The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-03
FIUME VINDtCATES WILSON

Vlnd1catlon. What he has done stands as an enduring monument which assumes a relatively more outstanding position as the other political events of the same period dwindle in perspective. It is a source of deep satisfaction, moreover, that these who gave Wilson their support during the trying period of arbitration and readjustment after the war behold, one after another, his policies and declarations proved correct by the development of events.
 Among the most striking proofs of Will sons ability to see farther into the future than many of the statesmen with whom he dealt is the case of Plume. It is remem- bered that for long time Plume was the most talked of city in the world, because its disposition formed the rock on which Italy split off from the orderly composition of peace problems. Woodrow Wilson firmly adhered to the position that Plume should not become part of Italy, but should re- main as the port of the country lying be- hind it. The Italian premier argued that, inasmuch as the people of Plume were Ita- ian and the whole Dalmatan coast includ- ing Plume was inhabitated principally by Italians, the territory should belong to Italy. The argument took no account of the fact that Plume was only half Italian in population, and had never been under Ital- ian sovereignty, but was geographically part of Croatia and politically part of Hungary. Plume was also the only seaport of Hungary. After many vicissitudes and months of discussion and representation on the part of Italy, Plume was finally, by the treaty of Rapalo, made free state under the tutelary sovereignty of Italy. The Italian government did not win it's whole point, but succeeded in divorcing Plume from it's traditional relationships.
 Now Plume had three principal harbors, ore for coastwise vessels, one especially equipped for grain, and one called Porto Baross, especially we'll adapted to handle the lumber from the interior, which formed Fumes principal tonnage. By the treaty of Rapallo, Porto Baross was given 10 Jugo-Slavia, which forms the hinterand and comprises former Croatia and most of Hun gary. As result of the manipulation, so strongly opposed by Woodrow Wilson, Plume now finds herself state without country, a city without a source of revenue, popula- ton slowly but surely dwindling, and port shorn of its tonnage.
 What has happened? It is this. The products of Jugo-Slavia are being delber- ately diverted from Plume to other Dalma- tian ports, principally Porto Baross, in spite of the fact that Plume is the most direct and best equipped port on that portion of the Adriatic. Italy reached out to grasp rich prize and found it turned to a husk in her hands. Too clearly have the people of Jugo-Slavia perceived that from a free state dependent on Italy it is but a step for Plume to be taken over by italy when time has shown that city and port cannot exist without territory whence it may draw patronage. Slowly but inexorably the routings of shippers in Jugo-Slavia and Austria are being altered until Plume re- ceives but the crumbs of what was once the most extensive commerce on the coast.
 Had the policy of Woodrow Wilson been adopted, Plume would today be thriving as an integral and political part of the new state of Jugo-Slavia. Perhaps in itself the question of Plume was relatively unimport- ant, but the opposition to it's acquisition by Italy was based on the deep principle that none of the victorious nations should enjoy territorial aggrandizement as result of the war. Italy demanded Dalmatia. She was unable to win her entire claim, but was able so to manipulate the situation as to deprive others of the prize, and by so doing has destroyed the prize itself.