Page 1945 6 — May 26, The History Of Trieste Proves Yugoslav Claims To City By AL PARKIN The critical situation which has deyeloped in that corner of the Adriatic where Italy and Yugoslavia adjoin, with by Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander in the mest blunt and unfriendly Yugoslav troops ordered” to evacuate the city of Trieste terms, must have come to most people who followed the history of Yugoslavia’s heroic fight against Hitler Germany as a distinct shock not ur mixed with gloomy foreboding. There was confusion too. Very few agreed with Alexander’s pro- vocative charge that Marshal Tito’s occupation of Trieste was reminiscent of “Hitler, Musso- lini and Japan.” ‘Tito’s great record as the savior of Yugo- slavia, as the organizer of the Yugoslay Liberation Movement, could easily stand against that of Sir Harold Alexander, who in 1919 commanded a mixed Army of Intervention against the Soy- iet Union in the Baltics. But the general unfamiliarity with the history of Yugoslavia, and in particular with the history of that section of the Slovene na- ’ tion which borders the Adriatic Sea. left many people at a loss to understand just how the Tri- este crisis arose, and contributed to the general mystery which the press seemingly did its utmost to extend. Field Marshal Alexander’s pro- nouncements added nothing to a solution of the difficulty. He re- ferred vaguely to some previous “treaty” under which the occu pation of Trieste by Yugoslavia was to be postponed #until the general peace treaty. Where or when this agreement was reach- ed, and by whom. neither Alex- ander nor the British Foreign Office saw fit to state. The crisis over Trieste, with the coneurrent confusion over Gorizia and Istria. which follow- ed the earlier liberation of the elty by Yugoslay Partisans, rais- ed two questions: Why did New Zealand TeoUpE under Alexander’s orders race in to claim control of Trieste after it had been liberated by Marshal Tito’s forees? Were Yugoslavia’s claims to Trieste and the provinces of Gor- itsa and Istria justified, and if so, what kind of a game was Great Britain playing? The latter answered. question is simply independent of Italy for Over Half a Century Trieste and that whole section of Yugoslavia bordering the Ad- Yiatic, often known as the ™Jul- jan March,” are no more Italian than is Tripolitania in North Af- rica. In 1918, after the collapse of Austria-Hungary, Trieste and the provinces of Istria and Gor- itsa were occupied by Italy. Also annéxed were Zadar, the princi- gal city of Dalmatia, and Fiume. | the only natural port of Croatia. By this triumph of Italian im- perialism. achieved in advance of ‘the Versailles peace confer- | ence, the Yugoslay state, then in | process of formation: was xrob-| bed of its only free trade outlets | and Italy was given a foothold | on the eastern Adriatic that ae | | to prove costly to the democratic world when broke again im | 1939. The city dates its any form of Italian war of Trieste itself independence from | political . | control back to the year 1382, at which time the government - of the city pledged its allegi- ance to one.of the Dukes of _ Austria. That independence from Italy remained in effect until 1919 when the Versailles Treaty confirmed the imperial- ist grab of the previous year. From 1382 until 1919 Trieste erew to be one of the leading mereantile and manufacturing centers of the Adriatic. With some 250.000 of a population, it had a flourishing maritime trade and excellent railway connec- tions with its hinterland, which included not only a great part of Slovenia but of Hungary’s Dan- ube Valley as well. Trieste was a Slovenian city, just as the great mass of the people of its hinter- land was Slavic. Claim Based on Versailles Italy’s sole claim to Trieste and Fiume dates only from 1919 when the Old Men of Ver- sailles. to satisfy the greed of Italian imperialism, handed them over. The economic con- sequences of this bargain were that Yugoslavia lost its natural sea outlets. From 1919 until just a few weeks aco when Tri- este. was liberated by Tito’s Partisans. grass grew in the dockyards while the Yugoslav people suffered from having to ship their goods either down the long route of the Danube te the Black Sea or up the CEATAUENAEGCSSUREREESSENeESeesueetactececsescessraszinte &€ (ERSUCRSECRSLEESEESCESECRRSSSSERECE CE HEEECHAATARERN EER CA ORERERCERCERSSECERSESSERURURERESEERSSRECEES RETESET A charge of 50 cents for each | insertion of five lines or less with 10 cents for each additional line is made for notices appearing in this column. No notices will be accepted ljater than Tuesday noon of the week of publication. RQEOSCASSTNDISEUS 18002 CCE SURCERURCSCORESERSILAUSSSTORENETOSEDRNCEES NOTICES Dance— Clinton Hali— 2605 East Pender. Dance every Saturday night, Modern and Old-Time; Jack Regan’s Orchestra. Hall available for rent. HAst. 3277. Oldtime Dancing {To Al Carlsen’s Orchestra O.K. Hair Restored! Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. 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Llewellyn Douglas RICHARDS and HASTINGS Vancouver, B.C. O0ceeeenennsenwnnnnnen ‘Province Slavic MARSHAL TITO Premier of Yugoslavia Danube into Vienna and thence through into Germany. Italy based its claim to Trieste, Goritsa and Istria, in 1919 on the ground of (1) their geo- graphical continuity with Italy; (2) historical development; and (3) their economic and political independence of Slovenia. On all three counts Italy’s claims were false. : Geographically, Italy has al- ways had her eastern boundary along the Socha River. Trieste is not in Italy, but at the door of Italy. The provinces of Trieste, Goritsa and Istria—the “Julian March” are geographically united-with Croatia. The Istrian peninsula, south of Trieste, 4s separated from Italy by the northeastern arm of the Adriatic Sea, while the country north of Trieste is mountainous until it passes over into the Italian plain. Historically, Trieste has had ne connection with Italy since it ceased to become a2 Roman gar- vison town. Its only connections with Italy lay im the fact that in its earliest beginnings, - Tri- este’s mercantile class. were Italians from Venice. and politically, Trieste simce 1382 claimed its connections from east of the Adriatic. Politically it adhered to the successive government of Austria and still later to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included most of what is now Yugoslavia. Eeonomically, it drew its wealth from the Slo- veniam hinterand and its man- power from among the Slav pop-— wiation. Economically But the strongest argument against Italian domination of Trieste and the “Julian March’? Iies im the racial origin of the peoples of the territory. A majority of the people of the city of Trieste are of Italian crigin, or haye been falsely regis- tered by its Italian conquerors as Italian. Even then a great part understandable |en British influence in the % Slavie. But at the city be aries this condition changes province of Trieste is over ingly Slavic—perhaps 90 p Goritsa and Istria are predo, antly Slavic, and the Sl. people predominate right aj the Socha River. which was pre-1919 boundary. Accordin: a census of population take | 1910, the province of Gor exclusive of the city, had on’ 6:5. ‘percent, Italian popula: while in the province of there were 223,318 Slavs against 147,417 Italians. By guage, culture and tradit} this whole area was Slavic ~ italian. ' Die-Hard Imperialiste With these facts in mind # Marshal Alexander’s blunt © gmmand that Yugoslavia -withd — ‘its occupation of Trieste beer only if vie from the position of these tard British imperialists — somehow hope to regain ¢ control of European affairs ¢ pre-1939 basis, and who see} express their anti-Soviet ha through the present Yuge | government. As far as Trieste is concer its return to Yugoslavia wi! ene of the determining fat in that country’s poStwar re struction. Italian possessioy - Trieste, on the other hand, weaken Yugoslavia, and the | - ish imperialists. wrongly, @ sure, are counting on exerd a greater influence im Italiar. fairs than they could hope 7 the present united Yugostay ~ ernment. The existence or este within a democratic ¥ slavia would mean the ope of the Adriatic Sea to free 4% from all countries. By the : token, free ports on the Ad? would haye consideranle ¢ terranean. And the old- British imperialists are stil) ally interested im the Mer ranean. That was obvious 2) months ago by their mbertel in . Greece. It is too early yet to state any degree of accuracy as te and when the Trieste pre will be resolved. Undoubh it will form one of the point discussion at a future me of the Big Three. A determ | factor will be the compositi any future Etalian goverr { now .that industrial Nor | Italy has beem liberated 2 | seeking .representation in | Bonomi government. A gen | democratic Italian Vert with broad labor ~ represen} will certainly not _imsist en sesion of Trieste, and if Ia’ | mounces her claim, Britain have a lee to stand on. = One thing is certain — ~~ slavia’s claims to Trieste ar — torically, ethnologically, economically correct. Tries | in Yugoslavia just as Vane | is in British Columbia. fts — erland is Yugoslav. Withoui — hinterland, Trieste wall di | of the industrial population is grate as a City pod ‘a woud : Retelawn Funeral Doce Broadway at Commerciai Tel . FAir. “30 —— Aimitbaee 304 Dunlevy Avenue & Comper HAst. or