The Washington times., 1918-06-02
ITALIAN RESCUERS
GIVE NEW LIFE TO
ALBANIAN NATION


ROME, June 2-The Italians
are doing in Albania exactly what
Americans did in the. Philippines in
helping and uplifting a population in
need Of guidance and encouragemen4
said Gen. George Scriven, military at
tache at the American embassy, upon
his return from q journey of five
weeks through that part OF Albania
which has been occupied by the
Italians.
HAD IT not been for the work of
the Italians there, the poor Albanians
wsuld have starved" General Scriven
said. 'srhe Italians have given these
people food, employment, education,
and security. wheat, corn, and rice
have been imported into the country,
and the foodstuffs have been distrib-
uted free to the INDECENT and sold at
reasonable prices to those who could
afford to pay for them Experimental
farms have been opened, schools have
been Instituted, and most important Of
all, courts Of justice, which hitherto
had been nonexistent in the country
have been established and Albanian
Judges placed at their heads whenever
possible.
MOI . "oEA OF WIZ
Although the Italians are lighting
the BulEarians and the Austrians on
the frontiers, the work there is not
work OF war, but one Of civilization,
and the ground there is most favora-
BILE to such work, for the reason that
the Albanian is an honest ran of
good character, possessing the primi-
tive virtues OF courage, truthfulness
and activity. He has the highest re-
spect for women, who can travel from
one end Of Albania to the other alone
without being moIested.
"Brigandage has virtually disap-
peared from Albania, and the Alba
mans welcome the Italians as bene-
factors and friends. Several hundred
miles Of beautiful. durable roads have
sbeen built; tunnels, bridges and rail-
ways have been constructed. Nine
piers have been erected in Valona
harbor and eight in Santa Quaranta-
Barracks and hospitals containing
1000 beds have been established. In
order to have the practice of burying
the dead in the center OF the villages
discontinued, cemeteries have been
and towns. Telegraphic, telephone
and wireless stations have been es-
tablished, and the Italians are now
engaging in reclaIming the mArshy
zone surrounding Valona and COM
prising about 5000 acres.
Admire America
THE Albanians are great adplrers
OF America" added General Scriven,
although only recently have they be-
gun to emigrate there"
In this connection, General Scriven
quoted one OF the leading Albanians,
a man who has been to America, as
saying to him:
THE invasion Of Albania by the
Balkan States, accompanied by har-
rowing atrocities on an unarmed peo-
pie, thousands Of shepherds and
farmers being slaughtered, towns and
villages destroyed, farms burned,
flocks devastated and stolen, and hun
dreds Of thousands OF refugees flock
ing into .Valona half starved and per-
isning from hunger and exposure, has
caused the beginning OF emigration to
the United States. The average
American is probably unaware that
90, 900 Albanians have gone to the
United States since the beginning OF
the war"
Concluding, General scriven said:
THE occupation Of Albania by Ital-
ian troops has proved the salvation Of
the remaining Albaniaps and the re-
vival OF the Albanian nation"
Y NJ -. - N,a.-,nlt,r