The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-23
Strong Indications Seen of
Shift in Presidents For
mer Determination.
CABLE Is KEPT BUSY
Settlement of Vexatious
Problem Is Looked For
at Any Minute.
! SERBS SEE CAUSE OF WAR
Jugo-Slavs Incensed About
Reports of D'Annunzio's
Invasion of Croatia.
SERBS SEE CAUSE OF WAL
BY LAURENCE HILLS.
sIar Correspondent Of The Sun.

OosFooPOfteSfst
Copyright, 1919. all rights reserved.
PARIS, Sept. 22.-President Wilson
seems on the point Of accepting the
sudden turn the Fiume situation has
taken. as described in THE SUN, and
apparently at last is willing that
Nume should go to Italy. Strong in
dlcations of this were apparent to-day
In American mission circles.
The President received the latest
plan respecting Fiume last Wednes-
day, and while he has not sent a for
NAL reply there Is a constant exchange
Of cables between him and Under Sec
retary Polk, and It is believed that an
announcement Of the settlement of the
yexing problem will be forthcoming
any minute. with Premiers Lloyd
George and Clemenceau on record as
faronng Italian sovereignty for Fiume
he President apparently has been
fyces t6 156K around fors a lcophole
trough which to escape.
II the Italians get Fiume city, as
now seems likely, they will agree not
10 maintain troops there. Part of the
,ty in addition will be placed under
International control. But italian SOW
.reignty over the city means that Italy
wins her main contention. 1t was the
Presidents refusal to accept this solu-
ton which finally led to the D'Annun-
no revolt.
Premiers Desert President.
No plan the President would consider
heretofore conceded Italian sovereignty
Even the plan he cabled ten days ago
stipulated that Fiume should be free
city, governed by commission MADE up
Of two Jugo-Slavs. two Italians and one
Flumean. But Italy got the support OF
Lloyd George, due to one of his sudden
shifts, and then approached clemenceau
with her original demand.
The statement was made in American
circles to-day that II the Jugo-Slavs pad
agreed to the new plan there seemed no
further reason for the Americans to oo-
ject. This would seem to foreshadow
the Presidents acceptance of this plan'
though nothing official has as yet been
received from him. or concerning any VI
the negotiations which have continued
necessarily here since D'Annunzio raised
his standard in revolt. Meantime The
Italian Government apparently Is main
taining a perfunctory blockade of F1ume
pending the outcome of these negotia-
tons.
D'Annunzio's tactics in moving his
forces further inland and occupying the
Rlsnyak Heights appears TO have COM
plcated the situation further and may
endanger the negotiations.
Jugo-SIavs Are Indignant.
The Jugo-Slav delegates here ex-
pressed indignation over reports that
DAnnunzio had invaded Croatian terri
tory and that he was pillaging and burn
Ing homes OF Jugo-Slavs. The Serbian
delegation reports many arrests by the
Italian poets soldiers also the destruc-
uon Of the leading newspaper office in
Susak
1t is understood that as soon as a
cabinet Is formed in Belgrade the Ser
D'ahs VIII send a note OF protest TO the
Peace Conference II action against
D'Annunzio is not taken soon. The lead
ing Serbian delegates said to-day:
We will take the situation in our owr
hands' as the Italians have done. The
DAnnunEio affair, which we know is not
he act OF few eccentrics but a delib
erate military maneuvre by the ltal
ians' can very well be the cause OF more
than serious friction between the Ser
oians and Italians 1t can be the cause
war. We are awaiting President VIII
sons decision before we decide to &C
ourselves"