The Aims and Policy of Servia. 



641 



Albanians to continue in this state, but Servia 

 has a very manifest duty to safeguard Servians 

 from a continuance of such conditions. In the 

 territories between Djakova, Alessio, Durazzo, 

 and Ochrida Lake about 10 per cent, of the 

 150,000 inhabitants are Servian. More than 

 half of the Albanian inhabitants are Christians, 

 including the Mirdites. Austrian and Italian 

 observers such as Hahn and Baldacci admit that 

 the Albanians in this district are of ancient Ser- 

 vian origin, and to-day they possess many purely 

 Servian customs such as the Slava and blood 

 brotherhood. Under Servian rule they will enjoy 

 the fullest liberty, schools in their own lan- 

 guage, religious freedom, and security for life 

 and property to a degree they have never yet 

 known. 



The communal laws of Servia, which will 

 come into force in the new regions acquired and 

 apply to Albanians and Servians alike, "form the 

 most democratic s} stem of local government 

 known in Europe. Not only are minorities 

 adequately represented in commune and council, 

 but the communal authority is the judicial Court 

 for the majority of minor offences. In respect of 

 religious liberty in Servian territory to-day the 

 Mahomedan priests are better treated than are 

 the Orthodox, since the former receive from the 

 State a fixed salary, whereas the latter's revenue 

 \aries considerably. It is probable that, so far 

 from the Albanians in Servian territory being 

 forced to emigrate, numbers will come in from 

 Southern Albania. To-day in Servia Mahome- 

 dans and Albanians live peaceably and happily, 

 and in the newly acquired territories, although 

 these are fresh from the passage of the vic- 

 torious Servian armies, all races and religions 

 are settling down peaceably and contentedly 

 under the new administration. The reforms set 

 forth and promised in the Berlin Treaty, which 

 were a dead letter until the present war, are now 

 more than accomplished in the new Servian terri- 

 tories in a few weeks. There need, therefore, 

 be no anxiety as to the future welfare of the 

 Albanians, who will become Servian subjects in 

 the accomplishment of Servia's national 

 necessity of an outlet to the Adriatic Sea. 



Not only will the Adriatic outlet enable Servia 

 to have freedom of export and import, it will 

 give her new neighbours, since every maritime 

 nation will then be Servia's neighbour as much 



as Austria is to-day. This is especially true of 

 England, and Servia rejoices that the period of 

 lack of direct contact with England and English 

 institutions will now come to an end. From 

 Servia's new and growing ports steamers will 

 go to the established ports of England, weaving 

 closer every day the web of friendship and 

 mutual advantage between the two peoples. 

 This point of contact with England, secured by 

 England's command of the seas, realises for 

 Servia one of her deepest and most lasting 

 desires, which will enable her to develop freely 

 and liberally, encouraged and stimulated by the 

 freedom and justice of England. It is this desire 

 foi future and increasing relations with the 

 nations of the West, and especially England, 

 which makes it impossible for Servia to con- 

 sider even for a moment the giving of any special 

 economic advantages to any specific nation. To 

 (\o so would not only prejudice her economic 

 future, but would force Servia to place Eng- 

 land and other nations at a disadvantage. This 

 Servia will not consent to, any more than she 

 will abandon her just outlet to the Adriatic. 

 Servia cannot conceive that her settled deter- 

 mination on these points, which she is prepared 

 to defend by all means in her power, can be con- 

 sidered by any foreign Government as other than 

 necessary for the well-being of Servia and dic- 

 tated by a very real desire for permanent Euro- 

 pean peace and equal opportunities for all 

 nations desiring to enter into economic relations 

 with her. 



Friendly with all nations, the enemy of none, 

 but before all things true to her national needs 

 and consistently following out those liberal ideas 

 learned from England, Servia does not fear 

 criticism and will not draw back before interested 

 threats. Although at war, Servia has never 

 proclaimed martial law, nor has there been any 

 check upon the freedom of the Press in this 

 democratic land. It is open to all to criticise 

 freely and to declare to the world whatever they 

 may think wrong in Servia's policy, but we do 

 not with all this unfettered criticism see any- 

 thing which can make us alter our settled con- 

 viction that Servia's cause is national and just. 

 I am convinced that all nations whose eyes are 

 not obscured by interested desires will be with 

 Servia in her determination to achieve her legiti- 

 mate development. 



