The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-11

sured his life are stated to have cam
celed his policies.
IL asserted that a number of the nom
commissioned officers and men Of the
squadron of the Lancer regiment which
he commanded as Captain, before being
transferred to the General Staf, have
obtained permission from the Kaiser to
volunteer for service in Albania. with a
view to acting as his bodyguard. 1t
may be questioned whether this is a
wise policy on his part. For, to take
along with him to Albania bodyguard
If his own countrymen for his protec-
ton implies a lack of confidence in his
new subjects, which they, rs keenly
sensitive. high spirited, and in way
chivalrous people, will be quick to re-
sent
They will be able to point with pride
To the fact that the Turkish Sultans
invariably recruited their personal
bodyguard from among the Albanians,
as the only troops upon whose fidelity
to their trust they could absolutely rely.
Nor was this confidence ever betrayed,
and II Abdul Hamid was overthrow by
military pronunciamento. II was be-
cause he had permitted unfounded sus-
picions to be aroused in his breast by
pl tiers for his downfall against his
Albanians and had caused the regiment
to be suddenly moved from Constants
nople to garrison remote from the
capital
And yet one can understand William
of Wicds desire to have beside him in
going among strangers some people Of
his own race in whom he can contide.
Human life H. held terribly cheap in
Albania, where everybody goes armed
and men shoot down one another on
the slightest provocation. Particularly
sensitive on the score of honor, these
Albanians are convinced that affronts
can only be atoned for by the shedding
Il blood. and there are thousand and
one things of apparently trivial impor-
lance in the eyes Of foreigners which
these descendants of the ancient IL
lyrians, who We're source Of so much
trouble To- the Roman Caesars. are apt
to construc as u mortal insult.
Thus the Albanians will not hesitate
To- shoot their new King il he offends
their ethics of honor, or even II no
shows undue preference for one Of
their tribes over the others. or II he
incurs their wrath by running counter
"
accountable customs and prejudices in
his endeavors to establish and main
tain order and law. Then, too, he will
ne in constant danger of assassination
by fanatic patriots from the neigh
boring Balkan States, for the recon-
stitu,ion Of Albania into an indopend-
cnt kingdom under the auspices Of tn"
Triple Alliance and Of Great Britain
after four centuries of Turkish domino
zion has created an insuperahle obstacle
To the territorial aspirations Of the
Serbs, the Montencgrins and the
Greeks, as we'll as to the political de-
signs of Russia.
The Serbs, the Montenegrins and the
Greeks had already taken possession
of Albania during the recent war In
the Balkans, dividing II among them
selves, and the fact that they should
Eav" been compelled to withdraw their
troops from Albanian territory and to
| surrender the fruits of their victories
has excited among them resentment
| impossible to describe. 1t will natu-
rally occur to some Of them that IL the
new King Of Albania were killed OF
| it would be difficult to find any other
| European Prince willing To step Into
| his shoes, and that In the event or the
Great Powers finding their efforts Ia
maintain Albania as an independent
kingdom doomed to failure, they might
| in sheer disgust and encouragement
| tolerate the partition of the country
| among the three Balkan States con-
cerned. That is why King william OF
| Albania. Prince of WED, will for some
| time to come, at any rate, literally
| carry his life In his hands in his new
dominions and will walk in the val
| ley of the shadow of death.
| 1t Is fortunate for william that 1t
| should be IA Lutheran. For it will en-
able him to maintain an attitude OF
| impartiallty, in religious matters at any
rate, In Albania, where four-scvenths
| Of the people are Moslems, two-sev
cnths Roman Catholics, and the remain
ing seventh members of the Greek rite
There Is u good deal of tolerance, how
ever, among them: more so than any
| where else in the southeast OF Europe
and one finds Mosems who do not dis
daln to go to church, and Christian!
who see no harm in Offering up thei
prayers in Il mosque. AS IA Protestan
William will not be suspected of favor
ing one OF these Albanian creeds at tn,
expense Of another.
Avlona, where the provisional Gov