FIUME.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1921, Page 5

FIUME.

D’ANNUNZIO’S FAREWELL. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rome, Jan. 2. A Milan correspondent writes that D’Annunzio has published His thousandth proclamation, which says; “I am leaving in trust to Fiume my dead, my sorrow my victqry. The unknown belongs to me,”—Times. POET WHO DEFIED POWERS. D’ANNUNZIO’S DICTATORSHIP. Fiume has been under the control of the famous Italian poet, Gabriele D’An* nunzio, for 15 months. When at the head of 4000 Italian volunteers zio entered Fiume on September 12 last year, while the Allied conference at Paris was debating whether the city should be awarded to Yugoslavia or Italy, many regarding it as a transitory adventure that would endure no longer than the caprice of the poet who evoked it. D’Annunzio, however, has tenaciously retained hie hold on the city, despite the alternating threats and cajolery of the Italian Government, and has exercised a virtual dictatorship. After several months of intermittent and ineffectual debate by the Supreme Council at Paris, the Allies decided to resign to Italy and Yugoslavia the responsibility of settling the disposal of Fiume by direct negotiation. Last month the Governments of Rome and Belgrade reached an agreement, and a treaty was signed at Rapallo. Details of the* treaty have not. been received yet, but the cabled summaries indicate that Fiume is to be constituted a free city under Italian protection and that Yugoslavia is to receive compensation in the form of neighboring islands off the Dalmatian coast. To execute its obligations under the treaty the Italian Government has been compelled at last to take action against D’Annunzio. Fnm. accounts cabled during the past few months it would seem that the forces under the command of the poet-dictator, both naval and military, have been considerably augmented by desertions from the Italian navy and army. Several Islands in the Gulf of Quarnovo, the approach to Fiume by sea, and along the Dalmatian have been occupied bv D’Annunzio’s legionaries, and a small fleet of destroyers and light craft brought to Fiume by naval mutineers is at the poet’s command. D’Annunzio is now 56 years of age. Before the war he was Italy’s foremost poet, novelist, and dramatist. By his stirring orations he played an important part in bringing about Italy’s intervention in the war, And afterwards he won fame as a fearless airman .