New-York tribune., 1920-09-12

way Of arms had long since been con-
fiscated by the Austro-Hungarian gov
ernment, which always feared an up
rising here.
The following was the proclamation
of the National Council of Fiume:
"The Italian National Council Of
Fiume, meeting this day in plenary
sitting, declares that, i'm force Of the
right by which all peoples have ac-
quired national independence and lib
erty, the City of Fiume, which has been
up to now corpus separatum,' con-
stituting national Italian commune,
claims for itself the right of self-dc-
termination by the people.
Relying upon this ground, the Ma
tional Council of Fiume proclaims the
union of Fiume to its Fatherland, Italy
"The Italian National Council places
its rights under the protection of
America, mother of liberty and univer-
sanction by the peace conference"
Thus it was that even before the
armistice that brought hostilities to q
close on the western front, Fiume had
exercised the right of self-determina-
ton and had given itself unreservedly
to Italy. By what right, by what sys-
tenn of justice, then, did our represent
tative at the peace conference take it
upon himself to make a disposition of
Fiume against the will of the Fiumi-
ans? And they had relied upon the
protection of free America! How
ironical it all seems
Essential to Italy
Without Fiume and Dalmatia, Italy
cannot live healthful and peaceful
life. The ancient Roman provinces of
the Adriatic must return to Italy. Any
other way out is impossible for the
peace of the world; the Adriatic can
not have two masters. Either the Pact
of London will be respected, Or else
an era Of perpetual conflict will ensue.
The objection that is made is always
the same: "How can one invoke the
Pact of London when one speaks of
Dalmatia and ignore it where Fiume
is concerned?" Because Fiume is a
city which gives itself. It's case is
beyond the sphere of treaties; it is a
matter to be settled between Fiumians
and Itslians-that is to say, between
brothers whose one desire is to be re-
united. In Dalmatia it is different. The
Slav infiltration has there encountered
less resistance except at isolated
points such as cara, Sebenico and
Spalato. The vast extent Of this region
favored the Austrian in his endeavor
to drown beneath food Of Croats the
original Italian population. What hap
pened here is what would have hap
pened in Alsace-Lorraine had Germany
been allowed there to continue her
process of standardization.
But as far as Fiume Is concerned, no
intervention of strangers is necessary,
for here it is the population itself that
spontaneously demands Italian ma
tionality. 1t is difficult to understand
what we are doing, meddling in this af-
affair, we Amercans-or rather our
Representatives.
The Rhine and the Adriatic Sea are
the natural protection against the
perils of Bolshevism and the East.
Now that we are in a position to do so
it is to our great self-interest to see
that this strategical line is held by our
friends.
That Italy should have Fiume and
the portion of Dalmatia she was given
by the Pact of London is as necessary
to her safcty-and to ours in the
future-as the fortifcation of Panama
or the possession of the Sandwich
Islands is to the United States, not to
speak of the Philippines.