The Washington herald., 1912-10-20

sssO Sooo VI S0o A8A1Hy3 q - Uo1bS to
ths 1urkish-A -AontsQsgE1a fEcntsss. Neethr
| |sfn Aihsnis has nat yst bssn dsvsSopsd
"a tourist osntar. Anoag the VIA end
beautiful scenery q 'its rugged slopsa
one 70 apt to encounter hardy tEibss-
men. armed to the tseth. n tlls cornss
|cf the troubled empire ol the Turk, q
the old Balkan war song puts II, pas
aons are rapid and Tsd."
Ethnologists have oettled to their OWn
catisfaction that the Albaaians are the
but Europe long ago decided that theos
Eberty-loving mountainssrs are among
the most reeeless and turbulent Of ths
races settled In the Balkan peninsula.
The Albanian question politically u q
man1-sided one. II has wen nigh ~
Europe by the ears. and Il 10 curious "a
know that the vexsd problem Of the
choosing OF IN alphabet for the Albanian
language has brought about q split b.
tween the tribes Of the north and those
or the south: that b, between Noham-
medan. Catholic. and Orthodox Alba
mans.
It 10 = phase Of the PRESENT Balksn
problem that while the Albanians Sfe
bitterly opposed to the continuance Of
Turkish rule they are NO leaD hostile "a
whst they term Nontenegrin pretensions.
The Christian Albanians Of the north
never lose an opportunity Of lessenins
the number Of their Turkish oppressors:
yet In the event Of Turkish-Ao
negrtn conflict these guerrilla nghfsra
would fRll INTO line under the banner OF
the prophet, and would make war On
their fellow Christians. the subjects Of
King Nicholas. To the Albanian the
Aontenegrtu stands for slav influence.
and the Slav u reminiscent, to his mind.
Of the extinct Servian empire. which
ground the ancestors Of Maussori and
Airdite ruthlessly IN the dust before the
Turk came and made himself ruler OF
Serb and Albanian by shattering the
servtan empire ON the field Of Kossovo.
This Ii logic in the Albanian reasoning
They know enough Of the ethics Of wal
to realize what would be the probable
fate Of Albania in the event Of slav
triumph over Turk. A victorious Monte
negro undoubtedly would recompsnss her
self by territorial indemni1cation at the
expense Of Albania. Were King Nicholas
to follow Bulgaria's lead and launch his
Russian-trained battalions against Tur-
key. the Albanians would take sides
against him and assist the sultan's
troopa The knowledge Of this fact per-
haps helped to exercise a calming in
fiuence in state councils at Cettinje re-
Gently. when. as the outcome Of q series
were clamoring to be led to battle
against the Turk.
That the resolve Of Albania to attack
Montenegro In the event Of q war be-
tween this latter country and Turkey
10 no idle threat. may be gathered from
the attitude Of this war-loving people
on the occasion Of q previous Turkish
Montenegr1n difficulty. The Berlin Con-
gress. defining the boundaries of the then
principality OF Montenegro. ceded Toazi.
south Of Podsoritza, to Prince Nicholas.
The Turkish troops withdrew; but, before
the Montenegrins could enter into posses
sion the Albanians forestalled them and
occupied Touzi. They held 1t. defying
both Montenegro and the great powers
form that day to this.
Indeed. the whole frontier question Is
thorny one, providing abundant mate
rial for fresh conflicts. II the Turks. ig-
noring the demands Of Cettinje. hesitate
to give effect to the findings Of the bound
ary commission. 1t IL not that they seek
to avoid doing Justice to Montenegrin
demands: It 10 because they fear Albanian
reprisals. The Albanians have forgotten
Montenegrin generosity that sheltered the
Malissori rebels last year when fleeing
from the wrath Of the Turk.
At Podgoritza. in Montenegro. where
the adherents of the Cross and Crescent
meet, the people live on terms Of thinly-
veiled hostility. The population is over
whelmingly Christian. and the Moslem
minority live Isolated in the west of the
town. They are for the most part rene
gade Serbs. knowing little or no Turkish.
they speak the language of the Montene-
grins. These Moslem Serbs are distrust-
ed by their Christian fellow-citixens. In
the event OF war between Montenegro
and Turkey. they would be q source Of
embarrassment to the government Of King
Nicholas. for the renegades make no Sc
cret as to which side would obtain their
support.
The log-book Of Nelson's ship, Victory
has been acquired by the well-known art
collector. Thomas ]. Barratt (who in
cidentally Is the "Pear's' soap mani. The
log-book contains a vidid account Of
the battle Of Trafalgar. written on the
day after the action. American COL
lectors were anxious to secure the log
and one Of them made an offer for the
two leaves recording the events Of Oc-
tOher 21 1SE M porpoft Maid eovoro1