Evening journal., 1920-03-06
THE ADRIATIC EMBRCGLIO
(By Dr. p. v. Naccaro, o.


crecy. open diplomacy at an hour
when the enemy was attempting 10
outbid you and planning for destruc-
tion by every means OF intrigue and
violence was obviously impossible. Sc
cret treaties were made wiis Russia
and between Great Britain and France.
The secrecy OF the engagements then
entered into, cannot b used fairly as
an argument against them. They must
be Judged upon their merits.
Nee -ssarlly, the pact OF London,
which guaranteed TO Italy the territory
she now claims, was made without
consultation with the JugO Slavs. The
Croats andSlOvenes were then subjects
OF Austria and fzhtlng In the Austrsn
army. They could not be consulted.
The Croats. Italy asserts, were not ahe
least bitter OF her enemies. And yet
IL IS Itaiys contention, the pact OF
London was a compromise that con-
sldered Jugo Slav rights. in that II ex-
.empted the port OF Flume ana lne
southern half Of the Dalmatian coast
from Italian claims.
Italy points to the fact that before
the dlslntogration Of the dual monarchy
and The consequent release OF the Gro
ats and the Slovenes. the only Slav de-
mand for a place on the eastern Adri-
attic coast was made by Siberia, VINO
reouested q "window" or In other
words. some one port by which she
could have access to- the sea such as
Cattaro. II wss only when the Croals
awoke 10 the possibility OF great
Jugo Slav state as A result OF Inc Aus
trian collapse aha' the pact OF Lon
don became a scrap Of paper, accord
ing io the Italian contention. Ana thf
Crosts had been the foes OF ltals up
10 that hour. This makes II dlnlcul1
for Italy now to listen sympatheucau!
10 their claims. - -
The plan Of January 90. 1870 agreed
upon by the Allied Premiers and Cd
ieeted 10 by our President, estaDhshes
Fiume as a free city under the League
NJ Nations. recoznlzing the ltalianlty
Of the city and the right OF fiume TO
choose lis own diplomatic represent
tive. The President fears mat lislE
eventually will get control OF the cry
and this raises the question why
should F.ume be Italian and not Jugo
Slav9 The arguments in favor OF ltaiy
deserve our careful scrutiny. Consider
Italy's position the neaa 'Vl ~, w
Adriatic. with Istria Italian. win iri-
este on the west OF the peninsula l'dl-
ian and with Fiume. just opposHe a.
Inc head OF the gulf Of Quarnero ih
lingo slav hands. For strategic pur-
noses for purposes Of trade, inc pos
session Of Fiume Is essential 70 ltdlS
fuiure we'll being. But for us Amerl-
eans ihe most cogent reason should De
that nearly everybody in Italy wants
Fiume. and nearly everybody IN fIuiii'
wants % be Italian. ,,,,
why then. should Woodrow wilson
contrary 10 his own principle OF sen-
OF peoples. oDstlna4eiy
insist on handing over Fiume to Inc
1ngo.Slavs9 The reasons given are
anything but convincing. Fiume Is ue-
MED 10 Italy for two main reasons
4. Fiume Is necessary TO the peo-
ples Of lis hinterlsnd as an outlet OH
ihe Adristic. It is very hard to under
stand why the peoples OF the hinter
land in order 70 use the seaport OF
Fmme. must possess it. This is ne"
and dangerous theory. Switzerland mas
NO outlet on the sea, and uses freely
tbe mort OF Genoa. Must Italy Yield
Genoa 10 Switzerland? Trieste can pe
a natural outlet for German Austria IN
the Adriatic. Must Ita,y give back TIL
esfe m Austria? Why cannot the coun-
iries OF Fumes hinterland use fiume
sesnort should it be controlled Dy
Italv? Why must Il go to Juso-Sis,via'
not being Iugo-Slav. and not 70 Hon
garv for instance. not being Hunsar-
ian hui being necessary for Hungary 5
ouilet on the Adrlatic? In this arsu-
ment II has been forgotten that Fiume
is italian. and Justice demands mat u
must not be given 10 Jugo-Slavis OF
Hungary or anybody else, but to ltaly
Italv's democracy and sentiment OF
freedom are the best guarantees tnat
Flume will really and freely De useu
bv all nations concerned.
And Il is not true that witnoul
Fume the Jugo-Slavs have no outlet on
Inc Adriatlc. This false statement Is
ant 10 create a wrong impression oi
nc Justice OF Italy Notwithstanding
The iialianity OF the eastern coast oil
he Adriatic. Italy has sacrificed a
rreat deal in order TO give to Juso-
slayia what it really needs, and more.
outside OF Fiume. not less than hVe