No Backward Step For Montenegrins.

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 5, 1913:
King Nicholas Says Scutari Is a Matter of Life or Death to His People.
WAR COST THEM $10,000,000
Austria Fears International Blockade May Be Fruitless; May Act Independently.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    LONDON, April 4.— The Ambassadors of the powers have decided to blockade the Montenegrin coast, and instructions have been sent to the international squadron, to which all the powers except Russia are contributing. Vienna is of the opinion that the blockade will fail, but recognizes that the landing of an international force is out of the question.
    King Nicholas, in an interview with The Pall Mall Gazette correspondent, declares that it is a life-and-death struggle for Montenegro, which will go forward, whatever it may cost. "The world condemns me for causing trouble," said his Majesty, "but the world forgets that my subjects must regain that fertile land belonging to the Zeta Valley if we are to go on living. Yes, it is a matter of life or death. Modern conditions demand industry and agriculture. The time will come when we must lay down the sword and take up the plow, but we must have something to plow. You cannot grow maize and wheat out of rocks. For over three centuries the Turk occupied the best part of those dominions which belonged to our ancestors. Ever since we have been trying to get them back. I and my people mean to keep the land we have retaken during the war. We mean to take Scutari, which is the key to that land, and we mean to keep it.
    "Old as I am, and used to fighting, I have never seen such determination among my people as during the present war. They know only too well that it is far better to die fighting than to go on living as we are doing now. Scutari was ours before the Turks took it from us. My ancestors are buried in that city in the very churches built by them. Once the Turk is beaten and driven out of Europe, the land which we reconquered, which they took from us when they were strong enough to do so, must belong to us. We ask nothing more; we are but fighting to keep our own."
    In another interview in The Express King Nicholas says in answer to the question whether he wishes to force a European war:
    "I want nothing except Justice. How can I consider Europe when my nation's fate is at stake? Am I to sacrifice the lives of all my brave Montenegrins on the altar of European intrigue? The war has cost us £2,000,000 ($10,000,000) and 10,000 men fallen for Montenegro; yet Austria tells us to stop when the reward of our sacrifice is at hand. It is an outrage," his Majesty exclaimed, indignantly, "and only permissible because we are weak and powerless against the united strength of Europe. We have done our part in liberating the Serbs from Turkish tyranny; we have won freedom for the Albanians; but we also desire life beyond our barren mountains."

    VIENNA, April 4.— Austria-Hungary is determined to act independently against Montenegro, unless the naval demonstration on the coast of Montenegro proves that more serious measures are unnecessary to enforce the will of Europe. This is to be understood from the utterances of the newspapers of the Austrian capital, which are apparently inspired.
    The Neue Freie Presse adds that Scutari must belong to the future State of Albania, with or without the consent of Europe.
    The Reichspost says that if Russia prefers to see things arranged otherwise, the whole work of the Ambassadorial conferences in London will be null and void.

    LONDON, April 4.— It having come to the knowledge of the Powers that the Balkan allies had decided not to deliver their reply to the terms of peace drafted by the Ambassadors until Scutari is taken. It was decided at to-day's conference of the Ambassadors, held at the Foreign Office, to insist that the reply shall be no longer delayed. This decision will be made known to the allies through the Ministers of the Powers stationed in the Balkan capitals.
    The settlement of the Turco-Bulgarian frontier, which all the parties have agreed shall be drawn in a straight line from the Gulf of Enos to Midia, gives the powers the necessary excuse for hurrying the allies.