Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-10
F|UME RECOVERING
AS ADR|AT|C PORT
Italy, Hungary and JugosIayia
Reported Negotiating to
Lease City.

Fiume. which lost heavily in trade
and prosperity when the World War
and subsequent privateering took II
from it's former Austro. Hungarian
ownership and gave IL TO Italy. may
come back as an important port OF
the Adriatic by virtue OF "A sort of
lease TO Hungary. Rumors have como
from Europe that some such arrange
ment is being considered by Italy.
which controls Fiume: Hungary.
which wishes 10 use the port. and
Jugoslavla. whose territory lies he.
tween Hungary and Fiume. A bulle-
tin from the National Geographic So
ciety deals with Fiume.
''In the days before the World War.
when the dual monarchy was one OF
the most powerful and most pros.
porous countries Of Europe" says the
bulletin, "Fiume was the special sea
door of Hungary. just al Trieste was
the port of Austria. The rivalry be-
tween these two Adriatic ports was
not Of the cut.throat variety. Both
were needed, and both were steadily
improved. After the war and Dan
nunzio's coup, the situation was vi
tally changed. Fiume became tho
extreme edge OF Italy. It's great for
mer interior trade was cut of.
Trieste. too, was hard hit. but being
closer to a productive italian terri
tory and a transshipping port as
well. Ii better weathered the storm.
Whenever the Italian government
could favor one of the two ports. II
naturally favored Trieste. and ship
ping at Fiume grew steadily less. a
few years ago the United States
closed its consulate at the port.
But. for all this. Fiume has
posed. A visit to the city a few
months ago disclosed a reasonably
healthy business life. No large ships
were in the port. but numerous small
sioops were carrying on what ap-
peared TO be a. brisk trade in lum-
Der. There were no vacant shop
buildings in the business section.
Street paving was in progress and
buildings were being repaired. The
chief evidences of trade reverses were
seen in the huge. empty warehouses
or Hungarian construction and the
empty shipways. where formerly an
important shipbuilding industry was
carried on.
Divided by international Line.
THE business and industrial part
OF Fiume Is on a narrow strip OF
level land skirting the sea. Inland
the residential portion OF the town
chambers in some disorder Up the
steep. rocky hills.
Excellent quays extend along the
water front. But they are not so ex-
tensive or 50 monumental as those OF
Trieste.
"Fiume is really divided into two
parts now by the international bound
airy line between Italy and Jugosla-
via. A torrent or creek flows down
from the hills and furnishes a natu-
raj. IL rather skimp. boundary. The
portion OF what Is really a single city
which lies to the east Of this stream
In Jugoslavia Is now named Susak
Susak has port facilities of it's own
and Jugoslavia has pieced these out
by leasing from Italy a large basin
just west OF the little boundary
stream. The de facto boundary Of
Jugosiavia. therefore crosses to the
west side of the stream and is
marked there by a tall metal fence
| On one side OF this barrier pace the
| Italian sentinels with feathered hats
and greenish brown putteed legs. while
on the other are Jugoslavian sentries
in khaki uniforms.
Jugoslavian Section Busy.
Beyond this fence and along the
quays Of Susak there is a hustle that
Is In great contrast to the Quietness
along the water front OF Fiume. AS
fast as stevedores trundle cargo from
one ocean steamer another from a
long waiting line moves up 70 take its
turn. Susak is one OF the few sea
doors OF Jugoslayia. and a consider
able part OF the import and export
trade Of the country passes through
the port. A reopening OF its old trade
contacts with Hungary doubtless
would galvanize Fiurne into similar
life.
''Fiume had predominantly an Ital-
ian population. even under Austro-
Hungarian control. To this was due
the claim, successfully prosecuted by
the poet D'Annunzio and his legion
naires. that the city should pass 10
Italy rather than to Jugoslavia. Next
in numbers TO the italian inhabitants
are the Jugoslavs. chiefly Greats.
Even under the regime OF the dual
monarchy. there was only a handful
Of Austrians and Magyars. In arehi.
lecture the city has marked Italian
appearance"