"Unser Anton"

In Vienna a shrewd, cantankerous old gentleman died at the age of 93. Throughout Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Jugoslavia, stiff-backed, military men grew grave at the news, then flooded the press of Central Europe last week with waves of reminiscence. For General Anton von Galgotzy, of the Imperial Army of Austria-Hungary, deceased, was a character, perhaps the most original, outspoken, best loved officer ever to wear the gold collar of a General of Division. In an army proud of its title of "the best dressed army in the world" he once telegraphed a firm of Viennese ready-made tailors:

SEND IMMEDIATELY UNIFORM FOR MEDIUM SIZED GENERAL, then answered bewildered requests for definite particulars and measurements: FOLLOW FIRST INSTRUCTIONS I WANT A TAILOR NOT A CARPENTER.

It was brusque General von Galgotzy who silenced a chatty Archduke on his staff with the rumbling comment:

"Imperial Highness, as long as my tongue is wagging, others have to hold theirs."

Yet when General von Galgotzy finally retired for old age a few years ago, the same Archduke, Leopold Ferdinand von Habsburg* wrote:

"For each one of us he was and will always remain Unser Anton, Our Anton."

Unser Anton von Galgotzy hated to write. When he was Austria's Quartermaster-General a Colonel sent him a fourpage document, in triplicate, filled with reasons why he should be supplied with a clock for his barrack square. Unser Anton's reply: "No Money--No Clock."

"Ah General," once said Maurice, owner of the Hamburg Theatre, "why is it that you are such a confirmed woman hater?"

"Because the only wife I could ever tolerate," rumbled Unser Anton, "is your wife!" General von Galgotzy meant it. When Theatreman Maurice died, General von Galgotzy, already over 60, married his widow.

Shortly before the War he set his aide, the Archduke Leopold Ferdinand, a problem in tactics. The Archduke scratched his Habsburg head and wrote out a solution. Unser Anton perused the paper and observed respectfully:

"There were two possible solutions to the problem set your Imperial Highness in today's maneuvers. Imperial Highness has chosen a third."

Keen wit and undeniable ability kept Unser Anton on active service long past the legal age for retirement. Once another Austrian Archduke attempted to suggest that it was time for him to retire.

"Ah, von Galgotzy," he hinted ponderously, "we are growing old."

"And feeble-minded," added Unser Anton. The subject was not mentioned again.

*Archduke Leopold Ferdinand is at present proprietor of a successful delicatessen store in Vienna where, as Herr Leopold Woelfling, he sells the best of salami and olive oil.

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