The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-10-13

tOur O1 tDe tAuO over WulGH AAhS war threat hangs.
 BY MILTON BRONNER NEA European Stan Correspondent London, Oct. 13--Beneath the surface run ugly currents of ancient hatreds, but to the traveller who reckons not of this, Yugo-Slavia is land of rare charm.
 He notes little of the bitterness seething among minorities when cry of Serb oppression as he goes from beauty spot to beauty spot in that country so favored by na- ture, now threatened by rebellion following the assassination of King Alexander l.
 The traveller has missed much who never has seen Dubrovnik, , that ancient town far down on the Dalmatian coast. It is known in history as Raguso, but has beer rechristened since Dalmatia passed from Austrian sway to that of [ EYugo- -SIavia.
 Seen from the sea, it looks | like a Mediterranean Italian town but the bulk of the population IS pure Slav.
 It dates. back. to the seventh ! century. There was a time when | 1t called itself a republic and was a sort of Dalmatian Venice-wltn- out the canals. It traded with the east. It sents it's ships all over the Adriatic and the Mediterranean.
 They Still Are Ragusans
 Even to this day the people dc not call themselves Dalmatians They are Ragusans.
 | The old city is one of the most perfect walled, town in Europe Il Within those walls and towers where every inch of soil was pre- Il cious. the Ragusans built theti I houses close together, huddleo around their churches.
 The narrow streets-,-too narrow for passage of any vehicle = give coolness in the hot summer season and protection from the icy winds Il and rains in the winter.
 The newest houses in the old town are about 250 years old. Some date back 500 years. But Ragusa has outgrown the walled city There is a newer town outside the walls, not half so picturesque oi charming.
 Charm Sinks Deep
 | Let the tourist be warned. If he goes to Dubrovnik, he may moi want to come away ever. He Will become a lotus-eater and dream and dream the hours away in the hot sunshine.
 He will sit on balcony from which a marvellous picture will be spread before him. Above, deer blue sky. In the distance beyond a matching turquoise blue = the tapping waters of the calm Adriatis sea. At his back the tall Dalmatiar mountains, up whose slopes tnt new town perilously creeps.
 Below him the ancient town witt its walls, towers and forts. Hi lungs will breathe an insidious air cm balmed by the salt sea, the breath of the mountains. the heady scent of pines, frs, cypress ane Towering oleanders. I l Only the Bora is Evil He will dine in a semi-tropit garden under the rustling leaves Q, tall palm trees. Only one thing vii ever break him from his idle lethargy--the Bora.
 The natives curse 1t and witt reason. It is the keen cold wind that sometimes comes raging ane tearing from the mountain tops. | From this ancient Dalmatiar coast town it is possible to take two excursions which are bound tt surprise even the most blase trav. eler-one to the island of deer silence the other to the miniture town of shrill noises. }a; | Linked With Famed Names | Just a half mile out of the har. bor of Dubrovnik lies the little island of Lokrum. It stands out ir the blue Adriatic like an emerald of deep green hue. Two famous names are connected with 1t. | Centuries ago, when Richard Occur de Lion, King of England after his victorious crusade against the Moslems, suddenly started home to quelr rebellion in his owr kingdom, he was wrecked in tho Adriatic and had a narrow escape from drowning.
 He landed on Lokrum and pro. posed to found a church there 1T Thanksgiving, but was later per suaded to build on the mainland.
 Home of Maximilian
 In the middle of the nineteenth century. Lokrum fell under the eyt of Archduke Maximilian, brother of the late Emperor Franz Jose of the old Austro- Hungarian em. Epire. Maximilian chose it as hi! summer home and built sfnal I chateau right in the center. | Afterward, encouraged by thu French, he went to Mexico, backed by French arms, and made himself emperor. but later, when the Mexi. cans rebelled, he was executed
 But long before his fall. he had sent back to Lokrum many sub. ltropical Mexican plants and flow. CTS. He always dreamed of return. ing to his island paradise.