Birthday

Just 100 years ago last week was born that saddest of monarchs, Franz Josef I, Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary. He reigned 68 years. When he mounted the throne Austria was one of the greatest, most powerful countries in the world. When he left it Austria was on the verge of ruin. His brother was executed, his wife and his nephew were assassinated, his only son had committed suicide. Said Emperor Franz in 1866 to the citizens of Frankfort: "I have an unlucky hand."

Last week the Socialist government of Vienna, Franz Josef's home, negatively celebrated his anniversary by decreeing that a cinema, specially produced for the occasion under the title The Emperor Franz Josef as Ruler and Man, was improper fare for Austrians under 16 years of age and "calculated to mislead the youth of the country." Austrian royalists had tried to arouse some enthusiasm for Der Alte Kaiser fortnight ago during bourgeois Vienna's enthusiastic celebration of the 125th anniversary of the introduction of the Wienerwurst, by broadcasting the fact that Franz Josef's breakfast was almost invariably a pair of sausages, a portion of horseradish and a mug of beer. Last week they did their centenary-celebrating in Hungary, which with recurring rumors of 17-year-old Archduke Otto's enthronement in November, grows daily more Habsburg-conscious.

Led by a Captain Schonta, Wartime Austrian naval commander, a sizeable delegation of Austrian royalists traveled to the ancient Benedictine monastery of Tihany, Hungary, to dedicate there a new group of the 14 stations of the cross in memory of ex-Emperor Karl, Franz Josef's grandnephew and successor, who was arrested in Tihany Abbey in 1921 after his second unsuccessful attempt to regain the throne.

Two Habsburg archdukes, Josef and Josef Franz, were present. So was Count Kuno Klebelsberg, Minister of Education and a deputation from the Hungarian Parliament.

Orated Professor Eugen Czettler, vice president of the Hungarian Chamber:

"Although the nations which flattered the old Emperor in his lifetime are now passing his anniversary in silence, the Hungarians, who had so many quarrels with him can now find voice to praise his great qualities."*

Orated Count Aladar Zichy, Royalist leader:

"The only reparation that we who have awakened Hungary from powerlessness and restored order to the country can make is to place Karl's son Otto on the throne which belongs to him at the earliest possible moment. Soon we shall repair our fault of not preventing the carrying off of our King by enthroning his son.

*0nly in 1867, 19 years after his Austrian succession was Franz Josef crowned King of Hungary as a result of his grudgingly granting constitutional government to the Magyars.

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