763.72/12615
The Serbian Legation to the Department of State
Aide Memoire
The Serbian Government begs to bring to the knowledge of the United States Government the following note which was addressed to the Serbian Government by the National Council of Ljubljana:
“The Italians have begun to proclaim that the territory which they are now occupying belongs to them under the London Treaty. [Page 324] General Pizlin in Goritza has summoned the Jugoslav political leaders to his presence, and informed them that all former Austrian officials are dismissed from the service even though they have taken the oath to Jugoslavia. He has allowed them to remain at their posts, if they desire, but they will be transferred in the near future. The Italians have ordered that in all administrative affairs the official language used shall be Italian, even in the village government offices where no one understands Italian; the Slovenian language is nowhere recognized. Our administration refused to obey this order; therefore, their official function has ceased.
In Goritza the Italian soldiers everywhere have torn down the old Slovenian signs and flags, and thrown them in the mud. Upon our protest against these actions the Italian General replied that the display of the Jugoslav flags (Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian) was a provocation.
The Italians are making it most uncomfortable for the people, particularly for those who are indigenous to the country. All Slovenian teachers, who commenced their profession after 1914, have been compelled to leave the town immediately. Even the oldest families are refused identification cards, which are necessary to procure food, in order to force them to leave the country, but with the appearance of the action being voluntary on their part. In the night the Italian soldiers, together with the vagrants of the town, enter the Slovenian homes by force, and cause great damage.
All arms and military equipment, abandoned by the Austrian Army on their retreat, and appropriated by the Jugoslavs, have been confiscated by the Italians without scruple. They have also acquired the inventory of this war material made by the Jugoslavs. With the determination to collect everything of this nature the Italians go so far as to investigate the private homes of the Jugoslavs, and the stock of the merchants is likewise counted as war material. Therefore, the stores are robbed of great quantities of their goods and supplies, particularly food stuffs, for which they receive not the slightest return. No food is brought in from Italy, and all the Italian troops are fed from our provisions. Since October 24th the entire male population, wearing the military uniform, were proclaimed prisoners of war and interned, notwithstanding that these soldiers had taken the oath to Jugoslavia. Even the most trivial offenses are tried under martial law. The railway traffic is stopped. The courier of the National Council of Ljubljana, on his way to Goritza, was detained, and all his papers confiscated. The demarkation line is strongly fortified by artillery.
We implore the Serbian Government to request the United States Government to exert its great influence toward persuading the Italians to retire from all the territory they are now occupying that belongs to Jugoslavia.
Should it transpire that the United States Government would be prevented from lending its assistance on account of infringing upon some diplomatic formality, we hope that the United States Government will urge that the occupation of this territory be left to Serbia without Italian troops; and, further, that this unlawful appropriation of food and supplies be stopped; that an inventory be made by an International Commission of the war material still remaining; that all [Page 325] Jugoslav officials be permitted to return to their previous posts of duty; that the operation of the postal and telephone service, as well as the railway traffic, be resumed.
These unwarranted mandates inflict great hardships and affect the fate of nearly half a million Slovenians, who represent some of the best people of our nation, and this nation is now in the hands of the Italians.”
The Serbian Government anticipates that the United States Government will take into consideration the fatal consequences that will arise if the Italians are permitted to continue the course they have adopted toward Jugoslavia, and the Serbian Government further begs that the United States Government will use its best endeavors toward a correction of these existing conditions.