765.75/384: Telegram
The Minister in Albania (Grant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:40 p.m.]
9. Political tension involving Italo-Albanian relations continues following the recent expulsion from Albania by order of the Bang of Commander Giovani Giro, Italian Fascist organizer of youth who with the help of large sums of Italian lire it is alleged collaborated with certain dissatisfied Albanians including a member of Parliament and friend of the King in an attempt to launch a movement to overthrow the regime. King Zog immediately called up his army reservists and expelled Giro. The prevailing opinion in well informed circles is that the Italian Government sponsored the affair since Giro is high in the Fascist Party in Rome being close to Mussolini, although this is denied by the Albanian Foreign Minister.