The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-04-18
THE ADRIATIc PROBLEM.

One of the most difficult problems that could be laid
before peace conference is that which involves the
atons of Italy and the southern Slavs 1t is problem
that brstles with perplexities which happen to
upon the disposition of the city and port of Fume Both
Italy and the socaed kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and
Sovenes claim Fume and is reported that the confer
at Paris vii deny satisfaction either by enter
Matchmaking" Fume although perhaps placing the city
under the sovereignty of Italy 1t quite possible
that President Wilson will find work for his league
of nations by placing Fume under its minstrations.
If the city and port of Fume alone involved the
controversy would be comparatively simple and could
be settled in absurd and unjust manner without pro-
voking war. The Fiume question, however is only a
symptom and not the disease itself.
The of the quarrel between Italy and the southern
Slavs is not territorial but racial The racial element of
the southern Slavs that claims Fume is the Croat in
veterate enemy of al things Italian The Croat fought
Italy to the drop of the flag November last when
Italy and Austria-Hungary signed the armisce. The
Hapsburgs depended upon the Croats to hold the line
against Italy The Magyars deserted by thousands and
by battalons but the Croats fought the last for the
Hapsburgs.
The union of Serbs Croas and Slovcnes formed
during tn by alleged representatives of those
branches of the southern Sav The prospect of the
breakup of Austria Hungary animated the southern Savs
with hopes of liberty The Croats split up into factions
of them cngng the Hapsburg regime, others ad
vocating republic and other avoring union with Serb
Ia That is the situation today There is still strong
Croa party that adhcre9 the Austrian Huns and hopes
for the formation of a Austria. There is strong
publican party in Croatia fighting the efforts of the Serbs
to absorb the country And finally there is the proSerb
party endeavorng to silence the other factions and to
convince the world that all is in the kingdom of
the Serbs Croas and Sovenes But all the Croats of all
parties, cordially hate the Italians and readily unite in
resisting Ialys claim to Fume any portion of the DIAL
matian coast
The Italians we'll knowing the enemy character of the
Croats do not trust Them and will not be satisfied with
their occupation of the rocky coast of Damata and its
natural sronghods, such as Fiume. The possession of
Fume by the Croats in Italian opinion would be merely
the forerunner of another Hun invasion of Italy in which
the Croas would heartily join, The only security which
Italy have after all her losses is the power to pre-
vent the Huns of Germany and Austria from using the
Adriatic That could not be accomplished completely,
of course, without the Italian occupation of both coasts
The next best security is control of the ronghod most
accessible to the Huns among which is Fume. If that
denied to Italy now the safety of the Italian kingdom
will depend largely upon the good will of Germany and
German Austria supplemented by those Croats who ad
here to the Hun cause.
Ita &c irwin IN f,rb
assault just France is trying to do Their chief enemy
is the German, but in Itay's there is another dan
enemy the Croas across the Adratc who proved
up to last November that he would fight shoulder to Shout
der with the Hun for the sake TO destroying Italy.
Of course it is embarrassing to the allies make any
which would be construed by the Serbs Croas and
Slovenes indicating that they regarded as
smonpure democrats and enemies of the Hun Neverthe
less the allies must discriminate between enemies and
friends in the Adriac region if Italy to be made
ably safe. The United States is placed in somewhat
wakward position because of its hasty recognition of the
kingdom of the Serbs Croats and Sovenes step which
Great Britain, France Japan and several other allies
avoided. When the United States extended recognition
to the true attitude of the Croats fighting in the Austrian
armies not revealed. 1t supposed that these
southern Slavs like the Pennsylvania Roumanans and
the Czecho Sovak kept in the Hapsburg armies by
brute force and compelled to fight pain of death On
he contrary the Croats fought gladly in defense of the
Hapsburgs and against Italy The commander-n-chief
of the Austro- Hungarian armies himself was southern
Slav enemy of Italy to the last and trusted euen
ant of the Hapsburg emperor Washington Post
When of our citizens leaves and tells that
els going out of the city for few days and does not