Evening star., 1926-12-09

Dy means or the customary procedure
Of diplomacy.
1.-The details Of this peaceful pro-
cedure will be determined and laid
down in a special convention which
Is to be concluded in the shortest pos
sible time by the high contracting
parties.
"'Article 4. This pact is to remain
In force for five years and may be
denounced Or renewed one year be-
fore the date Of expiration.
Article s. This pact, after due
the League of Nations. Ratifications
are to be exchanged at Rome
1926"
The crux of the pact is in the sec.
ond clause of article 2. binding AL
bania not to make any other political
or military pact with any other ma
ton. 1t Is construed that under the
general terms of the pact Italy will
hold the right to invade Albania with
armed forces at any time when she
construes that Albanian Independence
under the italian protectorate Is
Jeopardtzed. No secret clauses exist.
for the treaty itself is sufficient.
When the Turks invaded Europe I'm
tribes of Albania successfully resisted
them for "a years under the leadership
OF their hero. Scanderbeg, but after
Scanderbeg's death in 1474 Turkey
finally conquered. While Turkey was
fighting the Balkan War in 1912
lsmael Kemal proclaimed Albanian
independence and set up a govern.
ment at Valona. The following year
rival government was set up by
ch ok
the outbreak of the World War the
two rivals were persuaded to with
oraw by European international
commission Of control and Prince
William OF Wied was proclaimed
klng, but upon the outbreak of the
World War he withdrew to fight in
the German army. Thereupon Essad
Pasha usurped the throne again.
In 1920. the Albanians revolted
against Essad and set up a republic,
organized for resistance to the oc.
cupying Italian army. There was
severe controversy in the settlement
OF the question Of independence of
both Albania and Fiume-the latter
just north Of Albania. President VIII.
son contended for their independence
under the protectorate Of the League
OF Nations. D'Annunzio, the Italian
ultra.nationalist, captured Fiume and
dened even the organized government
OF his own Italy to displace his posses
sion on behalf of Italy. He was finally
ousted by the Italian regular army.
but Fiume was given to Italy by the
peace settlement. and its territory ex-
tended northward until 1t touched
Italian territory. Fiume and Albania
are bounded on the east by Jugo-
slavia.
Italy has not rested content with
Albanian independence; during the
peace negotiations Of 1919, it was pro.
posed, ana strongly supported, that
Italy might be given a mandate over
nearly all of Albania If she would
modify her demand for actual annexa.
tion Of Fiume. Greece was to be given
Valona and some southern parts of
Albania, while Italy would take over
the rest, but the Albanians uttered
such vigorous protests and strong de-
mands for autonomy that, when
President Wilson intervened, that plan
was dropped.
The present President Of the Con.
stituent Assembly. Ahmed Bey Zogu.
was elected in January. 1925, and he
Immediately introduced a new consti-
tuition, adopted in March. 1925.
The new government consists Of a
OcIidlo VI 10 IIleUlD6TS, D Oh whom are
appointed by the President, and q
Chamber Of 60 elected members. Tho
President retains the veto without ap-
peal, and II the Parliament fails to
give the cabinet a vote of confidence
the President may dissolve Parliament
and call for a new election.
The Albanian budget has never
balanced under independence. so
money has been borrowed from italy,
and Italians own the Albanian Ma
tional Bank. Yet the government has
always shown leaning toward Jugo-
slavia. and popular sympathy extends
| toward Jugoslavia, rather than toward
the feared Italians.
The population Of less than a mil.
lion consists of Catholics. 15 per
cent; Orthodox, 25 per cent, and
Moslem, 60 per cent. More than rs
per cent are illiterate. but all are
sturdy mountaineers and hard fighters,
with the feudtendency Of the less
advanced races.
1t Is outlined that in case of hos
| tilities the lineup will involve, on one
side. Italy. Greece and Bulgaria, and
on the other. Albania, Jugoslavia and
France. In the light Of such a lineup,
| the charge that last months treaty
giving Italy protectorate over
Albania was forced upon a weak and
helpless nation is alleged. and the
| response from France and Jugoslavia
! may be watched.
(Copytsht. 1926. By Paul v. coilins.l