Paris Peace Conf. 186.3411/99: Telegram
The Commamder of United States Naval Forces in the Eastern Mediterranean ( Bullard ) to Admiral W. S. Benson
Adriatic 34. The French General Tranié and the Italian Lieutenant-General Grazioli were before Commission today and explained at length the situation and conditions at Fiume in response to questioning. Prefacing his answers to questions furnished him yesterday, General Grazioli made remarks in which he took exception to the questions furnished him by the Commission to answer. In support of the contention he referred to a copy of the order he received in which he states the Commission was limited to investigation of actual conditions in Fiume and not to what had transpired heretofore. He commented at length at the same time upon immediate action being taken in regard to establishment of a French base in Fiume. General Grazioli was informed by the Commission that the scope of their investigation under their orders was a matter to be decided by the commissioners and requested that he answer the questions with which he had been furnished yesterday. The following important points were brought out in reply to the nine sets of questions and various others by the different members of the Commission. General Marzano was relieved as Commander of the Allied troops in Fiume on December 1st, 1918, by General Grazioli under order of the Italian Supreme Army Command which was not at present to be made known to the Commission except by permission of the higher authorities. These orders, however, contained nothing political and were simply to suppress disorder. General Grazioli stated that his only knowledge of the reason for sending General Marzano, his predecessor, to Fiume, was from reports from distinguished residents of disorders and hidden arms, and particularly to prevent a coup by Austrians, Serbians, and Croats, whom they feared might take Fiume. The British, Americans, and Italians have sent detachments to the Allied forces, but the French detachment, which belongs to the Eastern Army, are under the French General Tranié, and recognized him as Commanding Officer General at Fiume, but he had not presented any instructions. By a map General Grazioli indicated the limits of Fiume which General Diaz had directed him to hold, and orders from General Diaz would be required to reduce these limits or to reduce the number of troops by a single man. These limits are roughly 12 kilometers around Fiume. Beyond these bounds there is no limit to the distance which the forces under his command could go, even to Budapest. A copy of this map would be furnished to [Page 340] the Commission, he states, also a memorandum showing the disposition of the forces under his command and their station. The boundaries between the area to be assigned for operation of the Eastern Army and of the Inter-Allied forces in Fiume were also settled by General Grazioli. General Grazioli states that the same mayor was in office and that the local government was of the same character as previous to the occupation. He states that Fiume is not under martial law, and that he did not meddle with the Civil Government, which is Italian, and superseded the Croatian Council. The nine sets of questions were very fully answered by General Tranié without reservation. He stated that he received orders to establish a military base at Fiume under the terms of Clause Four of the Armistice, which gave the Allies that right, which orders he received from the Commander-in-Chief French Army of the Orient. He explained that he found the city in Italian control and that every obstacle was put in the way of establishing a base, and that he was placed in a position of being obliged to beg for everything from the Italian National Council. He did not consider himself under the orders of General Grazioli or part of the Allied troops occupying Fiume. He must make necessary arrangements with the municipal government for the use of a telegraph line to Zagabria, and also to get trains to move his troops, The railroads are controlled by Italians through a civilian commission with an army officer at the head, but for a distance of about 12 miles only, where the Jugo-Slavs take charge. Houses for his troops or combatants cannot be obtained by him, and every obstacle is placed in his way. A very much smaller number of Italian troops would be sufficient, he states, to preserve order, and he suggested that a small force composed of troops from each nation be commanded by a General who had no special interest, and suggested either British or American. The entry of Fiume by land by Italian soldiers immediately after word was given by the Italian Admiral that no Italian troops should be landed for three days was described by General Tranié. The base question causes very strained relations between the French and the Italians.