El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-05
DANGERP0INT0 ON
THE ADRIATICSEA
The Claims of the Jugo-
Slavs and Something Of
Their History.

by n aNLaLL@AAAA aHa AAaAEAAANa
Washington, d. C., March 5.-Of ever
growing seriousness among the prob
lens 20 be settled at the peace table
Is the disposition OF the land border
ing the Adriatic sea
Since the collapse OF Austria, Italy
has occupied most OF this land there
by arousing the wrath of the JugO-
Slavss and particularly that OF Servia-
which country announces that II is
also a candidate for the prizes TO be
awarded along the Adriatic coast line
So strong is the feeling on this ques-
ton that SerFia, weak from hunger
and the terrible invasIons Of the en-
envy has nevertheless declared that 1t
VIII fight again, and keep on fight
ing, II Italy is permitted TO maintain
her present status on the Ad-iatic-
The two provinces which are the
naSls or this agitation are known as
lAustenland and Dalmatia- The oc-
c-pation OF the Austrian province Of
IrentinO by Italy is not contested,
because IrentinO contains a large
Italian population and is Of no great
economic value, for it has no outlet
70 the sea Its chief value TO Italy
IS the strategic one Of a mountain
uarrlcade against Austria
Italians Outnumbered.
In kustenland and Dalmatia, how
ever both Of which possess consid-
lealy important the situation is COM
plicated by the fact that the Jugo-
olaFs greatly Outnumber the Italians.
III you happen to have a map of
Europe, you viii see that Kustenland
Is that small peninsula. projecting into
me Adriatic Just east Of the Italian
frontier and containing the important
austrian seaport OF Trieste. Dalmatia
occupies long and narrow strip Of
lana on the eastern coast Of the
Auflallc, extending with its fringe OF
small Islands, from kustenland 10
montenegro In the days when the
Roman empire flourished, these
provinces belonged 10 Italy, and, al
though they were separated from it
centuries ago Italy still bitterly re-
sents their lass.
The SlaV EnterE-
IN recent years however, another
intruder has gained tremendously in
mum bers. if not in power, along the
shores Of the Adriatic-the Slav. The
history OF each province in this re-
Eton IS me history OF the gradual rise
OF the SlaF- Take kustenland. for
example The emigration Of Slavs 10
lNusleuland began shortly after the
downfall Of the Roman empire. They
established themselves in the noun
tain businesses Of the interior. leaving
me LATIN population TO the narrow
coasl lands and to the port towns
DurlnE the Middle Ages Of the
IStrian peniusula-as the lower nart|
OF kustenland is called-was divided
between Austria and the City OF
eniCe, Austria receiving the most
Important half containing the city Of
Trieste ThEs Trieste has been Aus
TRAN since The 18th century. In 1919.
The congress Of Vienna awarded the
entire peninsula to Austria. Under
austrian rule the Italian population
has been gradually dWindlinE. while
rmo E|Tr-g n=ra rnrr1Hfr1raT until ~0r.r-
they represent 66 percent OF the entire
In DaImafIa.
Tn Dalmatia the Siavs are even more
dominanc Its coast is a huge noun
tain wall that rises abruptly from the
sea. with scattering Of tiny islands.
This wall has tended 10 cut off the
Dalmatiau interior from the Adriatic, F
so that It appears 10 have held little
charm for the Italian At any rate, I
The Slav population has increased by I
leaps and bounds ever since the ninth f
century. while the Italians have
steadily dwindled until now they con-
stitute only three percent Of the pop
ulation-
During the Middle Ages the Vene- I
tian republic obtained great influence
over Dalmatia and succeeded in fore
ing its culture upon the Slavss al
though Do failed TO make them adopt
the Italian language Then IN 1914, ]
AialTll.lLla was AWARDED 10 austria DE
the congress Of Vienna and the Slavs
proceeded 10 divest themselves OF
Italian culture as OF q cloak
Awakeden Race Conscience
The 18th century is famous as the
aWakener OF race consciousness (
among all the peoples Of Europe, and
the SlaTs proved no exception They /
began 70 organize, TO take part in
the political life Of the nations which
ruled them. and they began to dream /
Of a united southern Slav state-a
JuCo-SlaVia-
For Eusteulaud and Dalmatia were
not the only territories TO receive the ]
flood Of Slavic immigrants during the
Middle Ages Croatia-Slavonia, an I
other province OF the Adriatics re-
ceived. its share, and the western Bal I
lyans. ia1so. But while the Slavs OF
the Adriatic provinces accepted ]
Christianity from Rome and adopted
The civilization OF western Europe, Z
The Slavs who settled IN Servia fen
under the influence Of Byzantine Con- 1
s-antinople The difference between 7
the two civilizations served to split
this people and make IL lose con- Z
scfousness Of its identity as such
Rise and Fail Of Croats-
The first 10 develop a political state