New-York tribune., 1919-05-10
The Plea of Fiume

Before dismissing Fiume it is we'll
to remark that the fortnight's discus
sion has been sadly illustrative. First,
there was general lack of knowledge.
Until recently probably majority of
our people were not sure whether Fume
was the name of a wine or a city.
Second, seemingly partisan desire ex-
listed to prevent the dissemination of
correct information. Third, let it be
confessed with humility, Americans arc
prone to pick out some general principle
that seems to be pertinent, and then to
apply it as if no other principle existed.
With respect to Fiume the maxim
selected was that it is not just to deny
hinterland access to the sea- Our
citizens of Italian extraction were quail
fled to give judgment as to this, but
lacked facilities for reaching public opin-
ion and were largely reduced to speech
less indignation by the outrageous way
the Fiume case was presented
Fiume has been described as an in
tegral part of Jugo-Slav territory. 1t
is not and never has been. 1t has
been Hungarian appanage, but with
its area of seven square miles recognized
by Hungary as corpus separatltm. 1t
has had local autonomy and it's own
deputies in the Hungarian Parlia-
ment. Hungary was composed of three
states-Hungary, Croatia and Fume.
The proposal to put it under the
Jugo-Slav flag was thus annexationist-
an annexation not justified by the right
of access to the sea, for on the Croatan
coast particularly between Buccari and
Carlogako, are excellent harbors, while
Hungary, without Fiume, will be coast
less. Let it be repeated that to put the
Jugo-Slavs in possession would be uh-
mitigated annexation.
Under the hinterland argument Hun
gary rather than Jugo- -Savia should
have Fiume. Hungarian money built
the port and the connecting railroads,
and the principal commerce has been to
and from Hungary, only 7 per cent be-
ing with Croatia. The Jugo-Slavs, if
allowed, would be more likely to close
the gateway against Hungary than Italy
is to close it against either Hungary or
Croatia. The settlement advocated by
the President was a departure in two
respects from the principles of the four
teen points.
Politically and commercially related
to Hungary, Fiume is ethnicaly and
culturally Italian. All the mayors, all
the deputies, the members of the mu-
nicipal council, of the chamber of COM
merce and the judges of the courts
have long been Italians The present
government is Italian, and on October
30, before the signing of the armistice.
this government declared it's separation
from Hungary and it's adhesion to italy.
This action followed no bayonet election,
but was free and spontaneous
Another Misrepresentation has been
the implication that the Italians would
be toll takers from the hinterland.
Fiume under Hungarian rule has had.
as indicated above, special status. Her
port has been free. Her people, of
course, have no desire to change con-
dition on which their prosperity is based.
Her population has formally declared
Willingness to have the port continued
free, with the peoples and the goods
of the interior admitted without paving
duties or meeting obstacles of any kind.
AS between Jugo- Slavia and Italy the
latters selection was required not only
by clinical rights, but by access to the
sea.