The The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 1920. THE ADRIATIC PROBLEM.

Southland Times, Issue 18849, 15 June 1920, Page 4

The The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 1920. THE ADRIATIC PROBLEM.

Italy is beginning to reap some of the harvest of her Adriatic ambitions. One must go back to the flays before the Tri>K)!i war to see the early workings of her schemes. In those days, though she was in 'he Triple Alliance she was nervous about Austria, but .she was also anxious about the Serbs find it was to her interests to prerent the Serbian nation from expanding. M<*rt of the knowledge of Serbian affairs i!i;;t the world possessed came through Aus-t-ian or Italian, hands and the Balkan people were not shown in a good light as a result of the treatment, of news in the ch:;;;li< is through which it had to pass. Aft »r the Tripoli war Italy secured some islands and began definitely to look to the opposite shores of the Adriatic. Then came the Balkan war, and when Serbia was triumphant and was hopeful of acquiring a port upon the Adriatic coast both Italy ant Austria thwarted her ambitions and contributed by their action to the causes of the second Balkan war, which stirred up bad blood between the Greeks and Serbs and the Bulgars, who shortly before had been allies. To prevent the Serbians from reaching the cmist a principality was raised in Albania with William of Wied, a Hohcnzollern scullion, on the rickety throne. Essad Pasha was then the strongest man in that wild country and he was not long in ousting the foreigner. Essad became the chief of the Albanian republic, though it must be confessed that the Government had little form and that what authority there was persisted by means of quick shooting. When the great war opened up all sorts of new opportunities, Essad was ready to make the most of any chances that came his way. He did not seem to be too friendly with any of the combatants and took steady toll of any forces that marched through his mountainous country. Of the Italians, however, he was always suspicious. The calculated manner in which they fastened themselves upon the left on the Allied line in Macedonia and proceeded to affix the Italian colours upon the coastal towns were enough to stir up the Albanians ami they have never shown any disposition to accept the Italian occupation as permanent. D’Annunzio’s exploits at Fiume and his little excursions on the Dalmation coast must have increased the Albanians’ determination and it now seems clear that they have at last decided to help themselves rather than wait for the long-delayed settlement of the dispute between Rome and

Belgrade. The assassination of Essad Pasha looks like a severe loss for Albania. The young student who shot him evidently believed that Essad was remaining in Paris as a pensioner of the Italian Government, but it is hard to believe that, this sturdy patriot so easily betrayed his country. It is easier to accept the view put forward that his stay in France was prolonged because the Italians would not permit him to return to Albania. If that is a correct statement of the position, his death will weaken the Albanian determination to oust the Italians from their ports. This revolt will not be easily suppressed. The Serbians have every' reason for wishing it well, and the Albanian mountaineers are extremely ferocious and clever fighters in their own country, which favours guerilla warfare. The Italians will find it expensive and difficult (o maintain their hold upon the coast, and the threat of labour troubles will not make this new turn in the Adriatic tangle any easier for them.