Evening star., 1937-05-23
BY WILLIAM WATERS.


~ dom OF Albania was finally
4 4 rocked by an open revolt on
the part of dissatisfied groups in the
nations poverty-stricken population
led by Ethem Toto. formerly minister
OF the interior and one of the King
most trusted friends. With the out
break of the revolt came the first
general indication that all is not well
in the land of King Zog.
Seldom visited by more than a hun.
dred American tourists each year
almost completely unknown to trav-
elers, Albania nevertheless remains a
land of great Importance to the
peace Of Europe and to the world by
virtue OF its strategic position on the
Adrlatlc-"across the street from
Italy and next-door neighbor to
Greece and Yugoslavia For MANY
years one OF the danger spots of the
Balkans. 1t stands today as a dyna-
mite keg which, when fired. may be
the signal for more trouble than
European diplomatic circles are gen.
orally prepared to meet.
Freedom Their Fetish.
To bring TO understand the pres
ent situation, it is necessary to know
several basic facts about the country
and the people who live in it, Long
conquered and held in bondage by
the Turks, it was not until Novem-
ber. 1912, that Albanias beloved
patriot, small Kemal, proclaimed the
independence Of his people at Va
Iona. 1t was hard-Won victory. and
ever since the Albanian people have
valued freedom more than life itself
Albanian freedom, however, has
been nothing but legal fiction for
the last II years. In the latter
months of 1925 what diplomats call
an understanding" and what OBJ
servers have since called a deal was
reached between Benito Mussolini
and the British government. AS a re-
ward for recognizing British rights
IN the Lake Tana region of Ethi-
opia (and also for promising to re-
strain his imperialistic designs in
Africa II Duce got a free hand TO
OBTAIN direct control over Albania.
Apparently feeling assured that the
British would not let the matter
come before the League Of Nations
Italy forced the conclusion of the
f1rst treaty Of Tirana in November.
1926.
Zog Took the Halter.
BY this treaty Ahmed Zo2l Rev
uater to be known as King Zoe)
swallowed his native pride, became
puppet of Fascist Italy and trans
formed Albania into an Italian pro-
tectorate and a virtual colonv of
Rome. Italian officers took charge of
Albania's barefooted troops. Italian
guns, ammunition, surveyors and
geologlsts were rushed across the
Adratic. Mussolini's Occupation of
Albania had serious repercussions in
4ugoslavla and other Balkan states.
but Great Britain's silent approval
OF the Trana horsetrade prevented
any successful opposition to Italian
penetration of Albania. Evidently
iron and other mineral resources, as
well as oil. were not discovered in
anything like the quantities that
Rome had hoped for, and Italian ac-
tivlty In Albania tapered of during
the last three years.
Italian imperialists lost much in
terest IN its conquest last year when
Ethiopia, far greater reward, COM
manded their attention. But little
incidents have kept reminding the
Albanans that their mountainous
country still is the object of i'm
perialistic designs. In Italy last
Spring, for example, the students at
a large university staged a parade
demanding that Mussolini immediate
ly annex Albania for the honor of
Italy and the King.
Italy's Warning in 1895.
In the Fall of 1885 a feet of Italian
warshlps drew into the Durazzo Har-
Dor, and freshly uniformed Fascist
soldiers prepared to debark, while
Observation-Disclosures as we'll as in
dignant-watched. Their object. it
was assumed, was to send fear into
the hearts of Albanians. possibly to
impress them sufficiently to obtain
further trade concessions for Italian
interests. While King Zog and his
cabinet withdrew fearfully to discuss
the matter, the English legation had
the presence of mind to act imme-
diately, and dangerous situation
was at an end. Ten days later, when
a British warship paid a friendly call
on Valona, the crew was royalty en-
tertained by the grateful citizens, who
feted them at the nearby mountain
resort of Llogara.
At Kucova, in the south of Albania
not far from Aggro- Kastro, the scene
Of the latest trouble, the Italians
have model village There are rich
oil fields on large scale, owned and
largely manned by Italians. The vii
lage does contain a percentage of
native workers: but their Italian CO.
workers are housed. fed and paid in
excess Of the Albanian laborers. En-
trance is prohibited to Albanians and
strangers without official permit; it is
truly "a bit of Italy abroad"
And so these aspects of foreign in
terests are forever reminding the peo-
pie that their independence is at stake
Italian airlines control the air; Ital-
ian and other foreign craftsmen make
geological surveys while native Al
banians, skilled in the same arts and
often trained abroad, remain unem-