Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-15
THE BALKAN CONFEDERATION.

only discordant voice In the European
concert Is that OF Austria. Italy ID with
Servia. The Italo-Austrian accord con-
corning Albania was concluded at q pc
riod when the rights OF q third party
were not affirmed in an ungpistakahle
way"
The Giornale Italia says I'VE do not
subscribe to. the maneuvers At Vienna.
nor that the future Independent Albania
shall be, another political and economica
satellite OF the duaiist monarchy"
The Giornafe> dItalia is not q recent
convert to such views. I recall having
read remarkable article therein, COM
pairing Austria's pacific penetration of Al
bania and the interests that accrued e.
Austria. The article advised the Italian
government TO have it's eyes open and
keep in mind the aspirations OF Austria.
The article is important. for Il was signed
by a then distinguished journalist, San
Giuliano. who is now minister OF foreign
affairs Of Italy.
is an Austrian Albania. The Adriatio Is q
question Of life or death between Aus
tria and Italy, and no one knows this
better than the Marquis San 0iuiiano.
Why. therefore. this tergiversation on the
part OF Italy. which Is incomprehensi-
bic and descreditable?
Will Roumania and Italy show their
hands at the conference at Londons
Does one or the other or both propose
to treat the plenipotentiaries to pleas
We have been treated, in anticipation
OF the conference. to a surprise In the
form Of a demand by Tur-
Surprising key to enter the Balkans
n.-l confederation. This 10 a
v' real surprise-almost a
shock. But were We not equally sur
prised when, after the japanese
war. We learned that these two rivals
in the far east had made q treaty OF
friendship and peace? Turkey has fol-
lowed closely the japanese movement.
but was not able to profit by Japan's
ideals. But for a fact both Bulgaria and
Servia made the proposition to Turkey
several years ago. NJ. Mi:ovanovftch, for
mer minister of foreign affairs OF Servia.
three years ago referred to II In the
Temps.
The Tribuna of Rome publishes an in
terview with Admiral Bettelo. ex-rninis-
ter of marine, in which he says. peril
nently:
Italy could not tolerate in the Adriatic
military ports susceptible OF becoming
military bases for the military operations
by other powers Durazzo does not lend
itself very wei! to the creation of q mill
tary port, but vallOna does by Its geo
deep gulf, where formidable fortress
can be constructed. If Durazzo should
be made a commercial port Italy should
welcome that. because IL would open a
Danube.
"But Italy should never consent" said
Admiral Bettelo, that q great power
should install itself at vahona. directly
transformed Italy alone should be called
upon to occupy It, for in the hands OF
another power 1T would diminish consid-
eraby the efficacy of other meritorious
places-Tarenta and Brindi.i-to the det-
riment OF Italy's strategic supremacy
over the Canal d'Otrante."
italia fara da sa." At the conference
we shall learn what Italy has done and
proposes to do.
81
I confess could not understand why
Italy signed a peace treaty with Turkey.
whom she had brought to
Tripolitan earth in Tripon. Italy
~ sheathed her sword at . mo-
A~S' ment when the Balkans had
declared war, q moment In which Italy
could incontestably have rendered her.
self the arbiter. Of the oriental situation.
confess felt that 1t was IN act Of
infidelity toward Moutenegro's king.
Otherwise the peace Of Ouchv was an act
Of stupidity. sometimes manifested By m
individual, by a state never.
1t appears that the public and press Of
Italy commence to discuss the question
in the above sense. I am left TO wonder
that they have waited so long. An ar-
ticle by the distinguished Journalist Ed
mond Scarfoglio In the Mattino win md
an echo everywhere. I cite:
THE fall Of the Ottoman empire" so1d
Signor Scarfoglio, may not be chapeer
Of slavo-hellenic history. but chapter
self at the head Of a Balkanic confedera-
tion predicted q half century ago BY
Giuseppe Mazzini: and In the face Of tire
oriental problem. in the face OF the dis
trtbution Of the political forces In Europe.
Italy may hold a privileged situation
which no one a year ago had dared pre-
dict
Giuseppe Mazzini. with other Italian
patriots, cherished the hope Of seeing
Italy enter Constantinople. the head
OF q vast oriental confederation. Mazzini
wrote in 1871 in the Roma. del Popolo, a
letter which became famous as a sort OF
political testament in which this political
genius examined the future of Eu-
London of the Balkan confederation
which has overwhelmed the Turk and
thrown open the gates of Constantinopie
Mazzini's letter will be read with wonder
lating to Turkey:
1.-The Slav peoples of Europe will pre-
vail over Turkey. and the Ottoman en-
pire Is condemned TO dis
MaZzini'S solve without doubt be-
ror.oos+ fore the Austrian empire
rofecaSs but the fall Of the one will
be the signal of the near fall Of the
other. The Austrian empire 10 an admin
istration. not a state: but the empire or
the Turk i'm Europe is a foreign encanip-
ment isolated in soil from others. with
no community Of faith. tradition. tend
ency, activity. without real agriculture.
without administrative capacity. already
invaded by the Greeks. today by the
Armenians, disseminated along the Bos-
phorus hostile to this government they
serve. Reduced to inaction by the fanatic
Mussulman. the victorious race 70 closed
in, choked by Christian populations and
has given to the world for a century