El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-11
DEMANDS
EASTERN COAST
Claims To Adriatic Sea
board Conflict With Those
Of the Jugo-Slavs.


Slavs, and the possession Of the fleet,
which was based on Slav ports, is re-
garded by the Jugo-Slav leaders as
necessary to ensure the protection OF
the new country. At this writing the
allies have not decided what to do
with the ships. some Of which are said
TO have hoisted the American flag as
an indication Of their appeal to the
impartial power across the Atlantic
for protection
The Italian Standpoint.
Italy declares that to leave the
east coast Of the Adriatic. with scores
OF excellent harbors and thousands Of
rocky islands. in ths hands OF a rival
power while she herself is restricted
70 the sandy western coast as at pres
ent, puts her at the mercy OF the
country holding the disputed terrific
ries.
The italian claim to considerable
parts Of the coast Of Dalmatia and to
Istria IS also based upon the fact that
these lands were formerly subject TO
Venice and, before Venice existed. to
Rome. and that such culture and civil
ization as existed IN these sparsely
populated regions were brought there
by Italians
Moreover. the Italians deny that
the eastern sea board Of the
Adriatic ought naturally to belong
20 the state which holds the him
terland- They point out the i'm
pOrtance OF the Drinarie Alps,
which lie n Few scores Of miles
inland, and say that the few
passes in these mountains and the
difficulty OF communication make
the mountain range and not the
sea- the natural boundary for
JuEO-SInFIa.
But the Italian claim TO Istria, with
the great naval base at Pola- the ports
EaHa. L.. - Il
Islands further south off herzegovina,
are particularly based upon the treaty
OF London. signed by Italy, Great Bril-
tain, France and Russia, In March,
1915, in order 20 secure the entry OF
Italy into the war The Italian view
point about this treaty IS that IL rep
resents less than a minimum OF what
Italy must have and Italians declare
the treaty Is a wicked document
which gives too much 10 Jugo-Slavia,
especially the port OF Fiume and the
coast of herzegovina proper. These
concessions to the Slavs, they declare,
were inserted IN the London treaty at
the bidding OF foreign minister Sazo-
nor OF the old Russian autocracy,
which was anxious TO secure a firm
held on the Adriatic in order later 20
exert power OF Russia against Italy.
For the resanos the Italians believe
that the London treaty ought 70 be
revised upward Italy's delegates at
the peace conference. signor Orlando
and baron Sonnino. VIII probably ask
for the whole coast as far down as
they are willing TO leave
the harbor OF Cattaro and most Of the
Albanian coast line TO the south in
the hands OF the Jugo-SlaVs.
There are, however. Italian states
men OF more moderate trend. no
tabiy signor Bissolatti, the Socialist
" 90
greater concessions TO Jugo-Slavia
than are indicated here
Say Country Was COlonized.
The Italians meet the claim that the
annexation Of regions where the I
Slavs are IN majority violates presi- |
dent wilson's principles by declaring |
-naL until 90 years ago these lands ]
we're indisputably Italian Since then, |
they say the Vienna government has !
deliberately implanted Slavs IN these
italian territories ard expelled Ital-
.anss IN order TO be able 20 say that 1
he country had become SlaV. Alsace /
-arraine, Italians declare, was SINH /
.arly furnished with a German ma /
.Ority Tor purposes OF policy by the /
5erlin government since 1871. but this 1
I'D not prevent the loss territories i
rom being taken over by France.
II official Italians proclaim the /
.reaty Of London a wicked instrument \
--I-a-14 " I4aF1 which QeprlFe5 them \
II some OF their rights, the Jugo-
slaTs are no less insistent that the
london document must be consigned /
% the waste basket because It raw
shes from the new Slav state part OF
Is Dirthrignt and offends against
ieYeral OF president Wilson's al
POINTS America they point out, did
lot sign the treaty OF London Hence
luSo-Slavs want the United States
o insist that It should be abandoned
Is contrary to American war aims.
md that the annexation By Italy Of
arge stretches OF the Jugo-Slav sea
cast be forbidden by president VIII
There are extremists among the
ugo-Slavs as among the Italians. but
he moderate official view Is that the
lrinciple Of nationality must decide.
he Slavs demand all OF the Istrian
'eninsula and the whole coast down
o Greece. but they are probably will
ng 10 compromise to the extent OF
onceding Italy Trieste an admitted
Italian town, though IL has a Slav
.interland, and the naval base OF
,ola--Copyright 1913, by the Mcclure
newspaper Syndicate.
L PASO SOLDIER TELLS