The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-08-26
BALKAN PENINSULA
 CONSTITUTES MENACE
By EDWARD c. STRUT, International News Service Staff Col
 reSDOnlent

 respondent.
 Rome, Aug. 26.-A prominent AL banian citizen, Sotir Gjika. who has just returned from a visit to his na- tive country, has favored me with the following statement on the Bal kan situation:
 '"The Balkan peninsula even after the World War, constitutes a stand The fundamental trouble is that the bungling encouragement of the Bal keaI:s, as it has emerged from the various peace treaties, places Serbia in a position of undiscussed and un- deserved supremacy over the other Balkan peoples.
 therefore, be regarded as lasting, be- case 1t is not based on justice and utterly disregards claims of thou snds who have shed their blood for the exception of occasional violent disturbances which take place ill Jugo-Slavia between opposing ten dencies and factions, it may be said ent throughout the Balkan peninsula. Iris An Ominous Calm. But 'tis only the ominous calm that precedes a storm; for the down trodden peoples, Albanians, Montene- grins, Bulgarians, etc, who have been handed over bound hand and foot to Serbia and Greece by the treaties will sooner or later rebel against their
 
 who have benefited most of all from the generosity of the victors, have no intention of giving up their ambitious designs on AihaDla which they intend selves.
 Bulgaria. exhausted by the war and busily engaged in the work of reconstruction, does not deem it pru- ment to turn her Macedonian 'comi- tajis' loose on Serbia for final de cisfon. The Albanian Government, in tent on reorganizing the country which has only just emerged from the century long domination of the Turk, is animated by the most sincere desire for peace.
 '.It may even be stated that should Greeks and Serbs withdraw beyond the frontier-line of 1913, respecting to future the Albanian frontier as laid down by the Conference of London, Albania would be only too glad to maintain an attitude of strict neu- trality, devoting itself entirely to re- constructive work in the common in terest of all Balkan people. In no ease however, would Albania aban- don to their fate those of her children who, owing to the injustice of the Powers, have remainded under for eign domination.
 "In spite of the bellicose spirit which is one of the characteristics of all Balakn peoples, 1t may be said l that cCmDaratlVe calm now IelS IlS Throughout the peninsula. Frontier warfare between Alhanians and Serbs | has ceased, as also has the guerrilla fighting between conaitajis and Serbi- anan garrisons in Macedonia, The situation has also somewhat improved | in the district of Koasoro. which has always been the scene of fierce en- eounters between Albanian insurgents and Serbs. But the latter have not giyen up their policy of systematic | n,assaeres suppressing as many Alba alan patriots as fall into their hands. 1 ..'Thers are about one million Alba ntans in the district Of Kossovo, and | their presence constitutes an insur- mountable obsteaie to. the realization of Serbia's ambitious designs in Ma | cedonia and in Northern Albania | '.As regards the situation in Monte negro. it is extremely grave, and it is tnot exaggeration to say that the inde- lnendence of this unfortunate and he-