The Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING.) SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1913. THE BALKAN SITUATION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144086, 3 May 1913, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING.) SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1913. THE BALKAN SITUATION.

The peace of Europe hangs in the balance while Austria and Montenegro arc disputing the possession of Scutari. It will be remembered that utter the fall of Adrianoplc and the cessation of hostilities between Turkey and the Allies the Montenegrins persisted in their efforts to capture Scutari, to which they were laying siege. Their efforts met with success, though it appears that it was the result of an understanding with the Turkish commander of the garrison, Essad Pasha, who capitulated and immediately afterwards proclaimed himself King of Albania, the assumption being that Montenegro 1 undertook to recognise the proclamation in return for the surrender of Scutari. However satisfactory such an understanding may be to Montenegro and Essad Pasha, it does not meet the views of other parties. Austria wants Scutari and at once declared she would have it if she had lo lake it by force, while it was not at all clear that tho Albanians want Essad Pasha for their King. He is said to have a great following among the Albanian tribes, but the Albanian delegates to the peace conference declare that his proclamation as King is the result of intrigue with Montenegro and Servia, fomented by the Young Turks, and that tho Albanians would prefer a European prince. This seems not improbable, for they Lave suffered like the other Balkan nations at the hands of the Turk in the past and may not unnaturally mistrust him. When the Balkan war broke out some six or seven months ago Austria had great hopes of scouring some territorial advantage in Albania out of it. The proclamation of Albania as an independent State bus shattered these hopes, so Scutari is demanded. Russia, whose sympathies were with Montenegro, could not afford to see Austria in possession of Albania and may therefore not unreasonably be supposed to have connived at the bargain made between King Nicholas and Essad Pasha. When Austria took a firm stand and demanded Scutari, Russia counselled her not to precipitate matters and undertook-to bring influence to bear upon King Nicholas to act according to the wishes of the Powers. King Nicholas, however, was resolute in his determination to hold Scutari, and soEurope was faced with this position—that Austria would haveScutari with or without the approval of the Powers, even if she had to fight for it, while a fight for its possession might bring Austria and Russia into conflict, for the former might not be satisfied with Scutari alone and might want to go further than Russia could afford to allow her. Fortunately all the Power's are earnest in their desire to preserve thepeace of Europe, and Russia, yielding- no doubt to the wishes of the other Powers, has now warned Montenegro that it is courting ruin to continue to hold Scutari. This may be taken as an indication that the Powers haveagreed to force Montenegro to. sacrifice the fruits o£ war in order to prevent a more serious complication. Had the Montenegrins, actually captured Scutari by force of arms it would be difficult to withhold sympathy from her, but under the circumstances that intrigue with Essad Pasha was responsible for the town’s surrender one is forced to the conclusion that Russia is taking the proper course in withdrawing her moral support from King Nicholas, however bitter the feeling may be among- the Montenegrins. As we write, a cable comes to the effect that Essad Pasha has raised the Turkish flag, not the Albanian, and tbat the Albanian Govern' ment is not hostile to this course. This encourages the belief that Russia, relieved of anxiety lest

Austria should obtain a footing in Albania, will now advise King Nicholas more strongly than ever to give up Scutari and accept whatever compensation the Powers may offer. If this surmise is correct, and Montenegro submits, the Balkan menace may be considered at an end.