Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-30
Helping Honl By
Italians to Needy
People of Albania

CORRESPONDENCE Associated Press.]
Rome. April 30.-The Italians are
doing in Albania exactly what Ameri-
cans did in the Philippines IN helping
and uplifting a population in need Of
guidance and encourag cement. Gen.
George Scriven, military attache at the
American embassy, said to the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent upon his
return from a journey of five weeks
thru that part of Albania which has
been occupied by the Italians
Had it not been for the work of the
Italians there, the poor Abanians
would have starved" General Scriven
said The Italians have given these
people food. employment. education
and security. Wheat. corn and rice
have been imported into the country
and foodstuffs have been distributed
free to the INDECENT and sold At reason
able prices to those who could afford
to pay for it. Experimental farms have
been opened. schools have been instl-
tuted and, most important OF all. courts
OF Justice which hitherto had been un-
existent in the country have been es-
tahished and Albanian judges placed
at their heads whenever possible.
Attic the Italians are fighting the
Bulgarians 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 man of good character,
possessing the primitive virtues OF
courage. trut hfulness and activity. He
has the highest respect for women, who
can travel from one end of Albania to
the other alone without being molested.
"Brigandage has virtually dissap-
peared from Albania, and the AL
banians welcome the Italians as ben
efactors and friends. Several hundreds
miles of beautiful, durable roads have
been built; tunnels. bridges and rail-
ways have been constructed. Nine
piers have been erected in Falona
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
created in the outskirts of villages and
towns. Telegraphic. telephone and
wireless stations have been established
! .
reclaimng the marshy zone surround
/ ing Valona and comprising about 5000
acres.
The Alhanians are great admirers
of America" added General Scriven.
"atho only recently have they begun
TO emigrate there"
In this connection, General Scriven
quoted one of the leading Albanians, a
man who has been to America, S say
ing TO him:
The invasion of Albania by the
Balkan states, accompanied by harrow
ing atrocities on unarmed population,
thousands of shepherds AMI farmers be-
ing slaughtered. towns and villages de-
stroyed. farms burned, focks devastat-
ed and stolen. and hundreds of thou
sands of refugees focking into Valona
half starved and perishing from hunger
and exposure. have caused the begin
ming of emigration to the United States.
The average American is probably un-
aware that $4,000 Albanians have gone
to the United States since the begin
ming of the war"
Concluding General Scriven said:
The occupation Of Albania by ltal-
ian troops has proved the salvation OF
the remaining Albaniaps and the re-
vival of the Albanian nation