South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-22
BY Stephen Bonsal

guns upon the little palace where
Essad and his family were living and
their escape from destruction was
but little short Of miraculous.
The episode, which Essad regard
ed az base ingratitude as we'll as
rankest treachery, decided his fu-
ture course and upon the outbreak
of the World War ESsad immediate
y aligned himself with the allies
and ran the few remaining Turks
out of his country. But he did more
than that. To him more than 10 any
man is due the safe retreat Of a
fragment OF the Serbian army across
the Albanian highlands to the sea,
Essad himself was now driven out
Of his country by the Austro- German
forces, but he returned in 1913 and
had raised a considerable force
which wss very harasSing 10 the
Austrian withdrawal when the whole
bloody business as it was thought.
came to an end with the armistice
of November 1918.
Had Simple Program.
At this iuncture. Essad came 70
Paris 20 plead the cause of his coun-
try as he saw Il before the supreme
war council and later before the
delegations Of the peace conference.
He was a bittel opponent Of an Ital-
ian mandate or OF Italian interven-
ton in Albania in any form. He
made many attempts TO secure the
favorable consideration Of his views
by Col. House and when the presi-
dent arrived he did everything he
could TO interest him in the fate OF
his country. His program was sim
pie and I confess. to me- IL had a
very direct and forceful appeal. Act
ing for the chiefs OF our delegation.
I had many conferences with Essad
and il was not long before / was
convinced that he was the one
strong man who under proper super
vision and control could bring
something like peace TO his country
that had been ravaged and distract
ed for so many centuries by racial
hatreds. religious wars land civil
strifes OF the most uncivil variety.
Linguistically and politically, Es-
sad was one OF our hardest prob
lens He knew a few words OF
French and he could use half a doz-
en- Italian explosives, but when
aroused-and this happened fire.
quently-his talk was flowing AL
bantam or cultural Turkish, and then
we were soon beyond our depth He
impressed me as a clear-headed.
hard-hitting and straight-thinking
man, and for all his training in the
Turkish army and in the court OF
4ildiz Kiosk, once the barrier Of
language was surmounted. we could
get along with Essad and came al
most 10 trust him. He had an unus-
ual gift OF picturesque description
which often even survived the de-
pressing results OF Interpretation
and translation. He utilized this
TO the top OF his bent in HIS account
Of the Italian retreat from Durazzo
which while not historically correct
was one of the most amusing stories
with which the weary jaded con-
ferees RECALLED their few idle mo-
ments.
Destroyed His Horses.
According TO Essad. he was out
wood-cock shooting when the up
roar came. The Austrians suddenly
advanced. apparently fearing that
the bridge was mined, according to
Essad. the Italians wild with fear.
shouting Santa Madonna" threw
themselves into the stream and were
drowned or trampled each other 10
death The little port had 10 be
evacuated and a small sailing ship
was assigned to Essad for his family
and his staff But my horses"
shouted Essad. They were these
same chargers, the very apples of
his eyes, the solace OF his horse
loving heart, and one OF them.
thoroughbred from old Kentucky.
had cost him a hundred thousand
francs before IL swan ashore a
Scutari.
santa Madonna" was the ulti-
matum OF the Italian commander.
Your horses must he destroyed;
they must not be allowed 10 fall in
10 the hands OF the enemy" And be-