Evening star., 1924-03-16


since entering the organization.
Sitting down. I had time to OBJ
serve our surroundings and found
that we were in a one-room thatch.
ed cottage barely high enough TO
stand up in and not more than ten
feet square. An open fire was burn.
ing and Alexandroff began to ex-
plain why no led this life. He had
only one idea, and that is the uiti-
mate proclamation of an autonomous
| Macedonia with its capital at Sa
1oniki.
He declares that the popuIatio,,
will not tolerate being ruled by Ser
bians, Greeks or Bulgarians, and
that as the first two countries have
refused to allow the people any lib
erty in speech or religion, only an
armed struggle can bring them
what they want
Concerning his resources in nu-
nttions and men, he said that, as the
Macedonians' object was not to annex
any territory, but only to make life
| Impossible for the ruling authori-
ties, irregular warfare was their
means OF struggle. Thus they did
| not need to have any artillery. II
was on foot that they would wage
their battle, although mountain
ponies could be used if required.
They had large supply of rifles.
bombs and ammunition"
Z K
"A > to the strength of his force.
Aleko Pasha stated to the CORE
spondenr that in Macedonia alone he
can mobilize approximately 10000
men. But out of that number only a
rev thousands, divided in bands, are
IN actual service. He is counting On
all the disgruntled elements OF the
country, to which are added now the
Turks of Macedonia In case OF a
general rising, however, it is expected
| that many thousands now in Bulgaria
! would flock to his colors.
Blood is thicker than water. and no
! matter how much Aleko Pasha pro-
tests against any understanding be-
tween himself and people in Bulgaria,
IL Is a foregone conclusion that his
movement is looked upon with favor
within the Bulgarian kingdom. And
he is also known to have thousands
OF Macedonian and Bulgarian adher-
ents in the United States, as well, who
are counted upon to supply him with
American dollars. In the early stages
or the Macedonian struggle many
band was recruited and organized in
America, and the central committee
has had branches in this country, too.
Such are the undertakings, aspira-
tions and achievements of the man
who has founded the super-govern.
ment of Macedonia. Ii now remains
to be seen how this absolute car Of
the mountains exercises such un-
paralieled authority. and how he
makes the people of the plains heed
his transmontane DEGREES, in defianc.
Of the local authorities.
The system is as simple as il is
gruesome. Aloko Pasha maintains
his authority through summary exc
cutions. His organization removes
any person or persons who are hostile
to its aims. Indeed, the Times CORE
spondent was allowed to read the list
of those condemned to death because
they disobeyed the orders of the com
mittee. Several of them had already
been executed. and .Alexandrofr as
sured the correspondent that the turn
, OF the others would surely come.
The method adopted is the same as in
other secret societies. The person charged
| in which to carry out his task II he
| fails he is killed himself The death
sentence is usually preceded by at least
one letter of warning, but in certain
! cases is carried out Immediately.
| The DEGREES of Aleko Pasha have
extra-territorial effect as well. Through
the unofficial representatives he Is main
tanning in the various Balkan capitals
he is regularly informed of the activi-
ties of the committees enemies.
Last summer Tcako Daskaloff, for
merly Bulgarian minister to Czecho-
| slovakia, was executed" ii Prague sy
order of Aleko Pasha.
The wintry day was drawing 10
clos<. and it was time TO take leave OF
!
concludes. "Alexandroff assumed his
| favorfte posture-sitting cross-iegged,
| with head we'll back, eyes half-closed
and hands stretched forward toward tin
| fire. An expression OF grim austerity
comes over his face, and to see him thus
f; is to carry away an unforgettabie i'm
| preston OF & very remarkable man. The
/ whole visit sserned like p dream. Was
| 1t possible that such an organization
| could exist in the twentieth century?
!! was quickly brought back to reality on
| stepping outside of the house. Snow was
! falling. and a band was drawn up on
/ parade. It's leader had distinguished
/ himself in a recent skirmish with the
ruling authorities. and Alexandroff, in a
short speech. presented him with the
order of merit. The men were all young,
six feet and more high: they cheerei
their leader and then fled silently away.
| A few minutes later Alexandroff set Off
on twenty-kilometer march to an
other hamlet to continue his preaching
Of Macedonia for the Macedonians.'
THE apprehension felt in Washing
ton circles in connection with
the official bulletin issued by the Ser
bian legation on February Is was
amply justified by the latest events.
Evidently the bulletin was issued
in order to prepare public opinion
abroad for the coming action AL
most simultaneously with the issuing
Of the communique Serbian troops
were concentrated on the Bulgarian
frontier. To avert the imminent in