Throne-Squatters

To a great extent the deep diplomatic wisdom of the Holy See and its nuncios is at the disposal of fanatically pious, fanatically ambitious, hawk-eyed onetime Austrian Empress Zita. Last week this talented schemer, a veritable Metternich in silk skirts, provoked a nationwide Austrian sensation by having her handsome, silky-mustached young Son Archduke Otto announce that he expects to return to Vienna not as Emperor but as "Regent in the name of my mother." This move of Zita's had the aroma of Papal diplomacy, fine and fragrant as musk. In Vienna the Catholic cohorts of Chancellor Dr. Kurt Schuschnigg, ardent restorationists, have been sorely troubled because hot-headed Vice Chancellor Prince Ernst Rudiger von Starhemberg, who commands an adventurous private army, has told them, in effect: "Of course I want Otto restored as Emperor, too. But Austria must not antagonize the Powers. It would be better to make me Regent first, and later I would give way to Otto as my Emperor."

Certain are Zita and her advisers that Prince von Starhemberg as Regent would be another detestable throne-squatter like the one in Budapest who will not get up. There lantern-jawed, leather-necked old Admiral Nicholas Horthy de Nagybanya has reigned 15 years as Regent--presumably for Otto who is indisputably the rightful Habsburg heir to Hungary's crown as well as Austria's. Admiral Horthy, who had sworn fealty upon the Holy Bible to Otto's late Father Kaiser Karl, was called upon by that deposed monarch in his last years and commanded in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost to give back the Hungarian Throne to His Apostolic Majesty. This did not work. Clearly last week the idea of making "Emperor Otto" his own throne-squatter as Regent was among the best ideas the House of Habsburg has had in years. It was, however, not good enough to satisfy "Europe's Smartest Little Statesman," famed Dr. Eduard Benes, perpetual squatter in the post of Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia and nemesis of the Habsburgs. In his official newsorgan Prager Presse, Dr. Benes fired a double-barreled editorial warning as the spokesman of the Little Entente (Czechosloakia, Yugoslavia & Rumania). First he declared that the Little Entente "will accept the last consequences [i. e. war] to oppose not only restoration but the mere return of Otto and Zita on Austrian soil." Second, he threatened: "An attempt at restoration would throw the Little Entente States into an alliance with Germany against the Habsburgs." Finally he warned: "Restoration of our former oppressors in Austria or in Hungary would bring about such disorders and warfare that Europe could hardly survive."

In Rumania, since Hohenzollern King Carol's youngest sister is the Archduchess Ileana of Habsburg, family ties kept the official press mum. At a meeting of the National Peasant Party, which spends most of its time exhorting King Carol to dismiss his red-headed Jewish mistress, Archduke Otto was introduced last week as a welcome change of subject. Peasant Party orators thundered that the Little Entente will, if necessary, fling its three oversized armies totaling some 635,000 men against Austria or Hungary to repel the Habsburgs.

Officially disarmed to a minimum by post-War treaties which they have not yet officially broken, Austria and Hungary teem with assorted illegal armaments, but neither could put in the field forces strong enough to cope with the Little Entente. That job, shrewd Zita thinks, will be taken on by the Great Powers to prevent just such a general war as Dr. Benes envisioned. In snug, smug Habsburg circles last week chances were considered better than good that, if Otto is first proclaimed merely Regent in Vienna, the Great Powers will keep the Little Entente in check, promising to let them act if attempts are made to restore him as Emperor. Then in a few years, after people have got used to Regent Otto on the Austrian Throne, who is going to care enough to fight about whether he is crowned?

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