Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-22

ana ploOoy drama OF the Balkan war the
scenes have been
The New shifted and there
Albanian State. no now appears s IN al.
utious detail the new Albanian state. and
side by side with it an Epirus in full re-
volt. Austria and Italy insisted with
singular pertinacity on the creation Of
Albania, and it will be retributive justice
that Austria and Italy may pay the for
felt of their folly
dispatch from Budapest reporting an
interview with Count White, former pre-
nier OF Russia, said: THE first act Of
the Balkan affair is the only one played.
We are now between the acts OF the
play, which may last for years or which
may terminate in few months.
Epirus has proclaimed herself independ-
ent and. while the incident may not
be classed as u coup de theater" because
1t was considered as almost certain to
follow, 1t is no less tragic and grave.
To brutally detach hundreds of thousands
OF Greeks from Greece and declare them
subjects of An Albanian state in embryo
was an impolitic and irrational act of
Europe under the incomprehensible pres
sure Of Austria and Italy. whose joint
action in the premises has constituted
and still constitutes an indefinable mys-
terry.
Austria and Italy-are they seriously
Joined in this Albanian question? 1t
would appear that they are, because they
have already designated their spheres Of
infuence-that of Austria in the north Of
Albania: that of Italy in the south. Al
ready 1t is rumored there is tension in
their relations on the subject OF Scutari,
also because the government at Rome
considers that Austria should renounce
her protectorate of Albanian Catholics,
because. Albania placed under the SOW
ereignty of a Christian prince. it would
be an infringement of the latters rights
to maintain to the profit of foreign
state right of protection over certain
Albanian subjects. Besides, if this Aus
trian protectorate was maintained for the
Catholics of Albania the sultan could
exact the same protectorate for Albanian
Mussulmans and the ecumenical patriarch
for Albanians orthodox. The government
at Vienna has refused as yet to yield this
point.
AS one may see the situation of Prince
of WED IS full of difficulties in the com
mencement. He must tack with great
prudence between Italian influence and
Austrian influence: he must organize
everything anew, and he should not count
upon Mussulman Albanians for collabora-
ton because these will resent that a
Christian prince has been imposed upon
them. Then. more than all this, he must
face the revolt in the Eprus.
The revolt already extends TO Delvino.
where there are $3.50 Greek residents
fully armed and equipped. AT Santi-
Quaranta and Argyrocastro the autono-
nous flag of Epirus has been unfurled.
At koritza. the Green authorities having
transferred their powers to Albanian
functionaries, revolt is certain to follow.
The note by which the Greek gov
of the powers relative to Eprus and
the islands is full of dignity and calm
NJ. Venizelos protited by the occasion
to submit the situation of Greece and
the extent of the sacrifices which Greece
suffers in order to comply with the
wishes of Europe.
Greece had given orders to her troops
to eyacuate territories in Epirus. in
| contestably Greek, and which the most
fictitious decision had attributed to Al
bania- NJ. venizelos promised to alb:
stain from any act which might tend
to encourage resistance. He added tt
that promise that he would transfer te
the Holland officers the evacuated ter
| ritories in order to take the maximum
precaution against possible trouble.
| AS for the islands the note expressed
the legitimate regret that Greece hao
been deprived of territory which hel
| army had reconqucred and which be
| longed to her by reason of identity OF
| language, race and aspirations. Greece
| accepted the conditions of the powers
as to the possession of certain islands
but she demanded that in return fol
| this she should be given guarantees OF
security, etc.
NJ. venizelos by his irreproa cha bic
reply confirmed the excellent impression
created by his visits to the capitals of
| Europe. In the same sense Greece and
| her allies have shown themselves cap
| able of imposing their will by force of
their success. they have also shown
supplenesS and moderation in council
The peace of Bucharest had prepared
the way to order in the Balkans.
:: ::
A dispatch from Corfu signed Zog.
raphos informed the central commission
that in accordance
Independence with a decision of the
- A. r: assembly at Argyro.
OF tne Eplrus. castro the Epirotes
would never recognize the Albanian SOW
ereignty and that there would be estab-
lished in Epirus an autonomous state
Even if Greece withdrew her troops from
the Epirus the local population would OPP
pose the Albanian sendarmerie which
would attempt to occupy their territory.
On the eth ultimo NJ Biographies. who
was the former governor of the Epirus,
had given notice of the proclamation OF
the independence of Epirus in the north.
From Athens Il dispatch announced
that at ArgyrocaStro, III spite of military
measures, 5000 insurgents succeeded in
assembling without the city, and after a
'.Te Deum." sung by the metropolItes OF
VelaS and Drinopolis. they proclaimed
the autonomy of EpiruS.
1t was said that Greece had sacrificed
the Epirus to superior interests, but that
the Epirotes would not submit to bar
baran people. 1t was added that the
promised guarantees could not be assured
and that the Epirotes realize today d
dream cherished for five centuries and
that they were decided to die for liberty
NJ. Biographies proclaimed the equa ity
of all before the law. He threatened with
dire punishment all diSturberS of order.
He concluded his proclamation by vivas
in honor of the king, the army and the
Greek people.
The flag of Epirus which was raised re-
sembles the Greek flag, but bears in the
center a black double-headed eagle sur
mounted by d crown, a sword and a red
globe.
The Greek government attributes the
etferveScence to the absence of the guar
antees which were demanded in the note
communicated by Greece to the powers.
If these had been granted the task of
and Greece could have controlled the
situation in the Epirus.
NJ. VeniZeloS, ii is said in some well
Informed circles, provided for the situa-
ton which he foresaw was iuevita able.
He suggested, it appears, that in the
event of an uprising in the Epirus
a new state might be formed of the
regions in revolt and granted autonomy.
and 1t might be attached to Albania. The
problem is new and would doubtless ilat-
ter the race pride of the people, which it
is understood is Hellenic.