1939-04-11 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG Telegraphi, TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1839.

SIR ROBERT

BURNETT'S

CELEBRATED

LONDON

DRY GIN

MAKES YOUR

COCKTAILE TAS

V'S WATSON

C

* agonia dan Hung Kang si Anak Di

A WORLD-WIDE REPUTATION FOR QUALITY

Sole Agents:-A. S. WATSON & CO., LTD.

Moutrie Pianos

ARE MADE WITH THE FINEST MATERIALS UNDER

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Sunday, 18th Apr. Wednesday, 3rd May..

SEATTLE & VANCOUVER (Starts from Kobe)

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Wednesday, 12th Apr.

SOUTH AMERICA (West Coast) via Japan, Honolulu, Hiò, San Francisco.

Los Angeles, Mexico & Balboa to Valparaise. Rakuyo Maru

Sunday.

LONDON, MARSEILLES, NAPLES via Suez.

Hakozaki Maru

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15th Apr.

Saturday, 22nd Apr. Saturday, 0th May.

SYDNEY & MELBOURNE via Manlin, Davao, Thursday Island and Brisbane

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*Vitorlock

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General passenger Agents in the Orient for CUNARD WHITE STAR LINE

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The

ITALIAN AMBITIONS IN ALBANIA

USSOLINI'S ambi-

tions for a Mediter- rancan empire have long caused uneasiness in this tiny kingdom across the Adriatic, journalistical- ly neglected and generally ignored in the clamour of greater events.

Officially, of course, there was no evidences of foreboding. Albania was recognized as an entity, firmly linked to Italy by a treaty which does not expire until 1947.

An even temper marked the country's five newspapers which are firmly controlled by n government that resolved, in the Inst 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-

ney.

محمد

by C.-L. SULZBERGER

COPYRIGHT

Hongkong Telegraph. ascendeney by actual territorial "Vlora", another

Wyndham St., Hongkong 'Phone 26615 April 11, 1939

Democracy and Religion

in a good God is to good govern-he attained. ment.

name

of

-more

other lies between Elbagan and. the Jugo-Slay border.

Both

are handily placed to block Jugo-Slav interference. with the landing of Italian troops at Durazzo,

Strong roads and bridges lead up to each chain. It should also be remembered that the Italian. consuls at Scutari, Kortcha and Valonn were all military officers.."

Communications such as ship- ping, radio, and airlines are either completely or largely under Italian control; there are no railroads.

A

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 and ardently pro-Italian. As is so often the case when great Powers play with puppets, there was considerable bribery. It is

to estimate impossible

the amount spent in this way.

an

1915 had been accorded. Italian cord to this poverty-stricken Likewise, it would not be dis- to nume recipients of CERTAINLY there had been occupancy of Valona, it is true, land. It is equally true that creet

no indication of Italy's in- was ended almost two decades Rome held such sway that when favours; it is sufficient to say tentions to increase its political age by an Albanian revolt. The Mussolini decided to land his they ranged up to holders of patriotic song of the guerillas troops, no deputy dared to op- very high offices, according to for pose him that King Zog was able belief. A small Fascist well-informed but unconfirm- Joccupation until

What bothered the Jeremiahs of Italian pride.

last week. Valona-was forbidden to south doomed.

movement was launched at Albania was the recent sequence less, retained the rocky island of Italy, neverthe-

Kortcha.

It is apparent that in its poli- of Mediterranean events and the Saseno and constructed a strong ACCORDING to official figures fact that the secret London

provided by the Albanian tical netivity Italy played set of fortifications known as treaty of 1915 has not yet been the "Gibraltar of the Adriatic." government, Italy loaned 63,000,- astute game. A powerful and forgotten by fascist imperialists. Saseno was merely a barren 000 gold francs to Albania rabble-rousing Italian speaker

Tosk

than double the named Giro was employed by DEMOCRACY, assailed from within There was the vague fear, now, isle where shepherds

and without, is taking stock. In proved too well founded, that

annuai revenue.

Un the Albanian government, at grazed their flocks. It was of total the process, those who believe it to the Duce would no longer remain no earthly use to Albania, which oficial estimates of the

sum Italian behest, to "organize" the be the finest form of government yet satisfied with the extensive had no navy. It did give Italy of Italian loans and pay youth. Unofficially. It is widely 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 Builed down, the events pre- Aut As the nature of democracy and of

and indefensible Eastern

pensatory benefits. Italy al. Mussolini, was ardently anti-Zog. the attack

begome more ceding the occupation

were coast.

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 will be perceived. Ideally, demo-fuss about expanding, at the nised Italian sovereignty Similar concessions in salt and lant Albania's younger genera- cracy accepts man as spiritual, made expense of France, along the Saseno, but what might have cigarette paper monopolies wero tion (despite the fact he speaks In the image and likeness of God, lines of ancient Rome. Despite been a diplomatic stumbling- granted. The Albanian Italian only Italian) he had a recognised 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 he self-panying the fascist victory in glossing over. On Italian maps, two concessions; one neur regime on tenterhooks. governed. It expects men to reflect Spain, she was able to produce Saseno was Italian; on Albanian Valona, one near Shiiak. About The diplomatic interest of in some mensure the divine nitributes | no concrete territorial gains. maps it was Albanian. In three hundred Italian peasant Italy in Albanian territory dates of justice, renson, kindness, ilberty, Italian public opinion was aware Tirana the story was told that a families already inhabit the rich back to the days when Bismarck truthfulness, self-control. In so far of this. It could be assuaged, package addressed not long ago Shiink land which, in addition proposed to Rome that sho as men fail to express these spiritual from time to time, by such to "Saseno, Italy" and arriving to providing fertile acres, is a abandoned her claims in the qualities, democracy fails,

fanfare circuses 'as Count at Valona, was returned to the good base for military operations terre irredente and seek compen- Majority rule, the representative Ciano's visit to Belgrade and it sender by Albanian authorities. because of its proximity to sation across the Adriatic. In system, universal suffrage, free elec-

may have been completely satis- But there is no doubt that Italy Durazzo. What is more, Italy 1917, General Ferrero, leading 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 forms-none of these will guarantee Albanians knew that theirs was The reason

Spanish enterprise. But the as she will in Albania itself. cial control and absorbed most Albanians: "We are bringing

is quite evident of the the success of democracy if the

Albanian exports of back to you the civilisation of. spiritun content is lacking. Any of small and friendless nation; when, flying across Valona Bay coment, food, wool, hides, etc. the Romans and the Venetians." these may be made instruments 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 tyranny unless_the_base_ideal 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 hus looked greedily East coast forty-seven miles away. military way and exacted bene for a sphere of influence (and, dom, and perfectibility is retained. even since the Turkish empire The final point in the London fits in exchange. The Albanian incidentally, caused the fall of a

Materialistic concepts have always decayed; and that choice and treaty, as far as it concerns general staff was virtually under Jugo-Slay cabinet). uttacked this ideal. To-day two strategic sections of its coast 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 active: One looks upon man

economic equality, constitutional

partly to blame for this attitude.

Now a fairer and better society should come out of an increased

as speed, small cost and little fear Whether or not Albanians cared statistics) was garbed in uni- I would have seemed with this merely on 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 a Marxist interpretation of history is crisis.

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 has been abused for economic exploi- expedition hung as a sword did great things for Albania in was a semi-circular affair ex- European war threatening, an tation. And a hoppler and more of Damocles in many patriotic the way of building roads; lend- tending for several kilometres occupation would result im stable soclety can be expected where minds in Albania. Diplomati- ing money, stimulating econo- and comprising earthworks, mediately. During the Sep- men are free from economic injustices cally. Albania was in a weak mic development and sanitary cement, dug-outs and machine tember, 1938, crisis much con- and Insecurity. But 100 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 ae- the Mati River section and the authoritative emphasis on material and mechanistic war treaties, it could always

motives. It teaches worker and em-

count

ployer, farm and factory, producer terests of Italy and Jugo-S'avia

upon the opposing in- GRIN AND BEAR IT and constimer, to pursue * selfsh separate interest when the larger Both powers made it clear that to safeguard its independence. interest of each is attainable only by territorial aspirations in Albania co-operation. It tends to animality, hate and violence, It destroys demo- by each other would be regarded as inimical acts. However, the

cracy..

Another form of materialism's binding of a new friendship attack on democracy is extreme between Rome and Belgrade Funda- racism, a belief that man is merely altered the situation.

a biological specimen, whose virtue, mentally, Jugo-Slavia can never courage and honesty are determined willingly agree to the Itallan by blood and soll. This combines occupation of the mainland of with Fascism's mystical exallation of the Balkan peninsula. But 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 the state or of an individual symboli-Jugo-Slavin could not dare not

sing the state is substituted for Christianity. Persecution, intolerance, and hate become virtues.

or

-interfere.

Democratic peoples may recognise these forms of materialism most THE London treaty gave to clearly

14 certain countries

Italy full sovereignty ovor] 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 suill- 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 concepts of Deity 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 Italian men striving to express the attributes

of a God who is Truth, Love and control.

Principle, can hope to govern them- In actual fact, the bulk of Belves successfully.

Ithese particular concessions of

"Cope, 1939 by Kind Faminen Uradiente, 200

By Lichty

"and now hand over that two weeks advance you got from the office!"

reports Chat Italian troops had mobilised at Bari.

Just four years before,

Albania prepared to beat off

what it feared was to be an Italian attempt to occupy Durazzo when war 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 as a base for possible further Balkan penetration; (3) provides a cer- tain amount of good farm land for her over-crowded peasantry; |(4) acquires populur acclaim for the Fascist regime.

Within Albania there is not the mineral wealth that is to be found, for example, in Jugo- Slavia, but there are deposits of asphalt and naphtha near Valona; lignite around Tirana, Elbasan, Kortcha, Pogradotz and Tepeleni; copper near Puka and Kortcha; chromium near Pogradetz; lead in the northern. districts; arsenic and cement near Scutari and Valona; 'and petroleum at Kuchova. Most. of these are too far removed in- Innd to tempt more than econo- |mic exploitation.