Evening star., 1949-03-26
Troublesome Albania

In the complex Balkan situation which
produces so many diplomatic headaches
these days, Albania plays part quite dis
proportionate to its size and intrinsic
strength. And unfortunately its role is
that of troublemaker alike to its imme-
diate neighbors and to the Western Powers
Under a pint-sized dictator named Enver
Hoxha, Albania proclaims its devoted
loyalty to the Moscow dominated Comm
form and is repeatedly being given Russian
aid to make it citadel of Communist
strength.
Just how Hoxha keeps his iron grip is
somewhat OF a mystery, because his COM
patriots are proverbially ungovernable
even by the most ruthless methods. The
Abanians are primitive mountaineers di-
vided into many clans living amid rugged
Businesses and cherishing their wild free
dom. 1t is scarcely credible that Commu-
mist theology should appeal to such invet-
crate individualists who tend to scorn
humdrum labor, preferring to tend their
fiocks or practice primitive agriculture,
enlivened by blood feuds amongst them
selves or raids on their neighbors.
The Albanians are an ancient race who
proudly call themselves the Sons of the
Mountain Eagle. After the Turkish con-
quest of the Balkans five centuries ago,
most Of them turned Mohammedan, which
opened up adventurous careers for them
in the Turkish service. Among many noted
Albanian adventures who won fame and
power was Mehemet Ali, the founder of
the present Egyptian dynasty.
AS might have been expected, the Al
banians have usually been on bad terms
with their neighbors, the Greeks and
Yugoslavs. So it may be appeals to those
ancestral antagonisnls rather than devo-
ton to Marx or Moscow that enables Hoxha
to hold his fighting, feuding compatriots
in line with his Communist and pro- Soviet
policy.
Hoxha rose to power out of the confused
chaos that followed the collapse of Italian
authority, Mussolini having invaded the
little country and annexed 1t to Italy early
in the late war. It is interesting to note
that Hoxha's success was due largely to
aid furnished him by Marshal Tito, the
Red boss of neighboring Yugoslavia, and
until Tito's recent tiff with Moscow the
two dictators worked amicably together,
especially in giving aid to the Greek Com
munist guerrillas. Hoxha's break with Tito
in favor of Moscow has isolated Albania
from direct contact with the other Moscow
puppets in the Balkans, and this isolation
is causing hardship for the Albanian peo-
pie, cut OF from trade with the outer
world. Even in normal times the country
Is poor enough, barely suflcing to support
its scant million inhabitants So, economi-
cally or militarily, it has little to offer any
ally. Yet its strategic Importance is con-
siderable. This narrow belt of territory on
the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea
where it contracts to a narrow strait
opposite the "heel" of Italy has Italian
built air fields and several harbors which
could serve as bases for Soviet submarines.
So long, therefore, as Hoxha stays in
power and pursues his pro-soviet policy,
Albania will be an advanced bastion of
Russian influence on the fringe of Western
Europe. It will likewise remain a thorn
In the side of the Greek government,
offering shelter and assistance to the
Communist guerrillas there.