Evening journal., 1919-07-11
TINY montenegro
AGAIN TALKS WAR
Peace Adjustment Wipes
Her Off the Map of
Europe
SHE is VOLCANO
OF THE BALKANS
BY WILLIAM WAKEFIELD.
special dispatch to the Newspaper E


The tiny Balkan State that Yves one
uf The original aliies-nsying declared
war on Austria August Z, ids-emer-
yes from war wiped or the map OF
Europe, swallowed up in the new
Jug0-Slavia.
And now Montenegro doesn't know
whether she likes 10 or not.
Torn by dissension at home, shorn OF
her king who lives In exile in Paris,
only at war with her own Mohsmmen-
dan subjects, in the territory acquired
in the Balkan wars, and on the verge
Of hostilities with ltaly-M0ntenegro
needs a friend.
There is very bad feeling in Monlen-
egr0 toward Italy, growing out OF the
general Jugo-Slav 9ntsgonism aroused
by Italys aspirations on the eastern
roast OF the Adriatic. Practically the
whole Dalmstion coast is occupied by
Italian troops. with a sprinkllng Of
French who alone keep the peace be-
tween Italian and Jugo-Slay There is
bad feeling in Catiaro, which was Aus
irian before the war. though the
mountains behind were Aiontenegrin.
Rut il is far from being as serious as
In Antvarl, or Bar, originally a Ven
etlan colony.
The present government IS backed
chiefly by Monienegrln troops, but IL
has also a much smaller number OF
Serbs. All OF these are considered
Jugo-Slsvs. since the proclamation Of
the kingdom OF the Serbs, Croals and
Slovenes.
Curlousy enough the only troops
have seen worthy Of the name OF Jugo-
Slavs are from America, and speak
English TO man. They are volunteers
Of Jugo-Slav race, recruited In Amer
,ca, chiefly from The mines and steel
works. Most OF them that ! talked with
were born under the Austrian flag
few only were originally subjects Of
Nicholas or Peter OF Serbia.
They are unselnsh Jugo-Slays. with
out regional. tribal or religious af
fions-distnctively different from
the old type that cause tho bitter
jealousy In Balkan affairs and set
neighbors 10 cutting each others
ihroais to the JOY and profit Of the
outsider
These American Jugo-Slavs are the
only men who can save Montenegro
from hcrself-,he men who must pre-
vent disastrous eruption in this vol
c,nc or the Balkans.
IN Montenegro itself there are three
O, political opinion, royalist,
.,leraiist and unionist The royalist
rsrty. desiring the return OF King
Nicholas 70 the throne, Is very small
minority. but has shown considerable.
military activity. In ceniers in Mich
.,as' own family. the PetrovHch tribe,
with its headquarters at Negush. In
December a determined attack was
made from there on Cettinje. during
which American troops. were rushed
over The Lorchen pass from Csttaro,
snd did more than anyone else TO pre- (
vent serious loss OF life. The rem
nant OF the revolutionary force sur
rendered TO the American captain who
took them down TO Cattar0 to unload
one OF the Hoover Commissions food
ships.
The difference between the federalist
and un.onist elements is not quite ap-
Dreciated by the mass OF the people
and IS not important enough to cause
armed revolt. The feder1list party Is
in favor OF retaining Montenegro as a
federal unit in the contemplated Jugo-
-lav state. The unionists are working
FOR complete union with Serbia, to the
end that an the orthodox lugo-SlaVs
NAV be together in one unit OF the new
Kingdom OF the Serbs, Croats ana
Slovenes.
Roughly speaking the people Of the
old regions around Cettini
Nronteneero before iSJ2-are inclined to
the fcderalist party; and The people OF
tho regions acquired in iS7S-yvhen the
Russo-Turkish war really made ma
ton out Of Aiontenegro-afe unionisis.
As the royalists are practically all
from among the former group, the
strongest Of the three parties is the
unionist. Exact figures are not obtain
able, because Of the general unrest, and
because OF the fact that the peasant
is not very well informed as to the
exact issues at stake.
The government now in power has
brother Of the late queen for its nomi-
nal head Noyvoda NoukOtitch, and for
its party leader a member Of the
strong Radovitch family. This govern
ment is fast making an accomplished
feat OF the union with Serbia
The fall OF Nicholas is scarcely to
be regretted, in spite Of the fact that
he did a great deal for his country.
pressing its claims before the powers. !
ard developing a splendid system Of |
highways without which even the most !
important towns would have been inac- /
cessible as in Turkish times. The fact
is that he did not keep pace with the
really astonishing progress Of civiliza-
fion in the Balkans during the last
quarter OF a century. As he grew
older and his countrynien awakened TO
the possibilities of improving lot,
Nicholas became reactionary, and is
largely to blame for the fact that the
Montenegrin is far behind the Serb in
all forms OF education.
The chief topic OF talk in Montenegro
today Is OF war with Italy over the
disposition of the Dalmation coast
cities. claimed by both sides The Jugo-
Slav Is hot blooded and always ready
or flght-witness the unhesitating
manner in which Serbia took up the
hallenge OF Austria in 1914, and the |
spidity with which Montenegro de-
Jared war.
After seven years OF war he thinks
Z little else; his standards are diff
erent from ours. and he must be
andled with tact and flrmness. His
emands are beyond all reason, and II
ranted. would only get him into
rouble, as Montenegro was involved in :