when President Wilson proclaimed to the world
his gospel of self-determination and the rights of small nations.
Seldom has a politician inspired greater hope and belief. All secret
treaties, it was believed, would be laid aside, and a Peace of the
peoples would result.

Nor was it till the eve of the Peace Conference, when France showed
her enmity by trying to prevent the representation of Albania in
Paris, that the Albanians took alarm. An Albanian delegation was at
last accepted, only to be told that the Secret Treaty of 1915 held
good, and the Powers that prated of justice and the inviolability of
Treaties now desired to partition Albania among her worst foes.

Against this Albania appealed, and is appealing, and her fate is yet
in the balance. French, Italian, and Serb troops have occupied the
land ever since the Armistice. Every possible obstacle has been
thrown in Albania's way by those who wish her destruction. The
Albanians have elected, last January, a Government of their own, and
the Powers have refused to recognize it. The British Government, in
order to stifle Albania's cries, have withdrawn both the British
representatives from Albania, General Phillips and Mr. Morton Eden.
Both are friends of Albania's independence, and General Phillips
reported that the Albanian Government was working remarkably well.
Albania now has no means of communicating with the outer world, save
through those who wish her destruction--Greece, Italy and
Jugoslavia. All three are working to overthrow the Albanian
Government. At the moment of going to press the Serbs have made a
wanton attack on North Albania from three points. But they will not
kill the spirit of the Albanian people, who have resisted
denationalization for a thousand years, and who beg only for the
right to take their place in the Balkans and live in freedom and
harmony with their neighbours, and who now at the time of going to
press are fighting bravely for Liberty.

I will not write Finis, for the tale of the Balkan tangle does not
end here.

INDEX

Abdul Hamid; abdicates
Aehrenthal (Baron von)
Albania
Albanians
Albanian language
Alexander (King of Serbia); murder of
Alexander (Crown Prince)
Ambassadors' Conference
America
Andriyevitza
Anglo-Russian agreement
Antivari
Austria; in Bosnia; in Albania; Austrian attache.

Balkan Alliance
Balkan war
Balkan railways
Beaconsfield (Lord)
Belgrade
Berlin (Treaty of)
Black Hand
Bocche di Cattaro