that is characteristic in Albanian art and so
forth--I would refer him to M. Justin Godart, with whom I am glad for
once to be in agreement. "There is no traditional or actual link," says
he, "between the two countries; if, on account of this geographical
position, they propose to have commercial relations, then everything has
yet to be established. If there is to be a friendship, we believe that
Italy must do her best to wipe out many memories.... She has not
profited from the large number of Albanians in her southern provinces in
order to have an Albanian policy."

However, the magnanimous Italians came back, declaring that on this
occasion they would not occupy the country (except the little island of
Saseno); but that they really could not restrain themselves from
bestowing the schools, the rifles, munitions and gold. Once more the
Albanians agreed to accept them; they also accepted the Turkish officers
and officials whom the Italian ships brought to them from Asia Minor,
and when their Government became more and more Turkish and more
intractable they found that they had excited the hostility of large
numbers of their own compatriots. This developed during 1921 into
violent conflicts; and the bountiful Italians provided the Tirana
Government's army with expert tuition. Nevertheless, in the Albanians'
opinion, there are no bonds between the two races, and if the Italians
would retire from Albania, permitting the Balkans to be for the Balkan
peoples, and if the fanatical Turks went back to Asia Minor, it would
soon be seen that the present rage between northern and central Albania
would peter out into the isolated murders which the Albanians have
hitherto been unable to dispense with. Left to themselves the Albanians
of Tirana would eventually ask for some such assistance from Serbia as
the northern tribes have received; three months after the departure of
the Italians from Scutari a plebiscite would show that this town, which
has lately gone so far as to refuse--yes, even her Moslems have
refused--to fill the depleted ranks of the Tirana forces, was anxious to
come to a friendly settlement with her Albanian neighbours and the
Yugoslavs. This would be a victory of Scutari's common sense over all
those fanatics and intriguers whose activities involve her death; for
she cannot possibly thrive if she persists in cutting herself off from
the hinterland and from the benefits that will accrue from the
canalization of the Bo