100% King

A great lady of most compelling and imperial mien is the Archduchess Isabella. The Austro-Hungarian Court has fallen, vanished, but in Budapest she holds court. So for that matter does her neighbor the Archduchess Augusta. It is no secret that members of the Corps Diplomatique, including the U. S. Minister, attend these "courts," bow with deepest consideration to their archducal hostess, and, approaching the large, thronelike-chair on which the Archduchess (either Isabella or Augusta) sits, kiss the back of her white-gloved right hand. The left hand is not gloved, a reminder that the sole purpose of the right glove is to protect Imperial Habsburg flesh from contact with lips of lesser clay. By no means ridiculous, the illegal "Royalty" of Budapest are taken in. deadly earnest by the populace, by policemen who snap to attention as the "Royal"' motors pass, even by His Serene Highness Governor Horthy of the Kingdom of Hungary, who acts as regent for the vacant but existing Throne. Last week the Archduchess Isabella was reported "prostrated," and H. I. H. is not easily prostrated. All Budapest, all Hungary was agog.

It is commonly said that $2,000,000 has been spent by Isabella and rich Hungarian associates to promote the candidacy of her son Albrecht for the Throne. This was the great lady's second attempt to snatch the Crown of St. Stephen for one of her blood. Before the War she tried, with the consent and active encouragement of doddering old Emperor Franz Josef, to marry one of her daughters to the heir apparent, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. At her palace in Pressburg, where he had been invited to fall in love with her daughter, the obstinate young man conceived a blind passion for Sophie Countess Chotek, a mere lady-in-waiting to Isabella.

To the scandal of all Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand married his Sophie. Later they were assassinated together at Serajevo. Whispers have it that implacable Archduchess Isabella's comment on the crime which started the World War was: "It served them right!"

In her second campaign for the Crown, this rather terrible old lady has been aided by quite the most resolute and grim of Hungarian statesmen, Julius Ritter Goemboes von Jakfa, Minister of War. Soon after his appointment (TIME, Oct. 21), he restored the practice of flogging Hungarian soldiers for the slightest infraction, an historic Habsburg barbarity abolished in 1855 by Franz Josef. Tooth and nail War Minister Combos has fought the restoration of Karl's son, famed "Little Otto." Several times the election of Isabella's Albrecht as King of Hungary has seemed almost a sure thing. But suddenly, fortnight ago, Albrecht sought out "Little Otto" in Belgium, knelt before him, acknowledged him as the legitimate King of Hungary, swore fealty (TIME, June 2). In Budapest it was at first assumed that this astounding act must be the result of some particularly devious deal between the Ottoists and the Albrechtists. Last week amid the prostration of Archduchess Isabella the truth came out.

Albrecht had disobeyed and deceived his mother. She knew nothing about his kneeling to "Little Otto" until it was all over. The rich Hungarians who had staked $2,000,000 on Albrecht's candidacy knew nothing. Grim Julius Goemboes was not in the secret. It appeared that Albrecht, running true to form as a decadent, wench-conscious Habsburg Archduke, had renounced his chances for the Throne--for a woman.

Month ago Archduchess Isabella's suave Majordomo scouted rumors that the Archduke Albrecht was thinking of marrying one Frau Kallay who was getting a divorce, broadly hinted that she would become his mistress. This of course would not have affected his candidacy--a King may look, and more than look, at a wench. But to her horror Archduchess Isabella discovered that her son was resolved to marry the woman, had set his heart on her as stubbornly as Franz Ferdinand fixed his on Sophie Chotek.

In terrible rage, seeing her blood about to be balked of the Throne a second time, and again by a woman of the people, ambitious Isabella ordered Albrecht to take a cruise to South America "to forget."* With crafty meekness, Son Albrecht said he would obey his compelling, imperial mother. He duly set out for South America as she commanded, but stopped off for a day in Belgium to ruin her life work.

When what Albrecht had done became known in Budapest last week, the "Free Electors of Hungary" assembled fearfully, debated nearly all night. Since their candidate had ditched them, the only possible future King for Hungary would seem to be "Little Otto." If and when proclaimed he may be expected to take vengeance on Julius Goemboes et al., not to mention Isabella. For comfort the fearful gathering looked to Count Stephen Bethlen de Bethlen, Prime Minister, who is said to have enlisted Signor Benito Mussolini's support for a Hungarian restoration--the new King to marry an Italian princess (TIME, June 2). Although recently rumored a supporter of Otto, Count Bethlen was formerly supposed to be an Albrechtist, and is well known to be a complete opportunist--capable of changing his whole program overnight. What would he say?

The Count chose to deliver an oracle conveyed to the meeting by War Minister Goemboe's: "Never fear! The Government will never permit a foreigner to mount the throne of Hungary."

This meant anything the Prime Minister chooses to make it mean. Little Otto is a "foreigner" only to the extent that he claims to be Emperor of Austria as well as King of Hungary. By renouncing the former claim (and there is no chance that the potent Austrian socialists would stand for a restoration) Otto could easily comply with the Count's condition, ascend the Throne as a 100% Hungarian King.

If he does choose, a way was at least indicated last week. Archduke Rainer Carl, an unimportant, very distant cousin, died in penury in Vienna a few days after Albrecht acclaimed Otto. Wily ex-Empress Zita, Otto's mother, saw in the death a chance to bring all remaining Habsburgs under her son's banner. Magnificently she ordered a royal funeral for the pauper, had him interred next to the bones of Emperor Franz Josef and for the first time in more than a decade Vienna saw the yellow and black flag of the Habsburgs on public view.

*Marie of Rumania once sent her Carol (then Crown prince) around the world to forget a wench. But as soon as he got home he picked her tip again, then forgot her and six years later picked another.

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