Evening star., 1919-12-29
Gen. Robilant, in Senate at
Rome, Charges Effort to
Penetrate Europe.
SLAV BARRIER AGAINST
GERMAN HOPES. HE SAYS
Italian Army Commander Calls His
Country's Handling of Matter
Series of Blunders.
ID the Associatcd Press.


ROME, Sunday. December oS,-Au-
sio-American capitalists We're blamed
for opposition TO Jtaly's claims to
Fiume by Gen. Rohilant, speaking Ia
the senate today.
"Anglo-American commerce." lie de-
ciared, needed Fiume as a port OF
penetration into central Europe pre-
feTring to have IL in th,. hands of a
small country rather than under the
control of a great power. This plan
Was backed by the peace conference.
winch was faNora Bile TO the Siav peo-
pies, wishing them to form a barrier
against resurrection of Germany.
Anglo American capitalism selected
three ports for its purpose-FIume
Danzig and Constant ntinople-assignints
the first to Jugoslavia, the second to
Poland and the last to Turkey. The
iast-named country is under control
OF the league of nations and all know
tae league of nations is in the hands
of the Anglo-Saxons.''
''SuccessiOn Of BIunders..
Gen. Robilant, who was commander
OF the Fourth Army during the war.
ltallan representative on the inter
allied military commission at Yer
sailles and a member of the COM
mission which conducted an inquiry
into disorders at Eiume last JULY,
said that ltaly's handling of the Iii
ume situation had been a succession
of blunders. lie closed by saying:
''Discontent is creeping into the
army because of iEjustices which
have been committed. but / trust
Italy will triumph over all present
difficulties"
scribed as an Italian oasis deter
mined, he asserted to remain italian
and not 10 become Croatian before
The Plume question existed and
while interest of Italians was cen
tered on Trent and Trieste. In sup
port OF this declaration. he pointed
out. that the treaty of London gave
Fiume to Croatia.
For this reason the plebiscitc at
Fiume could not be recognized by
Italy. he said because il was con-
trary to~'the pact of London. nor
could Italy proclaim annexation OF
riunc, because The allies would
neither have permitted nor acknowi-
edsHd it
president Wilson never recognized
the treaty Of London. the speaker
continued. but Tf4fv- could not re-
pounce 1t because that would have
meant the abandonment of the ONLY
weapon she possessed.
Crfticises supreme Command.
The Italian supreme command Gen.
Robilant criticised for not occupyinS
Fiunle>~ immediately after the armi-
stice with Austria when Innsbruck was
taken over by Italian troops. Fiume,
he said, was only two miles from the
arntstice line. and a French general
ordered that Fiume be occupied. In
carrying out this plan, however, :.
Serbian battalion WAS sent into the
city ahead of French troops.
Then the Italian command realized
it's mistake" the general said, and
urged that an interallied force be
sent into Fiume. This step was opt
posed by the French
Gen. Robilant VINO was at that time
at Versailles, was asked by the Italian .
government to obtain from the French
consent for allied occupation OF the
city, and he interviewed Marshal
Foch As a result Italy was allowed
TO assume command over interallied
forces in and about Fiume.
Conflicts soon occurred between
the French and Italians" the speaker
said. land were caused principaiiy
nv the fact that the Croatians had
remained friends of the French while
thew had continued to be our enemies.
The situation became extremely az
ficult and grave incidents, which
resulted were due to an excess OIL
a provocation and an excess OF re-
action. The best policy would nave
been to have spontaneously given
satisfaction to France Tor the rrenci
soldiers killed and wounded. onerinS
Indemnity. Instead of that an inter
conduct an inquiry. This was a great
mistake as Italy appeared before
that commission as the accused anu
her representative was alwdSs III tne
minority. In the END All the
ments accepted the very grave pro
nosaIs of the commissioning ihtet-
decentralization of fiume
D'Annunxio's Mistake.
..rn. Gabrielle d'Annunzio's expo
a;+ion into Fiume prevented the exc
cution of the commissions proposals-
which was "A pity. because IL tiis @ 90, ete
tion of the new national couhcn thot
ha6 occurred under the auspices
tha ;nteraliied commission, instead o.
thosa Of Can't d dAnnunzio, 1t Wouio
have assumed greater lH,por ahce ."
having virtually internationai ,a san
tion. | believe interaliieu poi,ec
have remained there only eeiipoi"
rily." H. ,-o. in command
Cen. Robilant. who was III coiii,liSne lIsS.
- +roons ON the arlnistice line WITH
the d'Annunzian coup took piace' vs.
about to suppress the hio'e
he was called to Rome -
.1nt.rfereuce of irresponsible persons
T., Governmental action reSafdiis thF
.rrnv is a grave danssr, ss1i1 .ne -
eral. discussing militarism- e..ianS
has shown ss 10 "''H'
this may ieau .. 90 ,,-.r snols.
for Ce1f. Robilant had completed h-s
address. saving that he hirasen W.
:.sIways responsible for everything re-
earding the army
FiUME. December 2S.-Armed resist,
.nce 70 the last morseI of bread ana
Last drop of blood is Gabrielle q AM
nunzio's latest decision i'll demaisdine
further guarantees from the ltaalan
.,o,,arpment to insure the annexation OF
Eiume to Italy. The situation rs at
stronrer deadlock than even by reason
of 1he soldier-poets unshaken obstlnacN
10 remain ia Plume until his demands
are met ., ;..
decision to accept the government pro
nosaI. and aas voted to support Il An
nuuzio. who, with large following o;
leeionnaires, still remains master of the
situation inside the city.
ROME December IS tHaNaSe---
Commander Rizzo, head of the dan
nunzian navy at Fiume, has arrived
here with two delegates of the national
council of Fiume to confer with Pre-
mier Nitti before the latter's departure
for London and Paris
a l. a.