The New York herald., 1922-08-14
A Nation Dies as One Is Born.

A Nation Dies as One is Born.
When the Council of Ambassadors
at its session in Paris last month
ratified the report of the interna-
tional commission which fixed the
boundaries of the South Slav State
il definitely recognized the merger of
Montenegro into Greater Serbia. Get
TIME ceased to be European cap
ital and Montenegro passed as an in
dependent nation. BY it's ratification
Of the commissions report on the
Serbo-Albanian frontier the coun-
ell also recognized the existence of
Albania as State. With the recent
recognition by Secretary HUGHES of
the Albanian Government, recog-
milton long desired and much sought
by the Albanians, the place in the
world of the new State of Albania
has been well established.
1t seems a peculiar dispensation of
fate that at the time when the Mon
tenegrins are losing statehood the
Albanians, their enemies for CEN
turies, should acquire it. Both are
ancient Balkan peoples, the Albanians
being perhaps the descendants of the
Illyrians Of Roman times, the Mon
tenegrins one of the branches of the
Serb people who came to Europe i'll
an early emigration from Asia. The
Montenegrins are descendants of
those Serb survivors of the disastrous
battle Of Kossovo in 1889 who found
safety and freedom in the Black
Mountains. In this way they were.
always neighbors of the Albanians
and separated from them only by an
indefinite border upon which both
were continually encroaching and
over which both carried on an inces
SAINT guerrilla warfare.
The Montenegrins have a history
rich in traditions of their struggles
against the Turks. These Black
Mountaineers remained unconquered
when all the remainder of the Bal
kans had been subjugated by the Sui
tan's armies. They were for centu-
ries a western bulwark against the
advance of the Moslem. The Monte
negrin chieftains' deeds of valor, like
those of all the Serb races, were
preserved in folk legend and story and
told by their Homeric bards to the
music of the guzla at all their public
meeting places. 1t was this constant
recital of past heroism which in
spired the Montenegrin's loyalty to
his race and his State, loyalty
which gives to his passing an ele-
ment of pathos.
But people cannot always live by
| fighting Turks. The Montenegrins'
last battles with this hereditary en-
emy were fought in the Balkan wars.
Old King NICHOLAS realized the great
Serb ambition when in his bright
new inform and with his breast dec
Grated with medals and orders he rode
at the head of his troops into Sou
tari and took possession of this COW
eted city. Europe decided it was
not to be his but that he must give
1t up to the Albanians. The world
war came, the Austrians swept over
the country, and for the first time
the Montenegrin capital was in pos
session of an enemy-and NICHOLAS,
their King, fed from his people, seek
ing an asylum in foreign land.
Again Europe acted. This time it de-
cided that there should no longer be
a Montenegro.
The present venture is not the
Albanians' drst trial of Statehood.
In 1914 the Powers that were sent
young Prince WILLIAM of Wied to
Durazzo, gave him the Albanian title
for king, Mpret, and told him to rule
the country. The Albanians knew
nothing Of him and he knew as little
of the Albanians. His reign lasted for
few months and he was willing to
abandon his throne. EssAD Pasha
then went to live in the palace which
had been fitted up for the prince
and remained there. imagining him
self king, until the Austrian invasion
ousted him. After the war pro-
visional State was formed and pro-
visional government took charge Of
affairs. It kept peace and order
through a turbulent period and re-
linquished what power it had to the
present Government
The State which has been formed
is thus the first substantially organ
lied independent rule which the AL
banians have had. Its future rests
largely in their hands They have
some natural resources, but their
lands need development and the peo-