The Alaska daily empire., 1923-05-14
TINY NATION
 STANDS ALONE
Loneliest Country Is Bulgaria Is Repelled by Her
 Naughty Neighbors.

SOFIA, Bulgaria, May 14.-Bulgaria is tine fonelfest country in the world. Surrounded by nations she fought against in the great war, bereft through Bolshevism of the help and guidance of her natural protector, Russia, she is without an ally in continent of ententes, pacts and al Ilianccs. She has been striving to win back tho friendship of her next-door neighbors, Jugo Slayia and Rouma- nia, but they have proved luke warm to her advances. Soviet Russia has been only too eager to offer the little Balkan state it's hand of friendship and support, but Bufgaria's rulers know that to accept it would mean a further estrangement from the allies.
 For more than three years the country has been directed by Alexan- der Stambulisky, the peasant, who was released from convict prison in 1918 to quell an army mutiny and overthrow the Czar Ferdinand. He is Bulgaria's strong man. not only by virtue of his own rugged powerful
 
 the Agranian Party, which swamps all others in parliament Stambulisky told King Ferdinand in 1915 that if he thrust Bulgaria into war with the Allics. he would lose his head. The King told Stambulisky that he would lose his own bead, and threw him into jail.
 Bulgaria is a nation of peasants. More than foursfffths of the country's five millions work on the land. The |peasants have little sympathy with Bolshcvism. Thoy arc determined to permit no reactionary movements. Of the forces of reaction, there are communists in Sofia and other towns, and there arc paid Soviet emssaries all over the land There still are discontented Bulgars who look upon Ferdinand as their rightful King. Tn the event of a coup by any of these forces the people have threatened to sct up a dictatorship of the peasants. 1 Prcmicr Stambulisky stands for a constftut ional monarchy, and the present King, Boris, acts in all ways as constitutional monarch, in strong contrast with the autocracy of his father, Ferdinand. Boris is the youngest King in Europe. being only 2S. Of medium height, dark complex ion, intollectual features, and an alert mind. he resembles an American college student He is an accomp. lishcd linguis., speaking Bulgarian, English. French, Italian, German, Spanish and Russian. He resembles in temperament his Bourbon mother rather than his German father.
 Boris enjoys great popularity among his peasants After spending the morning at his desk, he motors out to the country nearly every after. noon and spends some time among them Informal and casual talks with thcm arc his great hobby. He listens patiently to their complaints and sug lgest;ons, and is quick to redress every grievance.
 Tho youthful monarch's great pas time is railroad engineering. In his summer palace at Vranja, near Sofia is Dccauville narrow gauge rail road built largely by hmself. He is a skilled engine-driyer and has taken scientific course in mechanics and engineering. His proudest possession is a miniature locomotive presented to him as a youth by Charles R lChane of Chicago. The locomotive is a model of those used on all the big lAmerican railroad systems, and is easily the most striking exhibit in the Kings big collection of souvenirs and trophies.