Evening star., 1939-04-08
Rome
Continued From First Page)

inals who, the dispatches said, King
Zog had let out of Jail.
1t appeared evident that Italy,
which for years supported Zog in
order to control Albania-5ust 40
miles across the Adriatic Sea from
Italy-Was finally finished with the
monarch and would listen to no pro-
posal coming from him.
Zog's last proposition was dis
missed in official dispatches as a
"subterfuge to play for time" 1t
was made to Gen. Guzzoni. head of
the invading army, and transmitted
to Premier Mussoiini. 1t was be-
lieved to involve acceptance Of an
italian protectorate if Albania were
accorded modicum of independ-
ence and permitted to retain mon
archy. Diplomats thought Musso-
lini would not deign to answer the
proposal.
The Fascist press made 1t clear,
however, that the most important
aspect of Italy,s quick thrust was
that it was an answer OF the Rome
Berlin axis to plans Of democracles
to "encircle Germany and Italy to
halt their expansion
First reports of the action against
Albania mystified Italians who
thought Albania was completely
under Italian domination. Jubila-
ton and excitement were virtually
absent here.
Considerable apprehension was
felt in foreign circles here for for
eigners in Tirana. The United
States Embassy in Rome had tried
vainly for two days to establish COM
munications with the Tirana Lega-
ton.
Independent reports said there
were destructive bombardments OF
Albanian towns by 400 Italian war
planes and Warship guns, under
whose cover the troops landed.
British Protest Reported.
Great Britain was reported to
have protested against the invasion
but information from abroad indi-
Gated neither Britain nor France
was disposed to make an issue of
VIC oStlOii.
Scant sympathy was expressed III
foreign circles here for Zog, who rose
to power through support of Yugo-
slavia and then jumped into the
Italian orbit. One of the numerous
attempts at justification put forth
for the invasion was that the mon
arch was pocketing large part Of
the money Italy advanced Albania
In diplomatic quarters it was be-
lieved Mussolini would have clear
sailing in taking over Albania.
The British and French were said
to feel II Duce has had full control
of Albania for years and that France
and Britain have few direct interests
there.
Diplomats centered attention OF
whether Mussolini, once installed in
Albania, might make an immediate
further thrust. Yugoslavia ano
Grece border on Albania. Diplomats
wondered whether Italy, in his
turn at Rome-Berlin axis action,
would move against the Greek Island
of Corfu, off the southern tip of Al.
bania and considered of strategic
value in control of the mouth of the
Adriatic.
Mussolini bombarded and occu-
pied Corfu in 1924 in a dispute with
Greece, but was forced to withdraw
by diplomatic action of outside
powers.
The former Albanian prefect of
Durazzo, Marco Khodeli, appealed to
Albanlans in broadcast not to Of
fer further resistance to Italian
troops. He said Italy had been un-
able to tolerate King Zog's "duplicity
and deceit" any longer and had de-
cided to act for the welfare of AL
banians. He described Zog and his
family as vampires preying on a
disgraced people and declared Mus
solini was the real friend of the Al
panian people and would keep his
promise to maintain Albania as a
united and independent country.
Zog was pictured in the Italian press
as having tried to get Italian help
to attack Yugoslavia.