Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-22
HISTORIAN URGES F|UME
BE ANNEXED BY ITALIANS
Guglicimo Fcrrcro City Must Be-
come Part OF Present Ro.
man Empire.
OPPOSES CLAIMS OF SLAVS
Declares Question Must BE Settled
or Peace Will Never Reign in
Europc-Itaiinns Outnu Der
Others Living in City.
OPPOSES CLAIMS OF sLAvs
ny GuGLIE:I.MO FERI,IIRO,
Famous Italian IIistortnn,

confirms historical right. We have
seen that nation should strive AS
Tar as possible to be Il geographical
unity and an organic whole. The same
aruEment. therefore. applies TO the
Julian as to the Rhaetiau Alps, and
! their watershed desiSnates the frontier
behind which Italy constitutes Il per-
feet geographical unity and an organic
whole. Any other boundary line would
infringe upon this organic unity not
only OF Italy. but also Of the future
iuro-Slav state. whose territory would
then include n range of lofty mountains
like the Alps. An unprciudicated
glance At the map will suffice to show
| that the best frontier alike for Italy
and the future Judge Slave state is
formed by the watershed OF the Julian
Alps.
If. then. only Istria proper had to
be considered, the question OF the East
ern frontier would be simple enough
Statistics. Seograph and history all
agree that lstra is Italian. And Italy
is so steadfast in her claim that only
force could deprive her of IL. It is well
that The Slavs. Europe and America
should know that Italy will not re-
nounoe her right to Istria unless her
rover should be annihilated in a fresh
war.
QUESTION or ISTRIA
COMPLICATED BY FRANCE
The question of Istria. simple enough
In itself. is. however. complicated by
the Fiumc question. Beyond Mount
MarEiore lies Il purely Slav region
known as L!burnia in which is situated
the purely Italian city OF Fiume. Tiumc
Is the great port on the Gulf of Quar-
nero. II was included in the Austro-
HUNGARIAN empire and belonged TO
According TO the last Hungarian CEN
sus. the population of fiume consisted
OF 5000 Iiungarians. mostly officials and
soldiers. 1900 Italians, and $1,000
Slavs. But close TO the ancient city,
which lies between the river. there has
grown up, with, the increase of the
wealth and development of trade an in
Gusirial suburb called Sussack. In this
industrial quarter inhabited by
population drawn from the rural dis
tricts which are Siav in character, the
Italians 1890. Thus. We see that be
fore the war the ancient city OF Fiume
and the modern Sussack together were
Inhabited by 25,7Sl Italians and $4,000
SlavS.
Does this slight numerical prepondc-
rance OF the new immigrant cement
suffice 10 alter the national character
OF the city? 1t is surely obvious that
it does not
ITALIANS ARGUE FIUME
Is NATURALLY THEIRS
The Italians OF fiume have every
right to- consider themselves the
masters of the house by historical
right and to refuse TO admit that the
new tenants who nave recently ar
rived can affect the national charac-
ter of the city, which was for SO many
centuries thoroughly Italian The case
OF Fiumc is like that OF New York
on Il small scale. The population Of
New York is perhaps already mainly
composed Of European immigrants
from the European states. II such is
not already the case. IL might be so
shortly. would this be any reason for
the Americans looking upon New York
as a European rather than an Amer
ican city? Certainly not. The Amer
leans :-c the masters of the house
aud the Europeans their guests; IN"
city is, ihcrcfoer. and viii remain
American The Italians OF Fiume feel
and argue aftcr the same fashion
Austria thoroughly understood ;he
art OF sowing discord between her
different races. she had separated the
ancient city from its modern suburb.
the latter forming part Of Croatia.
While Fiumc belonged TO hungary. Ii
is easy - imagine what difficulties
we're caused by such Il state OF things
one. moreover. unique in Europe.
i'ItME: ITALIAN CRY
ls01lEI(.N