Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-16

was to he maintained. The Magyare, be-
sides, Were turbulent and arrogant. and
their chronic condition was a menace to
unity.
opposed the trialism. Had the concep-
ton been realized the maritime coast
from Trieste to Cattaro and Fiume would
have passed under the influence OF the
Slavs of the south
For the present Scutari is danger
point. Scutari capital of Albania. Is
on the point of becoming an autonomous
state under the protectorate OF the
powers.
The question of the near east may he
resumed I'm two problems-the fate OF
Constantnople and the Dardanelles, and
the fate of Albania.
Albania remains in Europe the only re.
gion still unknown. Neither her popu.
lation nor her geography
Unknown has been studied except in
the south. concerning which
Albania. NJ Aulneau has written an
interesting essay.
Biographies divide Albania habituaily
into Gega and Toscs separated by the
River Scumbe: in reality there are three
or four million Albanians from national
and perhaps psychological point OF view
on whom political events react differently.
The Albanians of the plains of the north
of Kossovo and Diakovo. the Inhabitants
of Uskub. Prichtina, Mitrovitza. Ferfzo-
vic. Prizrend and Ipek, which from
Diakovo and neiglrboring countries have
been in conflict with the Servians Tor
centuries. The Albanians Of the noun
tains of PriZrend and Scutar are isolated
from all contact-independent In fact
and upon them for the first time the
r,jrl.c ftofy, fnd Cd nc
tend their effective domination. The AL
banians of the center. of which Ell Bas.
sam may he the capital, were more sub
jected to this central power and pushed
their tribes toward the Bulgarians Of the
east and toward the Greeks of the south.
All these circles, different on many
points, are. nevertheless in accord on the
question of Albanian nationality That
there is an Albania nation, according to
NJ. Jaray, it is only necessary to affirm
it: these men possess all that character
ICES a nation. common language, an
Albanian sentiment more or less awak-
ened, but everywhere latent. a physical
type. a territory; more than one nation
fails to combine many common char
acteristics.
The Albanians Of the south. on tho
contrary, orthodox from the Ep;ris
descendants of the sons of Greece and
of Albania. appear more Greek than
Albanian: it may be said that Albania
purely Albanian stops at a line drawn
from the Bay of Valona to the Greek
frontier by the Nopussa; south of that
line the mixed population is divided into
orthodox speaking Greek and Mussulman
speaking Albanian; from Janina the Greek
language subsists alone; the Mussulman
religion, the purity of race and the
Albanian language have been preserved
only in certain mountainous districts like
those of Argyrocastron de Delvino, de
Prenietti, etc.
Servia claims the plains and mountains
in the north, and it is there on the coasts
that both Austria and Italy
SerVlan interpose their rival ambi-
r1.: tions. On the eve Of the
Balkanic war the Albanians
We're already establishing their DONNA
ton in the plains Of Diakovo, Kossovo
and Uskub. and were confronted there by
the Servians. This Serbo- Albanian con-
flict served admirably the policy OF the
Turk. which was to divide in order to
govern. Under the regime Of the Young
Turk the privileges OF the Albanian were
ignored in the attempt to create an Otto
man administration without regard to
racial autonomies. In 1910 there was .
war of guerrfllas, in 1912 general revolt
and an Albanian victory: twenty thou.
sand AlbanfanS under Bairam Sour cap
tured Cskub, whence he sent an ultima
tum to Constantinople demanding recog-
milton and guarantee OF autonomy.
The means employed by Austria and
Italy to maintain themselves in northern
Albania are the same; Austria protects
the Albanian Catholic clergy and assures
their defense at Constantinople. Austria
subsidies or supports the schools of the
Jesuits. Franciscans and others. semi
naries, Austrian bank, the Austrian
Lloyd Company at Antiyari, San Clio
vannf di Medua. Durazo, Vallona, etc.
and also an agency at Scutari; in order
to assure the cooperation of certain in
f1uential officials the Austrian govern
ment distributes "baksch:scS' to beys
and abbeys
Italy maintains an agency Of the Pug
lila Navigation Company at Scutari, the
Societa Commercials
ltailan dOrient and dispensary.
r.4.4 also schools of various
character called royal
schools Besides these. hospitals des-
tined to aid the Catholic missions. And
this mission work is facilitated by the
fact that the commercial language of the
Adriatic in Scutari as in Trieste and
Cattaro is Italian.
The victories of the Balkan allies have
blocked any ambition which an autono-
nous Albania might have had to seek an
opening TO the sea toward Saloniki. But
If they must remain confined in their
mountain homes the Albanians may still
develop their industries and their ma
tional aspirations by becoming the ally
and, If need be, the protege of the Bal
kan allies.
The aspirations of Prince Fuad OF
Egypt to become the reigning prince or
Albania-based upon the claim that he 10
the great-grandson of the great Albanian
Mohammed Ally Pasha-are not likely to
be seriously considered either by Albania
or by the protecting powers. The Al
bantam blood transmitted by Mohammed
Ally appears to have been eliminated
from the latter's Observation-Disclosures the
Good Said and the Soldier Ibraham-
Neither Ismail, nor Theufick, nor Abbat
Hilmi, the succeeding khedive OF Egypt
and descendants of Mohammed Ally, have
shown any evidence of their Albanian
origin. The candidacy of Prince Fuad
will excite a smile of derision in Scutarf.
Albania will of course be neutralized.
Italy and Austria s policy would then be
hence shorn of their political aspirations
which are harassing not only To the AL
banians but to the powers.
1t is not generally known, but the fact
has been disclosed to the convention of
the powers that a French company holds
the concession for the construction Of
to the Adriatic and the project
of converting Scutari into seaport. It
is this opening on the Adriatic which may
present to the powers peaceful solu-
ton of the quarrel of Austria against
-