The Detroit times., 1912-10-25
Little Montenegro Which Start
cd War On Sultan's Country
Is Fighting Nation
IS COUNTRY OF
ARMED MEN AND WOMEN
Most Valiant Race in World
Lives in Domain Ruled by
King Nicholas
~ AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT.

Montenegro. the smallest OF the
Balkan states, has aroused the ad-
miration OF the world by going forth
like David to do battle with the Turk
ish Goliath.
Montenegro cared little for the tre-
merdous odds against her-and she
has never cared. The history OF this
little kingdom Is one long, glorious
record OF battles against overwhelm-
ing forces.
"ln my deliberate opinion, the tradi-
tions of Montenegro exceed in glory
those Of Marathon and Thermopylae.
and all the war traditions Of the
world"
Tennyson wrote one OF his finest
poems on the Montenegrlns Tin their
native language. 'Tsernagorans')
and ended thus:
20 smallest among peoples!
Rough rock throne
the swarm
or Islam for Ave hundred years.
Great Tsernagorai Never since thine
Black ridges drew the cloud and
broke the storm
Has breathed a race OF mightier
mountaineers."
Time after time, for many cen
turies the Turks have hurled army
after army against the Montenegrins
without success
In 1903, on the plain OF Tsarvelaz.
A. hi Utttr n
soldiers; losing but 800 men them
selves.
In retaliation the sultan sent 120,-
600 soldiers the next year. and burn
ed every house In Montenegro. but
had TO retire because the people fed
to the mountain peaks and kept up
their fire on the Turks.
In 1776 the Turks. came again, and
an army Of $4,000 was annihilated by
1000 Montenegrins.
Peter I. "the headsman of Mon
tenegro," erected the grim Turks
Tower" at Cettinjs, on which he piled
Turkish skulls, as warning to the
sultan.
In 1920 the Turks were again de
feated and driven out.
In 1853 Montenegrins killed $500
Turkish soldiers In q single days bat
tie, and drove the sultan's forces out
once more.
In 1856 Turks suddenly appeared
In the Black mountain valleys and
Tell upon the Montenegrins-4,50 500
Turkish skulls were added to the
tower.
Two years later, Mirko, ''the sword
OF Montenegro caught the sultan's
imperial Guard" In a mountain trap
and moved them down.
Next year the same prince, with
, % followers held the pass at Ostrog
against $1,000 Turks and beat them
OF.
In return for this Turkey hurled
It's entire military strength against
Montenegro, but after so battles. was
willing to call the war OF.
N 1876 Nicholas, the present ruler,
declared was against Turkey, to aid
rServia, and killed half the Turkish
army sent against him.
Montenegro has no standing army.
Montenegro Is q standing army.
Every male OF military age Is train
cd to bear arms: so are most OF the
women. Boys learn to be soldiers
from their infancy.
In the Balkans you can tell q MoS
tenegrin as far as you can see him
by his erect bearing, the free swing
OF his walk and the way he carries
his frearms.
Any woman, however, old or young.
beautiful or homely, native or for
eigner, may pass alone from one end
OF Montenegro to another and not u
man. even OF the lowest, will offer
Ter an insult, direct or indirect, by
word or action!
II Is the law Of the country that no
citizen shall have his home without
his pistols, or go more than a day 8
journey without his rife. To die
quietly in bed IL a disgrace.
Montenegrans are Serbs, and their
history dates from 1889, when at the
battle OF Kossovo the Turks ami
hilated the old Servian kingdom and
fixed their yoke on the Balkan pen
insula. The survivors OF the battle
led to the Black mountains, which
the word Montenegro means. and
there maintained their Independence
The black band on their caps Is
worn In mourning for this battle oi
Kossovo, and will continue to be
worn until the Turks are expelled
from Europe.