In 1913, after the Balkan War, the flags of the Powers were hoisted at
Scutari, and a frontier dividing the Albanians from the Yugoslavs
(Montenegrins and Serbs) was indicated by Austria and traced at the
London Conference. This boundary was still awaiting its final
demarcation by commissioners on the spot when the European War broke
out. Then in the second year of the War disturbances were organized by
the Austrians in Albania--their friend the miscreant ruler of Montenegro
caused money to be sent for this purpose to the Austro-Hungarian Consul
at Scutari--and in April and May of that year the Serbs were authorized
by their Allies to protect themselves by occupying certain portions of
the country. Various battles took place between those Albanians who were
partisans of Austria and those who were disinclined to attack the Serbs
in the rear. The Serbian Government opposed the Austrian propaganda by
dispatching to that region the Montenegrin Pouniša Račić, of
whom we have much to say. He was accompanied by Smajo Ferović, a
Moslem sergeant of komitadjis. They explained to the Albanians that the
Serbs had been offered a separate peace with numerous concessions, but
that Mr. Pašić had refused to treat. When the two Albanian parties
discussed the situation by shooting at each other, the Austro-Hungarian
officers made tracks for Kotor, and that particular intrigue came to an
end.
When the War was over, the Serbs, sweeping up from Macedonia, were
requested by General Franchet d'Espérey to undertake a task which the
Italians refused, and push the demoralized Austrian troops out of
Albania. Some weeks after this had been accomplished, the Italians,
mindful of the Treaty of London, demanded that a large part of Albania
should be given up to their administration. The Serbs agreed and
withdrew; they even took away their representative from Scutari, where
the Allies had again installed themselves. The Treaty of London bestowed
upon the Serbs a sphere of influence in northern Albania, but--save for
a few misguided politicians--they were logical enough to reject the
whole of the pernicious Treaty, both the clauses which robbed them in
Dalmatia and those which in Albania gave them stolen goods. Over and
over again did the Yugoslav delegates declare in Paris that it was their
wish to see established an independent Albania with the frontiers of
1913. These, the first frontiers which the Albanians had ever possessed,
were laid down by Austria with the express purpose of thwarting the
Serbs and facilitating Albanian raids. It is true that several towns
with large Albanian majorities were made over to the Serbs--very much,
as it turned out, to their subsequent advantage--yet, being separated
from their hinterland, this was a doubtful gift. Nevertheless, if a free
and united Albania could be constituted the Serbs were ready to accept
this frontier, and even Monsieur Justin Godart, the strenuous French
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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