Evening star., 1927-10-09
EYES OF EUROPE
TURN TO BALKANS
Halt Dozen Nations Again
Fill Role of Kilkenny Cats
in Trouble Bag.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
BELGRADE. Jugoslavia.-T half
dozen nations which fill up the Balkan
bag are the Kilkenny cats of Europe.
Italian.Jugoslav military disturb
ances at cara, Jugoslavia's effort to
build up her air service, 1taly's op-
position to disarmament proposals ad-
vanced by the United States, and the
treaty of Tirana have turned the eyes
of Europe again to the steaming pot
of the Balkans, where the World War
was brewed.
Tension between Italy and Jugo-
slavia has been growing since the
treaty of Tirana gave Italy a virtual
protectorate over Albania. How
serious it is, is Indicated by the fact
that any attempt to talk Italian here
in the capital of Jugloslavia is greeted
with stony silence. The Italian gov
ernment has sent notes to the British,
French and German governments,
threat ening war in the event of a Ju.
goslav attack on Albania.
Italian Protectorate Feared
bania in quarters which fear that an
Italian protectorate means q loss of
Albanian independence They point
to the action Of Italy in landing troops
on the Island of Saseno, in Volona
Harbor. as being more of menace to
their independence than protection
of their territorial integrity against
invasion from the North.
On the other hand Italian diplo-
mats believe their duce, Mussolini
has scored q diplomatic victory in
Albania. They call it another
achievement to add to his previous
Shattering Of the Francophile lit
tie entente. by ratifying the treaty
recognizing the cesson of Bessa
rabia to Rumania, and by his win.
ming Of Bulgarian sympathy.
Hungary and Jugoslavia have
their own difficulties over Hungary s
desire to use Fiume as a port. Count
Bethlen of Hungary has had CONVEX
sations with Mussolini, sounding him
on Italy's views. Under the peace
treaties Hungary lost her chief port
at Trieste and the whole of her coast
on the Adriatic. Hungary has now
arranged, despite Jugoslavia opposi-
ton, for facilities for her traffic in
AiiS ppit VI
Lcros Another Gibraltar.
The Island of Leros, one Of the
"12 islands" of the Aegean Sea, has
become an Italian Gibraltar. Italy,
which has occupied the island pro.
visionally' since the 1talo-Turkish
war in 1912, has made it almost i'm
pregnable. For fear that informa-
tion about the Notifications may get
out, inhabitants of the island are for.
bidden. under fire of 80 lire, to possess
camera without permission of the
italian authorities. g.
JugOslaVia is retorting by building
up its air force. twenty-five Neusatz
airplanes were recently added to the
nations sky feet. Capt. Sondcrmayer
and Lieut.. Baydak recently took off
from Noyi Sad, chief Jugoslavian air
drome, on a flight to India, as part of
the campaign to create a useful air
force.
Turkey fears that Italy's rapidly
increasing population will want to
spread to Anatolia at Turkeys ex-
pense. For this reason Turkey breads
an Anglo. Italian combination, and is
spending more than half her budget
on her army. Turkey at the same
time is pressed with the need of main
tanning friendly relations with Soviet
Russia, because of the long and diff
cult border of Kurdistan.
Greece Is lying low until an oppor-
tune moment arises. The collapse Of
her army in 1922 at the lands of"tho
Turks taught her lesson she has not
forgotten.