Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-22
"F|UME OR FIGHT"
ULTIMATUM OF.
ITALIAN ENJOYS.
Delegates Decide to Abandon
Conference Unless Port on
DaImatian Coast Is
Given to Italy.

Paris, March 2l.-(By Associated
Press. 1.-The Italian delegation to
the peace conference has unanimous
ly decided to Withdraw from the con-
ference, unless Fiume is assigned to
Italy contemporaneously with the
conclusion of peace.
The decision of the Italian dele
CATION, as reported from Paris, APP
parently brings to head the bitter
controversy between Italy and the
new Jugo-Slav state over the dispo-
sition of land along the Adriatic,
formerly belonging to the Austro-
Hungarian empire, which both ma.
tionalities claim. .....
Claimed by Slavs.
Italy's claims originally included
virtually the entire Dalmatian coast,
with Triest and Fiume, which latter
city is the second principal seaport
on the eastern side of the Adriatic.
Recent reports have been that the
Italian representatives have been
manifestng a disposition to make
concessions regarding the
land along the Dalmatian coast, pro-
vided that the city and harbor of
Fiume remained to Italy. The Jugo-
Slavs, however, have been insistent
that this port be allotted to them,
claiming it to be essentially Croa-
tian city and necessary to the new
Jugo-Slav state as affording the only
suitable sea outlet,
On the other hand, there has
been no disposition on the part Of
Italy to yield its point. so far as
Fiume was concerned. Its attitude
was officially stated by Premier Or
lando in addressing the Italian
Chamber of Deputies March |,
when he declared that while Italy
remained faithful to the spirit OF
Cancellation which inspired the
treaty upon which Italy entered the
war;" that did not mean that it could
REMAIN insensible to the appeal
reaching it from the Italian town on
the Gulf of Quarnero (Fiume),"
which was exposed to the loss of
both its nationality and indepen-
dence."
Reason for Blockade.
1--WE do not think" added the pre-
mier, that this is possible at the
very moment when it is wished
that the world may be redeemed
from memory of violence done to
the rights of peoples" af.
There have been several "inci-
dents" at Fiume and other points in
the territory claimed by both Italy
and Jugo-Slavia, since the signing
of the armistice. and the feud at one
time grew so bitter that Italy es-
tablished blockade and cut off food
relief imports for the interior. This
matter was adjusted by the supreme
council in Paris, however, and the
reports of late have indicated that
an amicable settlement of the con-
flicting Italian Jugo-Slav claims was
possible, if not probable.
Valuable Seaport.
Just what has caused the Italian
delegation to announce its determi-
nation on the Fiume question at this
time has not been developed in the
Paris advices. 1t is known, how
ever, that the question of territorial
adjustments has been before the con-
ferences of premiers which have
been taking place during the last
day or two. An Associated Press
dispatch received last night from
Paris regarding a conference held
yesterday between President Wilson
and Premiers Clemenceau and Lloyd
George stated that there was every
reason to believe that the fontier
issues were among the foremost OBJ
stacles which the conferees were
seeking to remove from the path to
a rapid conclusion of the peace
treaty.
Fiume before the war was the
chief seaport of the Hungarian king
dom. 1t has several harbors and its
position and facilities made it the
seat of virtually the entire shipping
trade of Hungary. 1t had an ante
bellum population of nearly 10000.
NJ. n~..-