Norwich bulletin., 1920-12-30
mlsterr of selzure of Flume.

Seizure Of the port of Plume in Sep temper 1919 by Gabrielle d'Annunzio, l.aiian poet-war-ior a. the head of B., e. volunteer grensdiers and arditi, was the dramatic climax to a controversy reaching back 10 the treaty of London concluded in the spring of 1915 between | ally and the allied powers under which Italy entered the war against the Cen .ral Powers
 The treaty assigned the part of Tyrol south Of the Brenner Pass as well as Trieste, Gorizla lstria and section of the Dalmstian literal 10 Italy. but gave Plume. the seaport of Hungary, to Croa- tia.
 When the war ended. Italian national ists, including d'Annunzio, demanded that Plume. with it's preDonderant Ital- Ian population, should be given to Italy, an cat that would have required the re- vision of the Treaty of London. The Ital- laus. however. invoked the principle of "self-dclermination" enunciated by Pres ident Wilson and pointed 10 the fac. that tie population of Fiume upon the dis io.ution of the Austro-Tungarian em- nlre. had proclaimed through their na- t.onal council the union of Plume wi.h Italy.
 Croatia, now a part of Jugo-Slavia, CD. posed the claim on the ground that Sus sak, an important suburb of Plume ant part of the city isself was overwheim. irsly Jugo-Siav. In addition the Croa tans charged that. whereas Italy al ready had an excess of valuable ports their country and the adjoining land, needed Plume as their only outlet to tn, sea. This position won the support O President Wilson who was subsequentl, denounced by d'Anr unzio and his sympa thizers as the only obstacle to the re alization of Italy's aspirations Presi dent Wilson's view. however. was share by the British and French.
 Back by Italian public opinion, tn Italian delegation to the Paris peace con ference. headed by Premier Orlando an Foreign Minister Sonnino refused f yield Italy's claims In April, 1919, tn crisis came to a head when Presiden Wilson threatened to withdraw from tb conference. He issued a public state ment sustaining the pact of London ir solar as it related to Plume. Receipt of the document in Italy precipitated nu merous anti-Wiison outbreaks in whic dAnnunzio took c leading part. Near while, Orlando and Sonnino quit tt Paris conference and returned to Ron where they were received with wild at claim by the people The Italian chan her of deputies adopted a vote of conf NNtlNt LII .Ahe ministry, M Late however, the two statesmen returned Paris at the invitation of their co leagues and participated in the negoti; tions and the signing of the Austria peace treaty.
 Failure to reach a satisfactory sol, ton Of the Plume embroglio, howeve was one of the principal causes of tf downfall of the Orlando ministry C June 1s. 1919, and it was v ceeded | the moderate Nitti cabinet. whose sele lion exasperated the Italian natlonalis and was the forerunner of the d'Annt, zio coup d'etat the following Septernbe
 Plume. at the time of the entry of II d'Annunzio forces. was under the mil tary control of General Pittaluga of tl Italian army. Tho general had led strong detachment to the or / TSirts of il city to intercept the invaders who hs armored automobiles and were arm, with machine-guns. D'Annunzio met hi with the salutation: q understand ys Sould fire uDsR xssx heskhsAa2 lJs~ass.