New-York tribune., 1919-12-30
Fiune Policy
Called Blunder by
Italian General
Robilant Says Peace Envoys
Should Have Upheld Pact
of London; D'Annunzio's
Coup Termed ''Mistake''

ROME, Dec. 2a.-Italy's handling of
the Fiume situation has, from the first.
been succession of blunders. said
General Robilant, speaking in the
Senate yesterday.
General Robilant, who was COM
mander of the Fourth Army during the
war. Italian representative on the
lnter-Allied Military Commission at
Versailles and a member of the com
mission which conducted an inquiry
into disorders at Fiume last July, was
unsparing of his criticism and closed
by declaring:
"Discontent is creeping into the army
because Of iniustices which have been
committed but trust Italy Will tri-
umrh over all present difcultes."
Fiume. which the speaker described
as All Italian "oasis." determined, he
asserted, to remain Italian and not to
become Croatian before the "Fiume
question existed and while interest of
italians was centered on Trent and
Trieste. In support of his declarations
. he pointed out that the Treaty OF Lon
don gave Tiume TO Croatia.
Stands by Pact of London
president Wilson never recognized
the Treaty of London he continued,
but Italy could not renounce it be-
cause that would have meant the
abandonment Of the only weapon She
possessed.
The Italian supreme command wa
attacked FOR not occupying Fiume i'm
mediately after the armstice with Aus
tria, when Innsbruck was taken over by
Italian troops. Fiume. he said, was
only two miles from the arnlstice line.
and a French general ordered that
Fiume be occupied. In carrying out
rhis plan. however, Serbian battalion
vas sent into the city ahead OF French
roops.
Then the Italian command realized
its mistake the general said, "and
urged that an inter-Allied force be
sent into Fiume. This step was op-
posed by the French"
"Conficts soon occurred between the
renea and Italians" the speaker said.
and were caused principally by the
act that the Creations had remained
rlends Of the French, while they had
continued to be our enemies. The best
Obey would have been 10 have a spon
aneously given satisfaction to France
~ the French soldiers killed and
rounded. Offering indemnity. Instead
= that, an inter-Allied commission
'ras appointed to conduct an inquiry.
his was q great nistal lc. q Italy ap-
feared 5efore that commission as the
ccuseG, and her representative was
ways IN the minority. In the end,
I'LL the governments accepted the very
crave proposals Of the commi ssion-
ne internationalization OF Fiume"
Captain Gabrielle d'Arnunzios expe-
D.tion into Fiume The general went on
'nrevcnted the execution OF the com
missions proposals, which vas pity
iecause If the election Of tne new Ma
-loral council there had occurred
unler the auspices of the inter-Allied
Commission. instead of those of Cap
taIn d 'Annunzio it would have assumed
greater Importance as having Writ
uallt international sanction. | believe
inter-Allied police would have remained
here only temporarily
Former Minister Mazziotti protested
against the recent speech of Clemen-
eau in which he said the Serbian and
lugo-Slavs had fought braverly for the
cause of the Allies
The Serbians did. but the Jugo-
Slavs fought against us and the Allies
20 the bitter end declared the Senator.
1t is painful 10 compare those people
with the Italians who went to war and
ought for the triumph Of great prin-
ciplos.''
Senator Ciraolo, president of the
italian Red Cross. said too much impor-
tance must lot be attached to the i'm
pomptu speech Of H. Clemenceau.
who. he dec,ared, was an old and tried
friend OF Italy. and had upheld the
Italian cause Is vigorously as he had
that OF Alsace-Lorraine.