The Detroit times., 1912-10-24
Little Montenegro Which Start
ed 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-
inlration Of the world by going forth
like David to do battle with the Turk.
ish Goliath.
Montenegro cared little for the tre-
mepdous odds against her-and she
mas never cared. The history OF this
little kingdom is one long, glorious
record of battles against overwhelm-
ing forces.
In 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
or freedoml Warriors beating back
or Islam for Ave hundred years.
Great Tsernagora! Never sinoe thine
Black ridges drew the cloud and
broke the storm
Has breathed race OF mightier
mountalneers."
Time after time, for many Gen.
turies the Turks have hurled army
rfter army against the Montenegrins
without success
In 1908, on the plain OF Tsarvelaz.
the Montenegrins killed 10000 Turk
soldiers; losing but 800 men them
selves.
In retaliation the sultan sent 120,-
600 soldiers the next year, and burn
cd every house In Montenegro, but
had to retire because the people fed
10 the mountain peaks and kept up
their FIRE on the Turks.
In 1776 the Turks came again, and
IN army of $4,000 was annihilated by
1000 Montenegrins.
Peter I. "the headsman Of Mon
tenegro,r erected the grim Turks
Tower" at Cettinje, on which he piled
turkish skulls. as a 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-4,5 500
Turkish skulls were added to the
tower.
Two years later, Mirko, 'the sword
of Montenegro" caught the sultan's
Ifrar oVin ntIA Ardo In, Tfana oil tRnt
and moved them down.
Next year the same prince, with
20 followers held the pass at Ostrog
against $4,000 Turks and beat them
OF.
iis entire military strength against
Montenegro, but after 60 battles, was
willing to call the war off.
N 1876 Nicholas. the present ruler.
declared was against Turkey, to aid
Servia, and killed half the Turkish
army sent against him.
Montenegro has no standing army.
Montenegro Is a standing army.
Every male of military age is train
od to bear arms; 80 are most of the
women Boys learn to be soldiers
from their infancy.
In the balkanS you can tell MON
tenegrin as far as you can see him
oy his erect bearing, the free swing
oi his walk and the way he carries
his firearms.
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 q
man, even of the lowest, will offer
Ger an insult, direct or indirect, by
word or action!
1t Is the law Of the country that no
citizen shall have his home without
his pistols, or go more than a days
journey Without his rife. To die
quietly in bed Is a disgrace.
Montenegrans are Serbs, and their
history dates from 1889, when at the
battle OF Kossovo the Turks ami
nilated the old Servian kingdom and
liked their yoke on the Balkan pen
msula. The survivors OF the battle
led to the Black mountains, which
lhe word Montenegro means, and
there maintained their independence
The black band on their caps Is
worn In mourning for this battle Of
Kossovo, and will continue TO be
worn until the Turks are expelled
from Europe.