October 26 [1913]
Hersek
(Colonia)
26 October
My dear Gertrude.

I don’t know if this will reach you before you push off – if it does my dear it is to wish you all luck & success, all safety & reasonable comfort (both of these last your fiery soul is apt to despise) - & to come back in time to tell me all the news, before I set out for some hole or other, as is my manner.

Thank you so much for Eliot - & for Wace’s letter. I haven’t had a moment yet for Eliot, but I read & answered Wace – you are a good friend – As for time, last night I worked to midnight from 9am copying dull & lengthy process verbaux, & writing a despatch etc & a long cypher which has little chance of arriving decypherable – the wretched clerk had thousands of words from the Austrians & Italians to send besides the modest contributions of the rest of us. For the commission creaks – we can’t follow the rather narrow path laid down in London – How determine what is the “langue maternelle” of the families, when the Xtians close houses against us? I have made proposals for a wider mission to study not only nationality, but economics & strategy as well as geography – We could then (& I have sketched it roughly) come to an agreement. It is not so very difficult, although there would be some careful handling wanted, to bring in Austrian & French (i.e. Greek) – for the Frenchamn says he was sent here to defend Greek interests. I think I see my way to a useful joint report which could really recommend a possible frontier, but they must take the fetters off us –

As for justice, there is no such thing – not in pure quantity – someone must always be on the wrong side of the hedge – but as few as possible – and as few thorns in the hedge – Then comes time and breeds children and they forget.

For the last week or ten days – no sixteen – I have scarcely had a moment to myself, always somebody to be listened to, to be considered and smoothed – most of my colleagues have the cacoether loguendi at its worst – the Austrian Bilinski would talk ten men to death – and the Italian is as bad – then I have to go to smooth Greeks, to arrange with sub prefects and all varieties of patriots – even journalists and to be careful that no untowardness occurs – and we live on the edge of it – with all these sacred legions and howling mobs – even priests I have to see – and they are often nice but always fools – and some are assassins in the name of God. It is interesting to me – I’ve seen Moslem fanaticism in its typhoon – now I see but little difference (except in moment) in that of Xtian – kill – burn destroy – it’s the same thing, and for much the same reason.

Should we all be better people if there was no religions in the world at all?

We had no post. The Italian motors could not be landed for the boycotting at Sante Quaranta. At least we have Greek motors as we really must have letters – nothing since the 9th October.

If you are in London and see Tyrell ask him if it is true that Austria has offered to Greece the Kaya of Koritza in exchange for the breaking of the Servian alliance. The Russian told me – Bukallam. Its only a rumour and there are so many. I didn’t put it in my despatch.

Austria and Italy want to make another Crete of this place – I don’t and you don’t and I’m sure the F. O. don’t. But there are just 3 things of which that is one – the others being our line, if we can find one, and the policing of this side still by Greece – or the occupation by Italy as to represent Europe.

Somebody must police here. It is a crime to retire the Greeks and leave seven duds in the empty house – somebody has got to be here.

The Austrian argument is that sooner of later there must be a landing – then why not sooner?

I’ve got an awful head this morning from typewriting in a bad light till midnight – and I rather think I’ve said all this to you before – but you must forgive me – The thing that wrecks the whole question is the complete absence of any Albanian Govt. The Commissioners have had no time to bellow out their challenge to our rutting stags on this mountain – our fellows call all day and none answers – why not say who is there and how long is he going to stay? Why not have some scheme or other published? Why let people think that Ismail Vemal or Ersad are going to rule over them – the only decent Albanian for the job of Prime Minister to the Xtian prince is Ferid Pasha of our acquaintance, once Grand Vizier, and now in Switzerland. Drag him out. He has some experience and weight behind him – But for the South of Albania you must emphasize Christianity, or the Greeks will have you every time, and there will be nothing but killings on all the hills.

Please my dear Gertrude remember that you said you would run no risks, other than the fair risks which came by the way. For risks of a sort there must be – and what is written in the book. Still don’t go on a ghrazza or out to meet one.

As for risks we have them here – a certain bon pere de famille wanted to leave a threatening mob the other day before I’d done with them – somebody remonstrated – oh he said in effect “Damn the President! I’ve got my children to think of” But there isn’t any real risk if they’d only keep cool and say little. All the same it will be a job putting up boundary pillars for the next commission –

I shall miss you and your letters – have a good journey – find castles – keep well – and remain my friend –
Yrs
Dick
As to process verbaux, the great thing is to put in my colleagues and leave out myself.