recall the Austro-Hungarian Minister at Belgrade. Count Berchtold -followed Germany’s advice; the news became known in Vienna very -quickly. Extra editions were distributed, saying that the Minister had -left Belgrade and that diplomatic relations with Servia were broken -off. Austrian officials let it be known that no declaration of war -would be made, and that a Great Power would not parley with Servia. -Gunboats had already started down the Danube to bombard Belgrade. -Austria considered that a small force would be sufficient to subjugate -Servia, and in the city people spoke of the promenade into Belgrade. -This news was circulated to make any subsequent retreat or withdrawal -impossible. - -No one thought of a great war that night, for the news that Russia -intended to stand by Servia had been carefully kept back. - -Count Berchtold, having committed the Government to war, had a -difficult task before him. It was very doubtful whether Emperor -Francis Joseph could be prevailed upon to sign the order for a general -mobilisation. Large bodies of troops had already left for both the -Servian and Russian fronts, but no general mobilisation could take -place without an order signed by the Emperor. The aged monarch was -anxious that Servia should be chastised. But he did not wish to risk a -world-war. He was afraid of Russia, with her immense resources both in -men and material. It was now that the long years of work accomplished -by German diplomacy in Vienna bore fruit. - -Tchirsky, the German Ambassador, visited Count Berchtold. He showed him -that Austria must go to war or lose her position as a Great Power in -Europe. There would be a world-war, but it must come. Germany intended -to go to Paris and St. Petersburg. This was an opportunity such as -might never come again. It was only the question of dealing with the -old Emperor. If he knew the truth, he would never sign the mobilisation -order. Why should he be consulted? He did not know of the Russian Note. -Why not keep it back until the irrevocable decision had been taken? - -Berchtold listened to the voice of the tempter and fell. He informed -the Emperor that Europe would look on with folded hands while Servia -was chastised for the assassination of the Archduke. This seemed very -natural to the old autocrat. He was in residence at Ischl, as usual in -summer-time, and had no opportunity of conversing with anyone who could -have told him the truth about Russia. - -It is doubtful whether Berchtold was fully aware of the magnitude of -the decision he had taken upon himself. He was fully aware that he -was deceiving the Emperor, and excused his conduct by his conviction -that the ruler was no longer capable of judging what was best for the -country. He had been attacked by the Vienna Press for years. He was -accused of feebleness and weakness by Count Tchirsky’s organs; now he -would show strength and resolution. As often happens with weak men, he -showed it at the wrong time. - -When the news of war was announced in Vienna, the crowd immediately -started for the Servian Legation. The Serbs, with great astuteness, -had always chosen a legation that could not be looted or even damaged -without the rest of the house being pulled down. They always took the -quiet apartments at the back of one of the immense barrack-like houses -that line the great streets in Vienna. Demonstrations had been made -frequently in front of the Legation during the last few weeks, and the -crowd reached the street to find it blocked by troops. It then turned -towards the Embassy quarter. The Vienna police were well prepared. -Several regiments of soldiers had been called out to assist them, and -the Embassies being for the most part close together, it was easy to -guard them. None the less, it was a stirring night. The procession -divided into two streams. One went to the French Embassy, the other -turned its steps towards the Russian and British Embassies. Neither -Germany nor Austria-Hungary imagined for an instant that England would -take part in the fight. They were convinced that she would consider it -to her interest to remain neutral. The crowd, however, with a correct -instinct, regarded England as an enemy. Three times the roughs broke -through the cordon of guards and rushed upon the Embassy buildings, -but were turned back by the military. Those in command had received -very definite orders. The Embassies were to be protected at all costs. -Later on the crowd wreaked its fury upon shops owned by Serbs. They -were gutted in a few minutes, and no one interfered. The police even -stood by and admired the good work. Serbs and Russians were maltreated -in the streets. Terrible incidents occurred. The police were to blame, -for it would have been easy to interfere. Just as they had allowed the -Mohammedans to plunder the Serbs and appropriate their belongings at -Sarajevo after the assassination, so they permitted the same thing to -be done in Vienna. A spirit was roused that will not be easy to quell. -The bloodthirstiness of the mob is easily excited, but calming it is -another matter, as the old despots in France learned to their cost. The -latent quality of cruelty, which is hidden beneath the more obvious -characteristics of the Viennese, was seen at its worst. Good-tempered -toleration gave way to bestiality. That spirit of fair-play which -habitually animates an Austrian crowd was replaced by a desire for -other people’s belongings. The truce between the members of the -various races, kept for half a century, was over. German and Slav were -at war. Racial hate flamed up. Passions that will take long to cool -were excited. The great and tremendous struggle between the two great -predominating races in Eastern Europe, the Germans and the Slavs, had -begun. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII - -WHAT WOULD ENGLAND SAY? - - -Next morning the jubilant feeling that had pervaded Vienna the night -before was totally gone. A reaction had set in. Everyone realised -that the war was not to be a punitive expedition. It was a world-war. -The telegram sent by Russia was published to the world, and Austria -waited with ill-concealed anxiety to know what England intended to do. -Germany was convinced of England’s neutrality; she was certain that -Italy meant to go in with the two mighty Powers that were to sweep -the European chessboard with their mighty armies. Austria-Hungary was -not so confident as Germany. She knew that Italy was a most uncertain -factor. With diplomatic cunning she had concealed what she knew of -Italy’s intentions from her ally. She had feared that Germany might not -back her if she knew that the two Central Empires would be forced to -stand alone. The Kaiser had always said that he must have a fleet in -the Mediterranean at call before he began a world-war. If Italy stood -by him, everything was easy. Italy now declared her neutrality. The -Austrians expected this, and worse; they said quite freely, “Now that -Italy has the chance, she will turn upon us.” Guilty consciences helped -them to realise the truth. They had oppressed Italy for so long that -they never even expected her to do anything but take advantage of the -chance. Her statesmen were pessimists. They could never share Kaiser -Wilhelm’s optimism. They were aware that Austria had played the part -of tyrant, and did not expect gratitude. Unaccustomed to keep treaties -themselves, they did not expect other people to consider them as -binding when a chance of doing better presented itself. Austria, with -her cynicism, came much nearer the truth than Germany, who oppressed -her Slav subjects and then expected them to join in the song of -“Deutschland über Alles” and to love the Fatherland. - -The Austrian politician, with a fineness of perception to which his -German _confrère_ is a stranger, understood that England would go -in with her allies. Germany argued, “It is Britain’s interest to -remain neutral, to capture the whole carrying-trade of Europe.” The -Austrian people hoped and believed that they might be right, but her -politicians had a conviction that Britain would not fall into Germany’s -carefully-spread toils. The Austrians also suspected that Britain knew -more of Germany’s aims than she acknowledged. They always complained -that Britain was an unknown factor. No statesman laid his cards on the -table as the Germans or as they themselves did. - -Yet, having no cause to detest Britain, they naturally understood her -better than the Germans, who were blinded by the bitterest hate. - -Meanwhile, European diplomacy was loth to believe that the last chance -of peace was gone. Efforts were made to come to some agreement. These -attempts to keep a peace that was already so seriously compromised were -only forlorn hopes. It is just possible that, in spite of everything, -they might have succeeded had it not been for various pieces of -trickery. Germany, whose reputation for honesty still stood high, -did not hesitate to stop important telegrams which were on their way -to Austria. She had made such costly preparations for war that she -considered that it would be inadvisable to withdraw now. Austria was -allowed no chance of reconsidering her decision, although Germany knew -that it had been made upon false premises. - -The Viennese, now thoroughly frightened at the future, wished ardently -for peace. The war for which they had clamoured turned out something -very different from what they had expected. They would have to meet -enemies on all sides; only the frontier towards Germany was safe. The -city of Vienna was hastily fortified. It was no use taking chances. -Huge mounds were thrown up on the immense March plain beyond the -Danube, where many battles had been fought in the past. Meanwhile, -the public took enormous interest in the negotiations which were -still being carried on. Sir Edward Grey was the most popular man in -the capital for several days. He had always succeeded in keeping -peace before. Would he be able to do so again? The reply soon came. -Under similar circumstances he had been successful twice before -because Germany was not ready. Now she had finished the last of her -preparations, and did not wish for compromise. - -When the news came that Britain was to stand by Russia and France, -there was a burst of rage throughout the country. So much had been -hoped from her neutrality. “The English were shopkeepers. Why had -they not taken the opportunity that fate afforded them and become rich -by supplying the belligerents with arms and provisions?” asked the -Austrians, who now said that Germany had deceived them with promises of -Italian help and British indifference. - -The British living in populous centres felt the sudden change of -temperature. Instead of being the most popular among the foreigners, -they were suddenly classed with the Italians, who were the most -detested. This change affected people in various ways. Some stood -firm and were merely amused at the sudden change; other Englishmen, -middle-class gentlemen of pure race who had lived for half a lifetime -in Austria and Hungary, were hastily naturalised. This was hardly a -matter for surprise. They knew that the goods of British subjects -might be confiscated and their money forfeited. Having worked all -their lives for a competency which they wished to enjoy in their old -age, they were naturally loth to see it disappear before their eyes. -In their newly-acquired zeal for Austria, however, they could not let -the matter rest here. They wrote to the local papers saying that they -renounced their country. They had always regretted their nationality -and had never been happy under the rule of their rightful King. The -Austrians read these ebullitions with surprise. They said that they -were sorry that these men had chosen to join their nation instead of -another; they did not want such skunks. The Government then decided to -ask all renegades of means to contribute handsomely to the Red Cross -funds. Those who wished to remain in the country of their adoption must -give a third of their capital to this object. The newly-made Austrians -hurried off to the British consul, only to discover that, by becoming -naturalised, they had forfeited all right to the assistance usually -given to British subjects. - -In seaports in Austria and Hungary other Englishmen denounced their -friends and acted as spies in the service of the Austrian Government. -They were men of means. Conduct that might be condoned, if not excused, -in members of the poverty-stricken international colony, which knows -no country and floats from capital to capital in search of a bare -subsistence, was regarded as detestable in men of pure Anglo-Saxon -nationality without the slightest admixture of foreign blood. - -The women, curiously enough, trusted to the Austrians and Hungarians to -do them no ill. British diplomatists, fearing for the younger women, -gave their last ready money to get them out before the declaration of -war; but the English girls were not impressed with the necessity of -leaving. They were convinced that Austria did not intend to imperil her -chance of future negotiation by ill-treating women and children. - -At the same time there was no show of love for the enemy. They -preferred to lose all they possessed rather than to attempt to become -naturalised. In the same way the British sportsmen went almost to a man -to concentration camps rather than toady to the enemy. These men were -born in Austria-Hungary for the most part. Many came of families that -were virtually Austrian, as they had lived generation after generation -in the country. Some sporting instinct had prevented their grandfathers -from taking out naturalisation papers. The same feeling stopped the -grandsons from any truckling to the enemy. - -The most remarkable result of the war was perhaps the stripping off of -all pretences. People who had always posed as being excessively rich -suddenly confessed themselves to be paupers or to have lived beyond -their means. Brave men became cowards; and people whose courage had -often been doubted were revealed as creatures of the old bulldog -type. The diplomatist had a difficult time. The consuls dealt out -passports by the hundred. Sometimes, with a dozen girls all clamouring -for their papers at once and literally hanging on to their coat-tails, -they looked more like stage-managers surrounded by chorus girls than -anything else. “My dear ladies, we are at war,” a plaintive voice was -heard. “You really must put down the age you look.”... “No, I don’t -doubt your word; I know you are only twenty-four, but at the frontier -they will say the passport is stolen.... Forty-five now ... yes, that -is more like it.” “No, it really can’t be done.... As I told the lady -over there, you will have trouble when you want to cross.... We know -you have had a wearing life, and are really much younger than you look -... six children does take it out of one ... yes, yes ... fifty-five -will do.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX - -AUSTRIA’S AWAKENING - - -“Entrance to these barracks is forbidden.” Sentries stood there to -enforce the new regulation. What did it mean? The steady tramping of -troops had been heard all night. It was not the irregular tread of -Austrians or Hungarians, who walk rather than march. The new troops -kept step; they moved with the precision of machinery. In a wineshop -round the corner from the barracks old Viennese burghers were sitting, -and although it was only 9 a.m. they were taking their mid-morning -lunch. They ate their rye bread and salami, washed down by white wine -from the vineyards on the mountains round the city, which rivalled -champagne in taste. Slowly and deliberately they discussed recent -events. Prussian troops had come on in the night. Vienna was under -German rule. - -The Austrian troops were being hurried to the front. Some were going -to Galicia, others towards Servia, and a third lot towards the Italian -front. “No one knows what the Italians may do.... If only we had -kept on good terms with them, we could face the Germans to-day.” “We -must not grumble. It was a choice--either fall into the hands of -the Germans or be overwhelmed with Slavs.” “I prefer the Germans,” -said a fair-haired burgher. “They are kinsmen at least.” “Not the -Prussians. You don’t know the Prussians. They are the last word in -unscrupulousness.” “Clever they are, but without any of the finer -feelings. Save us from the Prussians,” said another. “The Slavs will -prosper in spite of the war.” “They are to be put into the front of -the battle.” “What will be the use of that? It is only one generation, -and there are large families of children at home.” “The Slav mothers -will bring up their children to hate us for this. We shall have more -enemies within our borders.” “The German children will die from want -and neglect. Their mothers are accustomed to comfort, even to luxury; -they cannot till the fields and bring in the crops. But the Slavs, -who are used to poverty and hardship, will weather the storm.” “Yes, -you are right; that is all we shall gain from this war--a Slavonic -Austria-Hungary overrun by Serbs and Croats, who will trade with our -Czechs.” “God save us from the Prussians!” That was heard time and -time again as the Austrians realised that the days of happy-go-lucky -drifting were over for ever, and that all their affairs were handed -over to the care of Prussians. The Austrian always shows great delicacy -of feeling. He is not far behind the Frenchman in this. The German -does not know the significance of the word. His dealings with Austrian -officials, who were suddenly superseded by Germans, were on the -mailed-fist principle. “The Prussian could not behave decently, even -if he tried!” “Trample upon the weak; fling the incapable into the -street!” These were the bitter remarks heard on all sides. - -The most imposing but saddest sight of all during the mobilisation was -the arrival of the aged Emperor and his heir in Vienna. The old man, -seated in an open carriage, although the heat was intense, stared at -the vacancy in front of him. His lips were tightly closed. His heir, a -stripling who looks much younger than his years, looked right and left. -The crowd cheered and outdid itself in its expressions of loyalty. -There was no joy in the voices of the people, but a lingering tone -of regret. “Was this the last time that the Emperor would ride by in -state?” “Was his place to be taken by another?” - -The Vienna crowd, which had always been sullen and refused to cheer -when Kaiser Wilhelm passed through the streets, had gauged events -with perfect justice. The old man and the stripling--as they called -the Archduke Carl Francis Joseph--were totally unfit to cope with the -Kaiser. The Habsburgs would sink into a subordinate position and be -nothing more than other German princes, once independent, who had sunk -into subserviency to the Prussians. The people, with dim eyes, cheered -again. The Emperor had always been popular. His general audiences, -where he received all and sundry who had a good case to lay before -him, his personal courage, which needed no proof, and other kingly -qualities, always endeared him to the crowd. After ordering the -execution of large numbers of political criminals in the days of his -youth and middle age, he sought to compensate for this in his old age -by pardoning many criminals. He could not be induced to sign a death -sentence. This mercy shown towards men who richly deserved death for -their many crimes made him popular. The crowd saw no discrepancy in -the acts of a sovereign who would slay a hundred men who attempted to -gain freedom for the country without scruple in his youth, and in fear -of punishment after death, refused to permit wrongdoers to be executed -as the time of his passing away grew nearer. They failed to understand -the Emperor’s motive. He hoped that Heaven would overlook his former -crimes towards the subject-peoples if he could show a contra-account of -deeds of mercy. - -Archduke Carl Francis Joseph wore an imperturbable expression. No -one could fathom the state of his mind. Was he merely thinking of -his own private affairs, or was he concerned for the fate which hung -over Austria-Hungary? Who shall say? Did he prefer to live as a ruler -without responsibilities, like the King of Saxony, to the toil of the -life of a reigning monarch? So many of the Habsburgs have abdicated -when the responsibilities of a throne have descended upon them, so many -members of the Imperial family have left the pomp and splendour of the -Court for a quiet life in retirement, that it is difficult to surmise -what feelings filled the heart of the young man as he looked forwards -to Armageddon. - -The Emperor’s feelings were plain. He had always said, “Après moi le -déluge,” but he realised that the deluge would not wait for his death. -His reign, which had begun to the sound of battle and dire defeat, was -to end to the death-song of the Empire. The sceptre that his ancestors -had confided to him was slipping from his grasp. His adversaries had -been too much for him. Kaiser Wilhelm had used methods which were not -permitted even to politicians. He had broken faith with his ally. The -Emperor, the keener man of the two, was too old, and had not suspected -the depths of falsity under the mask of frank bonhomie. Kaiser Wilhelm -had even deceived the Church, always the adviser and comforter of the -old Emperor. - - -PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY R. 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