Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-11-22
NEW DAY FOR ALBANIA.
Sturdy Mountain Now Under the Pro-
lection Of the Italians.

in Albania under the military admin
istration OF the Italians. The bulletin
Is based upon a communication to the
society from Brigadier General George
2. Scriven, L. S. A., who has just re-
turned to America, after several
months spent in the Balkans on an
official mission.
In the bulletin. General Scriven
says:
Throughout southern .tlbania-in-
deed probably throughout all Alban-
la in these days-sovcrnmcnt Is ad-
ministcrcd by the armies OF occupa-
tion. The people have little TO say as
regards their own affairs and have
been almost completely disarmcd. In
tn italian section, however many To-
cal projects and magistrates hold Of
flee and administer tn" law AZ il now
exists. the old Turkish Code having
been partially replaced.
For this administration courts
have been established. methods OF
I.ossihle. natives have been appoint
ed TO minor offices. This recognition
Of the .NhanianS and delegation OF
authority TO them h,..; caused great
satisfaction. They are beginning I"
understand that under the mild mill
tary control of the Italians they are
treated simply as Albanians. without
regard Of religious differences. No
iniuuitous distinction in law is now
made between Orthodox. az the pco-
plc of the Greek church are called.
and Mohammcdan. In this respect
the Italian wisely differs from the
Grc"k. who. perhaps naturally enough.
sees little good In the Moslcm.
The Albaniuns are regarded as the
most ancient trib" of southeast Eu-
rope. There Is no record Of their ar
rival In the Balkan peninsula. no lc-
gcnd relating TO this origin. They
are thought to T." descendants of the
earliest .\ryan immigrants. and with
| praiscworthy persistence have retain
cd their own mountain strongholds
through many ages.
Except for Byron's casual tribute in
'Childe Harold the Albanian. unlike
other peoples of tho Balkans. have not
been praised in song or story. In
deed. they appear 10 have received
hut little attention from the world
except to he characterized as a tur-
bulcnt race Of mountaincers. whose
principal occupation has been TO fight
amon" themselves when not engaged
| in fighting against some one else
| But like the early Swiss. these rude
untutorcd people possess many prim-
tive virtues. They have preserved
with remarkable tcnacity the tradi-
tions of their descent. and are brave
honest and hospitablc. Their lives
having been spent in constant
conflict with nature, in its most un-
friendly aspects. they have beer
taught from infancy to fight against
rn"n us readily as against the warning
/ tItluCllS VI the air
| albania is notorious as the land o.
the blood fcud--a tribal or pcrhap:
more properly racial. custom oh
served for many centuries. Travel
crS and commentators usually refer tC
the Albanian mountaincer as utterl.
lawless. but In reality his actions to-
ward his fellow men. up to a few
years ago were based upon th'
| striCtcst possible observance OF law
Il tribal law founded upon most dis.
torted idea of personal and family
honor.
Tho smallest infraction Of Gus.
tOm--a blow struck in anger. an un.
| whiting shove in n crowd--incvltabl!
led To tn" declaration Of a blaze
party was sullicd until he had slair
| either the actual offender or some
male member of his family. The rel
ativcs of the slain individual were
then compelled to take up the mar
hunt. and thus the feud spread.
so fatal were these feuds that ir
some mountain districts il Is said ar
old man Is seldom TO be encountered
in spite of the traditional longevity oi
the Albanian race. The men were
killed off before they attained patri.
archal years.
Many are the curious customs and
rituals growing out Of the blood feuds
II Is the unwritten law Of the land that
man must not be attacked while
accompanied by woman. and fire.
Quently q wife. daughter. or sister
follows her menfolk on all Journeys
through the mountains in order. by her
presence. to furnish protection from
an implacablc foe. Formerly in GER
tain districts. II was possible to buy
immunity from the vengeance Of an
aggrievcd Albanian. the price varying
from $50 to $50. according to the To-
cality.
"a rigid code protects a guest in the
mountain fastness. and IL traveller
has slept under the roof Of an Albanian
the host. according to tribal law. is
obligated to declare blood feud
against any person who insults or
harms the visitor within a certain
length Of time after he has been enter
taIned.
such is picture drawn Of the people
OF Albania less than n decade ago. 1t
is in striking contrast to the country
as saw 1t few weeks ago. under the
control Of the French and italian arm
les. The change is especially con-
spicuous In that part of Albania which
is under Italian administration. There
the children are sent to school: the ma
tives are paid more than a living wage
for work which often is for the benefit
Of the people themselves: the country
is effectively policed by the soldiers:
and not an armed native. except OF the
Bandes. is seen from one end Of the
occupied territory to the other.
IF feuds still exist they are unful-
filled and secret, for the arms Of the