Dorothy Thompson

Brooklyn Daily Eagle/November 10, 1921

Austria-Hungary is Teeming With Royalist Plots

Duke of Aosta Mentioned for Throne—Horthy Refuses to Consider Crown

Budapest, Nov. 10.—Now that the Hapsburgs have been deposed of, the air is thick with new royalist plots. The peasants who gained a whip hand by the Karlist failure say they want an English or Italian prince and mentioned the Duke of Aosta, although the peasant leaders, in private conversations, say they would just as soon have a republic, as they are getting sick of kings and plots.

With Charles, Albrecht and Archduke Joseph all out of the running since the dethronization act, certain royalists have revived the old idea of a union of Bavaria, Austria and Hungary under Prince Rupprecht, the Wittelsbach heir. Probably the strongest group, however, favor a personal union with Rumania under King Ferdinand. Count Bethlen, the Prime Minister, is said to be supporting this plan, which attracts many aristocrats holding vast estates in Transylvania. This plan is said also to be favored by Italy, which is more and become a power in this part of the world.

Der Morgen, a Vienna paper, tells today that a short time ago a secret treaty was concluded between France and Italy, under which Europe was divided into zones of interest, France agreeing to give Italy full sway in Austria and Hungary in return for Italian support to the French in their attitude toward Germany.

“In view of the fact that this statement will provoke an official denial, we hereby state that our information emanates from an absolutely reliable source and is completely authentic,” the paper says. In support of this thesis Der Morgen points out the leading role played by Italy in the West Hungarian and Karlist crises.

Italy’s policy toward Hungary is fairly clear. She wishes to make Hungary and Rumania strong States in opposition to the growing power of the Slavs.

Admiral Horthy will not be a candidate for king. He already has tendered his resignation as regent, although the fact has not been published here. Government circles are endeavoring to persuade him to reconsider, but he says he wishes to prove to posterity that he acted from disinterested motives.

Admiral Horthy’s most recent act was to grant amnesty for three classes of political prisoners, including the participants in the Karlist coup, except Counts Sigray, Andrassy, Gratti, Rakovsky and the military leaders; also to all guilty of crimes growing out of indignation against the Communists and all participants in the West Hungarian resistance. The amnesty decree is the largest in years. It does not include however, several thousand Socialists who were connected with the Communist regime.