The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-02
MORE TERRITORY M A IN OBJECTIVE
 0F ITALY'S MOVE
Other European Nations Equally Ambitious May Be-
 come Involved
By OTIS PEABODY SWIFT Leased Wire to The Age-HeraIdl


 NEW YORK, Sept. 1.-There is a striking parallel between the mur- ders. the ultlmatum. and the war movements of the past few days, and those which, in July, 1914, preceded the great European conflagration.
 The Greco Italian crisis arose when Greece contested the line laid down as the Greco-Italian frontier. An international commission was ap- pointed to fix this line. Five Italians. members and servants of the comnis- sion, were shot from ambush, near Epirus, on the co-Albanian bor- der,
 Mussolini blamed Greece Italy de- olared Athens instigated the assASsi- nations. Rome sent an ultimatum to Athens, demanding s2,166,000 indem- nity and an abtect apology. Greece refused three of the seven points, in- cluding payment. Italy acted. strik- ing at Corfu.
 population her limited resources can not feed. At Plume, tip of the Adri- atfc, she is constantly squabbiing with Jugoslavia, her neighbor, over the control of this gic port. Italy would like to expand eastward. and J' goslavia shall not create an Adrt- atic port which might be a naval base in future wars against Italy.
 These two nations are principals in bitter diplomatic warfare for Ad- riatic dominance. This factor explains the Italian interest in the Albanian frontier.
 MussoIini's Real Objective.
 Benito Mussolini, grim fighter, shrewd propagandist. and theatrical character of romance. is virtual dic- of hSg a force and glamor. Since he swept into power in a bloodless revolution last October. he has had difficult fight aiigning conflicting Italian po- litical elements behind him, Turmoil among fascisti, socialists and mem- bers of the powerful church party, have frequently threatened a serious split. Mussolini knows that nothing unites country as swiftly as the threat of war
 The Grecian- navy now consists of an old American dreadnaught headed by the "Kalkis' (of the old United States ship New Jersey classl, and a half dozen antiquated toy de- stroyers.
 Yet the beaten Greeks are proud. with 6 fierce Oriental pride little understood in the Occident If any fight, she would certainly rather fight than submit to Italian demands
 o o o
 May spread To Others.
 Today the Balkan crisis has reached a point where nations beyond the Adriatic may become involved. With actual war threatening, Jugoslavias g inclination would be to join Greece if Italy threatened to occupy AL bania. Her first act would be to seize Plume.
 Bulgaria and Turkey would not re- main inactive should Greece become involved in war, Both would dash for the coveted port of Salonika, pos sibly as allies, with the plan of split ting Macedonia and Occidental Thrace between them. Jugoslavla. jealous also of Salonika, would be forced to rush troops there to defend Greece.
 Hungary, with militarist designs and vengeful grief over lost terri tories. would see an oportunity to seize Pennsylvania; Roumania would find the moment ideal for a thrust at her former Dubroja district, now held by Bulgaria.
 Prediction is impossible in the rap idly moving crisis. But all materials of new Balkan war await the torch. It would be difficult for England and France, both with vast investments in the Balkans, to remain aloof from such a conflict.