The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-07

ing: "This is the way to ruin Italy, The poet replied instantly: " ou will ruin Italy if you oppose destiny by obeying an infamous policy The General asked what were the poets intentions. The geply was: Not one shot shall be fired by my men if their passage is free.'' The general re- torted: T have strict orders, and must impede an act which may have in calculabIe consequences for our coun- try The poet replied: T under stand your words, general. You will order your men to fire upon my sol [ diers, their brothers, but before you do 30, order them to fire on me-" So saying, he moved toward the SOL diers, exposing his breast adorned with the gold medal of military hon. or. There was @ movement among the troops, who approached the poet and cheered him The general say his opposition was useless He walked up to the poet, complimented him, and told him that at heart he was with
 him and would cheer for Plume He added: T am happy to meet you for the first time in these circumstances, and all I hope is that your praise worthy object may be attained"
 General PittaIuga "Hlepless''
 The soldiers on both sides imme- diately faternized, cheered the poet and the general, and without fur ther orders crossed the road which
 divides Plume from the suburbs and entered the town. General Pittaluga withdrew alone, and the soldiers re- spectfuIly opened a passage for him. He stopped his car at the public gardens, where a big crowd assem- bled. He made a short speech to the people, saying: You ought now to be satisfied, and I hope that your des- tiny will be fulfilled. am heart and soul with you. But I eXhort you to show the greatest respect to the AL lies. There must be no disorder and no violence, as no forces are oppos- ed to you. Act in such a way that Italy will be proud of you" The gen er2I then returned to the governors palace. where he said to the other officers: q was helpless; they all joined the cause" D'Annunzio. con- ducted his troops down the hillside into the town and entered the big avenue of IT November in a military motor-car. Crowds had waited all of the night and cheered him franticaI- Iy- He proceeded to the building of the military headquarters, where he took over the command of the city. NJ Grissich, the Mayor, and the city delegation came to greet him, and in dramatic scene the union of Fi
 ume to Italy was proclaimed Whatever may be the ultimate sol uuon of the incident, D'Annunzio's expedition certainly, when known, aroused the enthusiasm of the entire Italian nation. The Government made deprecating speeches, issued severe
 orders to the soldiers to return, and appointed new general to Trieste with Vlceregal powers The fact re-
 mans that the whole nation at first turned against the Government, and approved the violent annexation of Plume, despite the vioatIion of mii- tary discipline and of respect for the Paris Conference which it implied
 Italian national sentiment had been for eight months cruelty tor tured by refusing FIume to Italy. and the nations impatience is well un- derstood. DAnnunzio's adventure Il ed every imagination. Demonstra- uons of enthusiasm took place in every town and village. The poets health was drunk with aCnfra tfor, Tn publc places after every feast and banquet It is difficult to see how such a national outburst of sentiment can be restrained, even by the Cow eTnment. Signor Nitti tried the inn possible to moderate national ebuI lition. He issued a drastic decree. re- instating severe military censorship
 of the Press, and many newspapers in consequence appeared -~ith big black spaces, but the people under stood what those spaces meant, and were even more enthusiastic An ex- cellent impression was produced by the conduct of the Allied detach- ments in Plume, who despite some in dividua1 outbreaks, withdrew to their barracks, lowered their flags for which D'Annunzio's volunteers offer ed them military honors The energet- ic measures taken by the Government
 consisted, first of all, in sending General Badoglio to the territory of the armistice to re-establish order and military discipline. The first re- port stated that General Badoglio had gone to Plume to take up command, sailing in a fast torpedo-boat from Ancona. But, on the contrary, Gen eral BadOglio, who is a trusted chief of the General Staff under General Diaz, a very able military man, and, what is perhaps more useful at pres ent, a man of persuasive tact and diplomacy, went not to Plume, but to Trieste. on a fast warshfp At
  whole war zone. In this zone every military base, every barracks, and every outpost station, sympathized with D'Annunzio, and the officers and men were ready to throw discipline to the winds and join his colors
 General Badoglio's Hard Task.
 General Badoglio's task was, first, to recall all the officers and soldiers
 to their duty and military obedience. The officers and soldiers, who, as
 quasi deserters; have left their camps or stations for Plume, were invited
 to return, and were given a legal number of days to comply. Some vol
 unteers realized the possible conse-
 quences of their act, and were dis posed to return, provided some sort
 of promise was given that Plume
 will not be abandoned by Italy, and
 that their act will be condoned. Ac- cording to General Badoglio's in