The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-03-28
.Sazo1Ga{ 900 <z1lze~

'"ese groups and serious trouble WAS Threatened
,bnrnsas, has only the thought that back in Pari.
te, statesmen were assembling fully de-
iiiiied 10 settle once for all the possibility of
war, that enabled one IN 90 ,hro,a, Et,,,, Itch
~, h''hihe The prediction that the war was in its
"ahcF rather than at its end
o,,a, l'e unknown reason Fiume was not In
~ " 'he hst OF towns allotted Italy in that
i"'"ous pact of London. which was signed
ny the allies just before Itoly entered tho war
ioia ana Iriste, ports on the Atriatic and stu
a''u ON 'he lstrian peninsula were given to Italy
''''" possession of the last-named cities was
'' VI ieSs uhquestioned. But Fiume was liter
'H 40 Man Land when the peace conference
started although neither Italy nor the Jupo Savs
would admit as much
Americans as Mediators
america had really prominent part In the af
ihr' a honcommital part because we were no,
VI ''e '"'iohs ashing the pact of London.
In every respect were neutral But we had
one warship and four destroyers in the barhor
and battalion of soldiers ashore and onr coIors
were cheered with enthusiasm by both elements
contesting for possession of the CITY,
Americas popularity may in measure ho
Judged py the fact that one of the local hotels
had just been rechristened Hotel Wilson and
there were numerous American flags In av,,.nc.
also pictures of President Wilson
While small In number-the American sod,or,
numbered only battalion--o''r troops had a nres
| tlge that was wholly out of proporton to tho,r
| inn
the streets and maintaining quiet was d,v,dad
among the four allied nations In this ioh Amor
lcan troops had one quarter of the work ,o ,or
1orh SINCE each street patrol was composed ~
TOUR soiuers-a Frenchman an Italian n Rrit,sb
tommy ana an American. They walked In fours
abreast and you could several such prou,s T.;
even brief survey of the city from one OF tho
principal business corners
| Somehow or other the patrols managed to co,-
verse with each other. The Americans md ~,
| 'lsh couid understand one another, of course md
| the Italian and French could talk Then in eoch
patrol there were usually one or two men thu,
knew few words of either Latin or English .o
the men bad little or no trouble in transmitting n
given idea about.
Most Of the American boys we're na,ives q,
Ohio, although Lieut.. Col. william Eyerson their
commander, hailed from Indiana Among the nm.
der officers were strappng young fellows mainly
from the middle West. One of these explained to
me some of the importance that had been thrnst
| on the American contingent through the deyeIon.
ment Of the political situation.
1--WE are mediators here" the officer said "and
are rather popular all around. In way orr ont.
At is sitting on the lid. When we get or trouble
Is going to break out right away. The JugoS Slays
are mobizing an army back in the country >Sey.
eral Slavs know, natives of this community
| received their orders to 60 to camp. Should We
leave it's u moral certainty the Jugo-Slavs and
ttalian troops will clash before long"
| French Are Accused.
The actual contention, however, was not between
the Jugo-Sltvs, such, and the Italians, but be
tween the Italians and the French The hizhes,
italian officials In this Istrian territory believed
the French were backing the Jugo-Slavs, armins
,henI and encouraging them In their demands fol