Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-19
PICTURESQUE FlUME
Cit, Made Famous by p'Annunzio Is
Quaint Mixture of Past and Pres
ent, With Many Very Curl.
Gus Streets
by GEORGE NON MCCAIN


A MERICANS familiar with the northern
"a and eastern shores of the Adriatic have
been interested in the revolutionary capriccs
of D'Annunzio.
The poet, playwright poscur and rcvolu-
ZIONIST has had for the field of his opera
tions some Of the most picturesque territory
in southern Europe--and some of the oldest
From Cattaro, the toy city of Europe up to
Fiumc the region is rich in beauty, history,
romance and tradition,
Fiumc itself should belong TO 1'Ily. II
has been the shuttlccock of kings aud con
aucrors since Roman days 1t is, ! think,
a matter of record that in the space of
century Fiumc changed masters eight times
as a result of war or diplomacy.
It's possession by Austro Hungary prior
to the world war was tho result of diplomatic
tactics designed to give that rotten monarchy
another outlet to the Mediterranean.
The city of Fiumc is quaint mixture OF
past and present in the matter of architec-
turc. It's harbor front bears a resemblance
to that of Marseillcs. Roman remains are
found upon its main thoroughfares. 1t has
more curious streets than any city OF its
size | was ever in.
] recall one in particular. The square Of
something or other is approached by three
narrow thoroughfares. | entered it by one
of these. and although | saw people moving
across the square and disappearing suddenly.
| could at distance discover no exit. !
fancicd the pedestrians were entering
church which lowered high above the pave
mcnt.
| followed the crowd and discovered an
acute angfcd opening or street visible from
but ono point of the square. 1t was barely
wide enough for two people to walk abreast,
but it was street Just the same. After
100 feet it emerged upon a narrow avenue,
which in turn opened on n wider thorough
fare
EUUNE is the great, if not the greatest,
l. wine port of southeastern Europe. Prac-
tically the whole of the Istrian peninsula
pours the product of its vineyards into Fiume
by sea.
There is what is known as the 'caual,'
which cuts the town in two and is available
for coastwise sailing craft of light draught.
1t is bordercd with mooring posts, and hun
dreds of ships carrying wine exclusively are
moored here throughout the year. Merchants
from all over Europe come to buy the wines
of Istria and the heavier grades that are
produced on the slopes of the Dinarlc Alps
along the Dalmatian coast
One of the most common sights, and sp:-
prising too, is to see two wheeled drays as
wide as they are long, on which are mounted
huge wine hogsheads. eight feet high by six
feet in diameter. rolling onward from the
canal wharf to warehouses; in the city.
The largest hogsheads, or tuns. / have
ever seen. with the exception of some of the
great beer tuns of Germany, are to be found
in Fiume. Sometimes barrel of red wine
smashes as it falls from the ships hoistinS
tackle, and then the wharf temporarily re-
sembles a Bolshevik battlefield.
The population of Fiume is mostly Croa-
tian and Italian. The Croat like the italian,
| is rugged. easy going sort of fellow until
! he is reused. and then the fury of devils
| possesses him. The Italian. gentle and soft
| spoken romantic and musical is the foil to
| the Croats' fiery and often brutal tendencies.
The intermingling of the races has resulted
| in hybrid product neither Croatian nor
| Italian, but possessing, as the case may be-
! the gentle or Objectionable predominating
| traits of each race.
! ONE of the finest characters l ever met
! " was young tutor in Fiume who, IN his
spare hours, added to his income by acting
as guide and interpreter for English and
! American visitors. His father was an ltal-
| ian and his mother of Croatian blood.
| His opposite was fellow about his age
and build, who typified the other element of
the mixed races. He was evidently akin to
| the Apache of Paris.
On the Via Andrassy one morning I saw
! n Young woman rush from narrow street
near the Roman arch followed by man.
! As she reached the curb she half turned, just
in time to receive blow on the face. She
staggered and fell, rose and started to run.
| when she was again knocked down by her
pursuer.
| Men and women passing along the wide
highway halted and looked on With evident
curiosity. but no one interfered. 1t was a
horrible sight and instinctively l started
forward. A firm grip on my arm retained
me, and the interpreter said:
"Stop. Do not interfere. You will get
the stiletto.'
The woman regained her feet and stag
ccred across the street, while the brute, un-
molestcd. staggered back from whence he
came. The two men, the tutor, my guide.
and the brute were Of the hybrid race.
TIME cab drivers of American cities in the
J. heyday Of their prosperity, excluding On
| tirely those of Niagara Falls generation
ago. were pioried as the most conscience
less robbers on earth. They were pikers
though. compared to the hotel porters anC
dock runners of the Dalmatian coast, alont
which D'Annunzio has been operating.
Take Zara. for instance. the scene of ont
of his maritime demonstrations. 1t is {
beautiful little city. with odd streets: mar
row. dark. picturesque thoroughfarrs tina
cXudc the romance OF 1900 years. cara look
westward upon the Adriatic, and prior t.
the world war had just awakened sufficient.
10 the possibilities of tourist invasion t.
arouse the latent dishonesty and acquisi
tiveness of its lower classes.
There is no doubt that every porter au
luggage carrier of Iara has taken the thirty
! third degree in the supreme council of th