THE REBEL POET.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1920, Page 9

THE REBEL POET.

D'ANNUNZIO WILL HOLD HUME. WILL STAY TILL HE HAS ATTAINED HIS OBJECT. A dispatch from Fiume to the New York Evening l'ost, dated December 8, Stated:— Gabriele d'Aimunzio to-day reiterate* hia intention of holding Fiume until all that he and his legionaries had set out to accomplish shall have been realised. "We are not going to leave Fiume until assured that the purpose for which we came here is attained," he said, "If we come to an agreement with the Government," d'Annunzio continued, "1 will not leave nor will my legionaries, who have sworn to follow me even to death, until I receive concrete guarantees of the good faith of the Government. The word of Premier Nitti will avail me nothing, for -Nitti is here today, but may be gone to-morow. I then would have been tricked if his successor should disavow Nitti's word. I must get the word of an emissary of the King, such as the head of th& army —I must have the word of of some permanently appointed general. General Badoglio (Chief of Staff to General Diaz, the Italian OommandGr-in-Chief), is the man who could give me such assurances.' TTe is the plan who is at the head of the army,, who is a royal representative, who ctfuld stand by his word until our object is fulfilled. "I have organised Ky "flight to Japan, but cannot leave, 'until our Fiume is part of us. My men have stations all along the rour.s'l have chosen, and they have been received with great enthusiasm by tlio. officials at these points. They arc prepared for me with mechanics, airplane plants, and other necessaries, but I am delayed by the call of Italian Fiume. "t have studied my flight to America from Tokio lam going to cross the Pacific, bridging the islands by wings. I long to see your western beauty looming up on my horizon as eastward I come. I love the people of America. Their ideals would win the heart of a poet. _ "The sparfc of protest against oppression has been kindled here by me and my legionaries. We will carry the torch and spread the flame throughout the world where oppression exists, whether it be the gallant Emerald Isle, Belgium, or unhappy Egypt. lam not a militarist nor an imperialist I am not a soldier bv choice, but through a yearning to right wrong."