Evening star., 1924-04-09

I they were carrying, and. in spite of
the urgency of Bulgaria that they
join the other Balkans in fighting the
Turk in 1876, most Of the AIbanians
sided with the Turks and fought for
them Again in 1877. when Russia
fought Turkey, the Albanians were
| on the side of their Moslem oppres-
sorS. At the close of that war they
plotted to divide Albania between
| Montenegro and Bulgaria. She was
| saved" by the great powers-Eng--
land. France, Germany, Italy and
Russia-and continued as unit un-
der Turkey until her independence IN
!! 1912, In the second Balkan war AL
bania remained neutral and was
therefore, invaded by Greece and
Italy, which did not trust the Alba
nian Moslems.
In 1918 the great powers selected
Prince William of Wied as Albanian
king. He was a captain in the Prus-
, sian army, thirty-five years old. with
no administrative experience -
nephew of the Queen of Rumania
and cousin of the Queen of Holland
/ He lasted less than a year. and was
quick to flee back to Prussia when
the world war came on, the next year
Nd more imported kings being
available during the world war, Italy
practically took possession or the
country with her army, for no con
fidence was felt in Albanian faith
though she promised to fight with
| the allies. ,
/ At the close of the war 1T looked
as though Italy would claim all of
: the land, but the peace conference
Albania, for she had not friend in
! Europe, but TO maintain the balance
of power and prevent Italy's excess
gain while she was demanding f1ume
! just north OF Albania
!. 4 X
| Her present government is neither
a monarchy nor republic. The peo'
ple vote for an assembly Of seventy
eight members. the assembly votes
for four regents. The regents selec'
a prime minister and the prime min
I lister selects his cabinet, and the cabl'
net initiates all Legislation for the
approval of the assembly. The pres
ent government has been duly recoe'
nized by the great powers OF Eutopt
and by the United States, and All naVs
ministers at the Albanian capltai
Albania has only consul here-lo-
, Gated in New York.
/ X X
! The little country has true frienc
i-Rev. G. Telford Erickson, d. D.-th'
first missionary sent there by the
American board of foreign missions
DR.. Erickson does not limit his mis-
I sionary work to preaching, but has
| recently gotten from the government
| a concession of 5000 acres of fins
! land. on which he is establishing
/ an Agricultural and vocational train
/ ing school for 200 boys, and I'm
| SEPARATE part of the tract) Schoo
! for training girls in domestic arts
The government is permitted thlrlE.
! six free scholarships for boys anc
| girls of its own choice, and after
| a few years the government viii heir
! subsidiZe the institution. After TWEEN
| ty-five years all the property vii
| revert to the public, unless the
| American management Is stllI he4c
! to be desirable.
! Under the present regime of tho
/ country a system Of 200 common
! schools with high school and
| technical and IA normal school have
! been established. Negotiations for al
! American loan are under way, will
! the understanding that part of tbs
! loan will support the schools anC
! part remain on deposit in the United
! States as security for an Albanian
! currency to be created.
! During the war, occupying armie!
-Austrians and Italians-built some
| good roads The country possesse:
! neither railroads, telegraphs nor tele,
| phones, but is hoping for better
| things-if American capital Will help
tCopyrfcht 1924 by Paul V Collins