Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-10-07

that these other communities have
been free to develop themselves, while
Albania has been under the rule of
Turkey UP to a few years ago. 1t is
really a tribute to the Albanians that
they have been able to preserve their
race and language through five cen
turtles of subsection to Turkish rule.
Through all this period every method
was employed to Turkify Albania,
to do away with Ire language and
the schools
1t is not the only time Albanians
have shown their remarkable national
unity, for they are the only nation
atty which successfully preserved
their racial identity against the sweep
OF the Romans, then the Venetians,
then the Slavs, and then the Turks.
1t has been stealy struggle for in
dependence and to preserve the ma
tionality from the conquest and alb
sorption by some alien power AS
such, Albania furnishes the modern
theorists on nationality a real example
of what a small country has gone
through to preserve it's nationality"
Essad Pashas emphatis declaration
for an independent Albania, was d.
rectly opposed to the recent action of
Italy in proclaiming protectoratS
over Albania, and he was asked as
tc the Albanian policy toward pro-
tectorate.
I'VE are opposed to all the foreign
protectorates, he said, land the AL
banians will never consent to give
up their rights of directing their own
government in their own way. That
has been the cause they have strug-
gled for through centuries, and they
feel the sentiment all tht more now
that the European war has brought
,, ambitious designs from all quarters
! Of Albania. What Albania wants is
the same right of free development
that other small states enjoy, and as
a distinct nationality with its own
race and language it feels it is en-
titled to this same status that is ac-
corded to all other small states. This
is war for the protection of small
states, and not for the absorption by
protectorates.
While Essad Pasha was here he
conferred with Premier Venizelos and
NJ. Politis, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
and there is reason to believe Greece
is in full accord with the view ex-
pressed by the Albanian ruler for a
free and independent Albania, with
no foreign protectorate. Serbia and
Rumania will doubtless be of the same
view, so that the solid Balkans will
be arrayed AGAINST a foreign protect
crate over Albania Essad Pasha's
! protest against the Italian protect
crate has been expressed in a formal
: document laid before the Ministy of
Foreign Affairs.
! Asked what he had succeeded in do
; ing in establishing stable regime In
Albania, Essad Pasha sid
For seventeen months prior to our
entering war. 1 had been administer
ing the affairs of the country. This
was at the request of the powers, fol-
lowing the unsuccessful experience of
the Prince of Weld. Considerable
progress was made, and the experience
of those seventeen months showed Al
bania could be organized on self
governing and independent basis. But
the coming on of the war interrupted
cur plans. Austria was our greatest
menace, almost encircling us on the
north, and pressing toward the Adri-
attic 1t was at this time that Austria
made her overturned for an Albanian
alliance with the Central Powers, and
following their rejection / declared
war against Austria and later against
her allies.
I'VE made a stand for time, but
Albania was in no condition to re-
sist the advance of such military
power as Austria, with her men and
equipment all along our frontier.
They have overfiowed the country,
down to Valona where the Italians
i have landed, while our Albanian
troops have been concentrated with
the allied forces on the Salonika front.
So that northern Albania is for the
present occupied by the enemy and
southern Albania is occupied for mill
tary purposes by the Italians. But
all this occupation will be regulated
at the final congress Of the powers,
when We are sure Albania will be re-
stored as an Independent nation