Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-30

Seizure Of the port OF rune III
September, 1919, by Gaoriele
d'Annunzio. italian poet warrior at
the head Of 5000 volunteer gren-
adiers and arditi. was the dramatic
climax TO a controversy reaching
back to the treaty of London. con-
cluded in the spring of 1878 De-
tween Italy and the allied powers
under which Italy entered the war
against the central powers.
The treaty assigned the part of
Tyrol south of the Bremen pass, as
well as Trieste, Gorilla. Istria ana
n section of the Dalmatian literal
to Italy, but gave Fiume, the sea-
port of Hungary. to Croatia;
when the war ended, Italian ma
tionalists, including d'Annunzio, de-
manded that Fiume. with its pre-
ponderant Italian population.
should be given to Italy. an act that
would have required the revision
of the treaty of London. The itai-
fans. however, invoked the prlncl-
nle of "self-determination" enun-
ciated by President Wilson ana
nointed to the fact that the popu-
iation of Fiume, upon the dissolu-
ton of the Austro-Hungarian en-
pire had proclaimed through their
national council the union OF
Fiume with italy.
Croatia, now part OF Jugo-
Slavia, opposed the claim on the
ground that Sussak, an important
suburb of Fiume and part OF the
citv itself. was overwhelmingly
slav. In addition the Croa-
tians charged that, whereas ltaiy
already had an excess or Valuaple
ports, their country and the au-
Joining lands needed rune as
their only outlet to the sea. rms
position won the support or Presi-
dent Wilson, who was SUBSEQUENTLY,
denounced by d'Annunzio and ms
svmpathizers as 1.-The only op-
stacle to the realization of ltaly
aspirations. President wilson )
view however. was shared by the
British and French. -
Backed by italian public opinion
the Italian delegation to the Paris
mace conference. headed by Pre-
mar Orlando and Foreign Minister
Scnnino, refused to yield ltalys
claims In April. 1919, the Crisis
came to head when President
Wilson threatened to withdraw
from the conference. He issued a
puhlic statement sustaining the
nact of London in so far as 1t re-
lated to Fiume. Receipts OF the
document in Italy precipitated
numerous anti-Wilson outbreaks IN
which d'Annunzio took a leading
mart. Meanwhile, Orlando and
Sonnino quit the Paris conference
and returned to Rome. where they
were received with wild acclaim
hy the people. The italian cham
her of deputies adopted vote OF
condolences in the Orlando minis
try. Later, however. the two
statesmen returned to PARIS at tn.
invitation of their colleagues ano
participated in the negotiations
and the signing of the Austrian
peace treaty.
Failure to reach a satisfactory
solution OF the Fiume embroglio
however, was one Of the principa
causes of the downfall of the Or
lando ministry on June 10, 1919
and It was succeeded by the mod
& crate Nitti cabinet, whose selec
ton exasperated the Italian nation
alists and was the forerunner o.
the dAnnunzio coup d'etat the fol
lowing September.
Fiume, at the time of the entry
of the d'AnnunZio forces. was un.
der the military control OF Genera
& gPittaluga of the Italian army The
general had led strong detach'
mert to the outskirts Of the city Il
intercept the invaders who haC
arfnored automobiles and were
armed with machine guns. DAN
nunzio met him with the saluta.
ton: II understand you would fire
upon your brethren? Clearing his
breast.) Fire upon me" At this
it was reported. Pittaluga EN-
braced d'Annunzio and the soldiers
on both sides set up the cry: "Viva
Fiume! Viva d'Annunzio! The
d'Annunzio troops then entered the
city.
Be The fifteen months that hav'
/ elapsed since the poet warrior Sc
himself up as "a dictator" hav'
I been filled with tragic as well a,
tween the Italians and Jugo- Slav!
were frequent, D'Annunzio pro-
claimed the annexation Of Fiumt
TO Italy even when that countr,
was appealing to the allied power!
to wrest the city from him. Riots
strikes and fires were numerous
and the United States cruisers
Olympia and Pittsburgh We're sen
to the Adriatic to protect American
interests. The Slavs cut Of
+ D'Annunzio's flood supply anc
Italian warships blockaded Fium'
from the sea.
~ D'Annunzio put the city on scan
rations and continued to issue de
fiant manifestos and declare M
would never leave Fiume alive
Many italian sailors and soldier:
Joined his forces until, at one time
he was reported to have an army
of more than 100000 men. He oc-
cupied several other places in the
disputed region. including Sussak
Risniak, Durazzo, Trau, Castua and