New-York tribune., 1919-10-01
Sh0aUs Strain
OF Fight TO Hold fi1's'1e
Poet Appears Worn and Weary When Seen by Corrc-
spondent; Colors Of City Everywhere Displayed: {:
People Are Confident; Conditions Nearly Normal

ing letters and drafting proclamatons
This has been his task in addition to
attending to staff work in connection
with the forces of occupation under
his command One Of his secretaries
told the correspondent Of The Assoc-
ated Press that d'Annunzio had re-
celvcd five hundred persons Friday and
that nj the close or every day he was
exhausted.
At the interview dAnnun2io wore
the uniform ola lieutenant colonel, with
tive rows OF ribbons. including those Of
sixteen medals for yalor. The staff of
the poet consists mainly Of young men.
There is no officer in Fiume above
the rank of lieutenant colonel. Out Of
nineteen officers on the staff of dan
nunziO seven won the Italian gold
medal FOR valor, of which only twenty
five were bestowed during the war.
The soldiers displayed a most in
tense admiration for d d'Annunzio. One
Of them said 20 the correspondent: "He
is the greatest man in the World. We
are willing to follow him to the death" +"
People Of Fiume Confident
Fiumc is abaze with flags, her
streets are filled with marching sol
diers and her air ia vibrant WI, the
confidence felt by the mon under the
command Of d'AnnunZio. ltalys flag
and chat of the city Of Fiume pre-
dominate. he only foreign banner being
the French tri-color floating over tho
French naval headquarters.
Pennants bearing the words, "Niva
ltalia' and Captain d'Annunzio's slo-
gen, "Fiume or DEATH" minglc with
the red, white and green OF Italy and
the violet, blue and yellow OF Fiume
The correspondent reached Fiume last
night from Trieste, being buried in
the conl in the tender of locomotive
for the last part Of the journey to
avoid guards along the way
All vestiges Jugo-Slav signs or
names have been removed The hotel
where The Associated Press corrc-
spondcnt stayed was named "Hotel De
Deak' before Fiume asked for annexa-
ton to Italy After the armistice, and
because OF the fourteen points" the
name was changed to Hotel Wilson.
After President Wilson's declaration
last April against the handing over Of
Fiume to Italy. the name again was
changed to Hotel Orlando, and thra
name was retained. despite Orlando's
withdrawal from the ministry, until
the arrival of dAnnunxio's expedition.
and the hostlery then became the
Hotel d'Annunzo."
Captain d'Annunzio's headcuarters
are established in the Governors pal
ace. which has been converted into a
Veritnblc general staff building, filled
with different departments. The pri-
Nate Office Of the poet-aviator over
looks the city. The building is the
finest in Fiume. having beautiful sculp-
lures. elaborate staircases and magnili-
cent furniture.
Displayed in the streets are the arm 4
OF the most important cities Of italy.
while in tho Piazza Dante. the real
centre Of Fumc, is painting of Can
tam dAnnunZio, who is shown wearing
MS fve rows Of decorations. Portraits
Of King Victor Emmanuel. General
armies. and Giuseppe Garibaldi the
immortal Italian patriot, are shown
everywhere.
On the tunics Of all the soldiers here
are worn the fiuman colors, which are
displayed above the wearer's service
ribbons, while the Fiuman flag flies
from all camions and autos and is
displayed on the houses Of private cit
zens
There is no evidence of traffic in the
harbor. The Italian drendnought Dave
A!ighieri is anchored within fifty Yards
OF the waterfront, while three DESTROY
ers occupy positions in docks.
Alth ough no news is reaching the
city from the outside world, the Ital-
lans here arc confident of winning the il
.lght. There seems to be plenty OF
food. White bread, which is not served
N other parts Of Italy, is on restaurant
tables and is displayed in large quan-
titles, although prices are high. The
exchange situation is one which seems
most perrlexing, an Italian lire beipa
worth five crowns Of the money of the
former Austro Hungarian empire. The
city has an air Of business, and not
withstanding the presence Of thousand,
Of soldiers. the citizens are performing
their daily work as If their city were
not attracting the attention Of the
whole world