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'Phone 26615 April 11, 1939
Democracy and Religion
ITALIAN AMBITIONS IN ALBANIA
M
USSOLINI'S
ambi-
tions for a Mediter- ranean empire have long caused uneasiness in this tiny kingdom across the Adriatic, journalistical- ly neglected and generally ignored in the clamour of greater events.
110
Offcially, of course, there was evidences of foreboding. Albania was recognized us un entity, firmly linked to Italy by a treaty which does not expire. juntil 1947.
are
An even temper marked the country's five newspapers which firmly controlled by 比 government that resolved, in the last analysis, down to King Zog himself. But one had only to converse with certain officials, both active and retired, as well as informed private citizens, to find ample evidence of nervous-
ness.
til a good God is to good govern- | he attained. ment.
As the nature of democracy and of the altack on it became more
ceding
the
X
by C. L. SULZBERGER
COPYRIGHT ·
name
to land
other lies between Elbasan and the Jugo-Slav border.
Both are handily placed to block Jugo-Slav interference with the landing of Italian troops at Durazzo.
Strong ronds and bridges, lend up to each chain. It should' niso be remembered that the Italian consuls at Scutari, Kortcha and Valona wore all military officers. Communications such as ship- ping, radio, and airlines are either completely or largely under Italian control; there are no railroads.
☆
unconfirm-
2171
IN the field of internal politics, Italy also safeguarded her in- terests and there was a faction of Influential persons, led by a general, which was openly und is so ardently pro-Italian. As often the case when great Powers play with puppets, there was considerable bribery. It is impossible to estimate the amount spent in this way. 1915 had been accorded. Italian cord to this poverty-stricken Likewise, it would not be dis- name recipients of CERTAINLY there had been occupancy of Valona, it is true, land. It is equally true that creet to
no indication of Italy's in- was ended almost two decades Rome held such sway that when favours; it is suflicient to say his they ranged up to holders of ago by an Albanian revolt. The Mussolini decided tentions to increase its political patriotic song of the guerillas troops, no deputy dared to op- very high offices, according to ascendency by actual territorial Vlora", another
for pose him that King Zog was able belief. A small Fascist
well-informed but occupation until Jast week.
Valona-was forbidden to sooth doomeddl,
movement was launched at What bothered the Jeremiahs of Italian pride. Italy, neverthe-
Kortcha. Albania was the recent sequence less, retained the rocky island of of Mediterranean events and the Saseno and constructed a strong
CCORDING to official figures It is apparent that in its poli- fact that the secret London
provided by the Albanian tical activity Italy played set of fortifications known as
A powerful and treaty of 1915 has not yet been the "Gibraltar of the Adriatic." government, Italy loaned 63,000,- astute game. forgotten by fascist imperialists.
000 gold francs to Albania rabble-rousing Italian speaker Saseno was merely a barren
than double the named Giro was employed by where Tosk DEMOCRACY, assailed from within There was the vague fear, now isle
shepherds more
total annual revenue, Un the Albanian government, at and without, is taking stock. In proved too well founded, that grazed their flocks. It was of the process, those who believe it to the Duce would no longer remain no earthly use to Albania, which official estimates of the sum Italian behest, to "organize" the
of Italian the extensive had no navy,
jouns aikl be the nest form of government yet satisfied with
pay youth. Unofficially, it is widely It did give Italy developed are discovering how essen-economic and political influence complete control of the Adriatic ments range up to three or four known that Giro, one of the times this amount. But Italy original Fascist "Squadron of mouth and protection for her has not failed to receive com- Action" and an acquaintance of Boiled down, the events pre- flat and indefensible Eastern
pensatory benefits. Italy al- Mussolini, was ardently anti-Zog. ready held a tight grip on Although he undoubtedly did apparent, the vital role of religion simply this: Italy made a great Albania never formally recog- Albanian petroleum concessions, his sincere best to aid the stimu- Similar concessions in salt and lant Albania's younger genera- will be perceived. Ideally, demo- fuss about expanding, at the nised Italian sovereignty cracy accepts man as spiritual, made expense of France, along the Saseno, but what might
cigarette paper monopolies were tion (despite the fact he speaks stumbling granted. The Albanian Italian only Italian) he had a recognised in the image and likeness of God, lines of ancient Rome. Despite been a diplomatic capable of understanding the divine the undoubted prestige accom- block was simply solved
by Agricultural Association owns political value in keeping the government well enough to be self-panying the fascist victory in glossing over.. On Italian maps, two concessions; one near regime on tenterhooks. governed. It expects men to reflect Spain, she was able to produce Saseno was Italian; on Albanian Valona, one near Shijak. About The diplomatic interest of
concrete territorial gains. maps it was Albanian. in some measure the divine attributes no
In three hundred Italian peasant Italy in Albanian territory dates of justice, reason, kindness, liberty, Italian public opinion was aware Tirana the story was told that a families already inhabit the rich, back to the days when Bismarck Rome that she truthfulness, self-control. In so far of this. It could be assuaged, package addressed not long ago Shijak land which, in addition proposed to as men fall to express these spiritual from time to time, by such to "Suseno, Italy" and arriving to providing fertile aeres, is a abandoned her claims in the quailtles, democracy falls.
Count at Valona, was returned to the good base for military operations terre irredente and seek compen- Majority rule, the representative Ciuno's visit to Belgrade and it sender by Albanian authorities. because of its proximity to sation across the Adriatic. In What is more, Italy 1917, General Ferrero, leading system, universal suffrage, free elec-may have been completely satis- But there is no doubt that Italy Durazzo. tions, free competition, equal rights,fied by gains accruing from the intends to retain her hold here, possessed predominant commer- an army of occupation, told the econonic equality. constitutional Spanish enterprise. But the as she will in Albania itself. cial control and absorbed most Albanians: "We are bringing forms-none of these will guarantee Albanians knew that theirs was The reason is quite evident of the Albanian exports of back to you the civilisation of the success of democracy if the a small and friendless nation; when, flying across Valona Bay cement, food, wool, hides, etc. the Romana and the Venetians." spiritual_content_is_Incking Any of that it lies a scant fifty miles-as-the-writer-did-one-can-In-tit-for-tat fashion,-Italy-did-In-1926, the Pact of Tirana- these may be made instruments of across the Otranto straits; that see the outline of the Italian certain things for Albania in a signallised Italian aspirations individual worth, independence, free-Rome has looked greedily East const forty-seven miles away. military way and exacted bene for a sphere of influence (and, even since the Turkish empire The final point in the London fits in exchange. The Albanian incidentally, caused the fall of a dom, and perfectibility is retained.
and that choice and treaty, as decayed; Materialistic concepts have always
far as it concerns general staff was virtually under Jugo-Slav cabinet). attucked this ideal. To-day two strategic. sections of its const Albania, is that of Italian con- Italian direction. The army of forms of materialism are particularly would be gobbled up with great trol over an independent state. 9,500 officers and men (official
as speed, small cost and little fear Whether or not Albanians cared statistics) was garbed in uni- IT would have seemed with this merely an economic animal. A faulty of precipitating a European to admit it, this was a positive forms donated by Italy and arm- many-tentacled control over & Marxist interpretation of history is crisis. partly to blame for this attitude.
Now a fairer and better society should come oul of
tyranny unless, the basic ideal of
active. One looks
upen
man
increased
has been abused for economic exploi-
occupation
fanfare circuses as
coust.
were
of
have
fact even before the invasion, ed with old Italian equipment. tiny nation that it would never And it is only fair to say that Two chains of fortifications were be necessary for Italy to occupy this had by no means been en- completed under the direction of a portion of it. But it was re- awareness of the way government THE possibility of an Italian tirely without advantage. Rome Italian military engineers. Each cognised that, in the event of a .expedition hung as a sword did great things for Albania in was a semi-circular affair ex- European war threatening, an would result int Sep- tation. And a happier and more of Damocles in many patriotic the way of building roads, lend- tending for several kilometres occupation
Diplomati- ing money, stimulating econo- and comprising earthworks, mediately. During the stable society can be expected where minds in Albania.
was in a weak rule development and sanitary cement, dug-outs and machine tember, 1938, crisis much con- men are free from economic injustices cally, Albania and insecurity. But too often to-day position. For many years after improvement; benefits which no gun emplacements. One is in cern was raised about secret but there is an ignorant and excessive its de jure creation in the post other nation was willing to ac- the Mati River section and the authoritative emphasis on material and mechanistic war treaties, it could always matives. It teaches worker and em-count upon the opposing in- ployer, farm and factory, producer terests of Italy and Jugo-Slavia | and consumer, to pursue #selfish to safeguard Its independence. separate interest when the larger Both powers made it clear that interest of each is attainable only by territorial aspirations in Albania co-operation. It tends to animality,
It destroys demo-by cach other would be regarded hate and violence.
as inimical acts. However, the cracy.
friendship form materialism's binding of a new
of
Rome, and Belgrade attack on democracy is extreme between
Funda- racism, a belief that man is merely altered the situation.
Another
a biological specimen, whose virtue, mentally, Jugo-Slavia can never to the Italian courage and honesty are determined willingly agree by blood and soil. This combines occupation of the mainland of But with Fascism's mystical exaltation of the Balkan peninsula. the state to make the individual Albania could no longer play merely a material unit to be merged both ends against the middle.. in a militarized mass for overcoming And, when Italy-with German | other races or states. Freedom of approval-resolved to swallow a thought or speech cannot be tolerated chunk of the Albanian coast,
in such totalitarianism. Worship of Jugo-Slavia could not-dare not the state or of an individual symboli-
-interfere. sing the state is substituted for Christianity. Persecution, intolerance, and hate became virtues,
Democratic peoples may recognise
clearly In certain countries or
these forms of materialism most THE London treaty gave to Italy full, sovereignty over ideologies. But they can find them the island of Saseno, the port of operating among their own country-. men-if not in their own thought. Valona, and "a territory sutli And it is primarily in thought that ciently extended to assure the they must be combated. It is his-defence of these points." It was torically provable that more spiritual
Italian
concepts of Delty have produced also agreed that if an Indepen- better men and better governments.dent Albania were to be created, Men governed by Christianity's code, it would remain under men atriving to express the attributes of a God who is Truth, Love and Principle, can hope to govern them- selves successfully.
control.
In actual fact, the bulk of) theso particular concessions of
GRIN AND BEAR IT
By Lichty
Doer, 1939 by Varted Tratare krvaring
"and not hand over that two weeks advance you got from the
office!"
reports that Italian troops had mobilised at Bari. Just four years before, Albarila prepared to beat off what it feared, was to be an Italian attempt. to ассиру Durazzo when wår vessels ap- peared' unannounced at the har- bour; hasty defensive earth- works were actually thrown up.
What Italy will gain by actual control of Albania” will depend upon the extent of her ambi- tion now that she has occupied the country. Her action. (1) in- sures her strategical position in the Adriatic; (2) serves base for possible further Balkan penetration; (3) provides a cer- tain amount of good farm land for her over-crowded peasantry; ( (4). acquires popular acclaim for
the Fascist regime.
a8 a
ncar
Within Albania there is not the mineral wealth that is to be found, for example, in Jugo- Slavia, but there are deposits of
naphtha asphalt and Valona; lignite around Tirana; Elbasan, Kortchn, Pogradotz and Tepelení; copper near Puka and Kortcha; chromium Pogradotz; lead in the northern |districts; arsenic and cement" near Scutari and Velona; and petroleum at Kuchova. Most of these are too far removed In-. iland to témpt more than econo
mic exploitation.
near