The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-20
A BALKAN REPUBLIC

"a III x Oo04S
The Balkans are again in ferment, and the league OF nations
will have work to do in this quarter for some time to come
There are so many Of these little countries, and each is living
on and dreaming OF its past glories, Each wants to be gwen
back its ancient territory and be made as 1t once was. lhey
talk of freedom and the rule of the people, but they know moth
ing of it, and are incapable OF sef-rue. Their ideal is to have
a king and an army, and, with access to the sea, a navy so they
can oyerr~n and subjugate their n%eighbors. They claim to nave
had a great development of art and literature at one time, put
these do not seem TO have helped them much. Just now Albania
is astir. The Albanians are the Oldest race in the Balkans 50
they claim. They are said to be OF Celtic origin, and they have
all the Cclts rmpetuosIty and incaPaclty lr orderly government ne
Albania has been badly treated, In 1918, the powers Wh'cn
acted like a league Of nations, at a conference IN London carved
up Albania until the map of the country now looks like a hand-
full Of biscuit dough squeezed together in the middle. ureece
was given a slice of Albanian territory, Montenegro another
slice, and Serbia another, without any regard beng pald. 10
ethnographical lines. This threw vast swarms OF Aoanlans lnI0
these three countries, where they remain, sullen and dissatisfied
ripe and ready for revolution. The people OF the balkans are
welded to the king idea. Government to them is something
they can sea king. with dukes and lords and counts wiz,
armies and banners, This is the weakness OF all undeVeopeo
peoples. In no country is there an objective Tor God, but IN
advanced countries God can be considered effectively IN pagan
and backward lands this cannot be done, and the people lashlon
for themselves idols which give material objectivity to God,
SO that they may bow down before and worship the ooJect: IN
politics it is the same as in ~religion-the conformation OF the
minds of the people is such that they cannot grasp the subjective
Unless they can see a thing it does not exist for them, and unless
they see government in the person OF a king 1T does not exist LOT
them. Hence these little countries, some OF them scarcely as
big as a good turnip patch, want their kings and their NngoomS1
restored. They cannot realize that life means for the people to
live i'll comfort and happiness, to MAINTAIN schools cnurches ana
manufacturing enterprises. No, with them the chief concern is
the king and they clamor for more territory, so they can have
more people and more soldiers to oyerrun and suolugate their
n~eighbors, and bring their kings in as tribute bearers taking
10 such a people in terms OF civilized life is a waste OF breath.
II is beyond them, Perhaps the best solution OF the tangle
would be to organize the Balkans into one republic, guided by a
mandatory until the people learn to manage their own affairs
IL an attempt is made to restore all the little two-by-tour kings
and kingdoms, it will be merely a sowing OF dtagons teeth,
They must be ruled, and countries that have learned the secret
of ruling themselves should help them and lead them on the way
The king idea should be thrown into the scrap heap. The world
has outgrown it People everywhere should learn to rule them
selves, and they can and will do It 1t the task IS imposed upon
them. and it is made imperative that they should,
Many races gifted in other ways are denied constructive
political genius. This is the special, and, it would appear, the
exclusive gift OF the Teutonic or Anglo-Saxon race, that has
given to the world the only governments worth naming, and the
only civilization worth preserving
A Balkan republic without a strong mandatory would be a
Kilkenny cat fight,
Being destitute Of subjective perception these people can
recognize and respect nothing but obvious force. They would
pay no attention 10 solemn covenants, lines and landmarks.
When a n~eighborng people displeased them or had something
they wanted they would go up against him" and put him to the
edge OF the sword, the men, the women and the children, take
whatever Of value he might possess, and trundle 1t to their
beloved king, SO lie could maintain retainers to shoot them down
when they dispeaSed him. II each little kingdom were con
vcrted into a commonwealth, the kings and their scions could be
elected to the senate and to the house OF representatives, and IN
this way rule those who believe only royaists should rule, Any
plan will take time and patience, but a republic with a man OF
iron will at its head might teach the people how to become self
governing. A ioblot of kings and dollhouse courts will never
ret anywhere. These have been tried for centuries, and under
them the people did nothing but rob and plumber, and massacre
each other. The people must be taught the ways OF cNiized
life. and compelled to follow them, II the entire Balkan PENN
sua could be sunk in the sea the world would be the richer Tor
It, or if the people could be left to fight it out among themselves
thew would make a wilderness and call 1t peace lhe attempt 10
set 10 a king on every little truck patch on the peninsula whl
fail. and might as we'll be abandoned, We did not 60 into the
world war 10 restore opera bouhe kings to their thrones but TO
free people so they could govern themselves