A red flower upon the coat lapel is the authentic badge of Bolshevism, but even this fact does not dissuade the Grand Duke Alexander Michailovitch Romanov—surviving cousin and brother-in-law of Tsar Nicholas the Last—from wearing whenever he chooses a red boutonniere. Thus last week His Imperial Highness, who is now lecture-touring U. S. cities, received smart Manhattanites in his suite at the Hotel Ritz with a blood-red rosebud peeping from his buttonhole. The thing was urbanely and genuinely done. "I am of no party," smiled the Grand Duke, and presently charmed his guests by chatting not only of himself and Russia but about the two other Romanov grand dukes who were most in the public eye, last week: 1) The Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholaievitch, onetime Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armies on the Western Front (1914-15) and brother-in-law of Queen Elena of Italy, who lay in a dying condition last week at Nice; and 2) The Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovitch, grandson-in-law of British Queen Victoria, who continues to proclaim himself "Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias," in succession to his assassinated cousin Tsar Nicholas II. & Last.
Terrible Things! Ensconced at the Ritz, last week, Grand Duke Alexander said, in fluent but slightly stilted English: "A proletarian visited me this morning. Yes, a proletarian—the clothes very rough and dirty! He had just returned from Russia. He told me terrible things! . . . But I look—the Imperial Family looks—for a change.
"You ask how this will come. I think it must come through Spirituality, through the awakening of all Russians to universal oneness with the Spirit Supreme. . . . That is my doctrine, the subject of my books and lectures. . . When that awakening has taken place Russia will have found herself. Then there may be a Head—some one man above others (gesturing in the air)—but perhaps very different from the Tsar. What will it matter, then?"
"Tsar Cyril." Unlike most expounders of Spirituality, the Grand Duke Alexander turns readily to crisp and factual themes. As he paced toweringly about his hotel drawing-room, last week, it was not hard to see him as once he was, as the stern quarterdecker, "The Admiral of the Fleet" to Tsar Nicholas the Last.
When asked in whom the Imperial succession should now reside, he rapped: "Unquestionably in the Grand Duke Cyril! If it is a question of law—of right—he must be Tsar. Who else? The Grand Duke Nicholas—no!
"What is Cyril doing? He is not exactly doing—he is making propaganda. Only little pamphlets! Books are impossible—he can not get them into Russia. . . . We are good friends. Very often I go to see him and explain my ideas. He does not go so far toward Spirituality as I do—but more or less. He is more anxious to make propaganda and tell the people he is Tsar."
Popular Nicholas. A trace of resentment was shown by the Grand Duke Alexander in speaking of his cousin the Grand Duke Nicholas: "Always he was very popular with the Army! That is the only reason why anybody thinks he should be Tsar. He is too old! He is exactly 72. I saw it in the New York Times, this morning, where they say he is very sick on the Riviera. Such an old man could not have the strength to lead such a cause.