TINY REPUBLIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 April 1928, Page 11

TINY REPUBLIC

TMIE Republic of Andorra, in the Pyrenees, is the smallest in the world. The taxes are so small in this free republic that they amount to practically nothing. Andorra has no navy, no army, and not even a police force. Yet Andorra is not too small to have its troubles in matters international. Andorra in the past has been free and integral because it was considered that it was not worth fighting for. But the Andorrans feel differently about it. They are proud of their tiny land, which goes back in history to the time of Charlemagne, who, when he vanquished the Moors with the help of the Andorrans, gave them the privilege of independent government. The feudal prince of Andorra happens to be M. Doumcrque, the President of France. Andorra recently appealed to him because Spain had taken over its mail service. When a nation has neither army, navy nor constabulary, it hates to give up its mail service. And further, Andorra, being close to Spain, fears its large cousin. The taking over of the mails, the people of Andorra fear, is but a preliminary to eventual conquest of their diminutive realm. This means the loss of their freedom, which is very precious to them indeed. They regard it as highly as do the Swiss, the Czechs, and the nearby free republic of San Marino.

To Paris, then, went a deputation of Andorrans to plead their case with the French President, who, bv virtue of being a successor of Henry IV., as head of the French State, shares with the Bishop of Urgel, in Spain, the titular sovereignty aver the wee Pyrenean republic, which otherwise enjoys complete independence. Formerly the postal service of Andorra was assured by France, which tactfully appointed home folhs as postman. When the distribution of the mails was taken over by Spain, Spaniards were appointed as mailmen, and Andorra trembled for its freedom. To the world at. large it might be a small enough matter, but to Andorra it was a move most significant. It may mean, the members of the deputation told President Doumerque, that there is going to be a censorshfp of their incoming and outgoing

AFFAIRS OF ANDORRANS

mail, for in Spain the postal censorship is always most severe. When a State has not even a police force, and has two big neighbours, its diplomats must be exceedingly diplomatic. In making their complaint at Baris, the Andorrans were very tactful and discreet. The chances are that the visit of the deputation to Paris caused smiles. France and \Spain both disavow the slightest wish to invade the sovereignty of the little valley republic, comprising only 175 square miles and occupied by herdsmen. Its heights command no fortifications and it would be of no value ir. war.

San Marino, on the contrary, perched on its rock anil overlooking Rimini, is considered to have military value. As a matter of fact, this little republic still considers itself in a state >of war with Austria for things that happened in the time of Garibaldi. It was in San .Marino after his retreat following the fall of Rome in. 1849 that the liberator disbanded his redshirts.

Since medneval times, San . Marino has felt the tread of the horses of the Malatestas, the Alberoni, the Borgias and the Dukes of Urbino. Napoleon, as a sporting .gesture, refused to disturb its autonomy. Even Mussolini has done nothing to wound the feelings of the hillmen of San Marino, who are all Italian in race and sentiment, anyhow. So San Marino issues itg pretty* stamps and makes revenue out of the philatelists, proceeding happily without such incidents as those which fret the Andorrans to-day. Andorra resented the fact that her delegates were not invited to the great Peace Conference following the World War. Honduras and Panama were invited, her people pointed out —therefore why not. Andorra? Its 5,000 inhabitants (who could all be comfortably housed in half a dozen New York hotels) considered it an affront to their dignity. But the present situation is much graver. It. approaches a crisis, evei if the rest of the world refuses to se» if in that light. The deputation to Paiis, discreet, and restrained though thei}' petition was, want it to be understood that Andorra is, now and always, for Andorrans.