Monday, Sep. 17, 1923

Another Possible Rumpus

Yugo-Slavia will reject the agreement forced on her delegates by Mussolini's ultimatum (TIME, Sept. 3), demanding under threat that Italy might resume " liberty of action " in the Free City of Fiume. The Italian and YugoSlavian delegates had agreed on Aug. 31 to let Fiume, subject of debate since November, 1918, be administered by a mixed commission of Italians, Yugo-Slavs, and officials of the Fiume Free State Government, controlled by Italians. Mussolini "magnanimously" gave Belgrade until Sept. 15 to ratify her delegates' decision. But circumstances have changed. Italy has seized Corfu. If Italy remains at Corfu, Yugo-Slavia will be so hemmed in that she cannot afford to allow her rights in Fiume to be abandoned to the master of the black-shirted legions, who first scowls at Greeks and Slavs from his massive desk at the Palazzo Chigi, and then, to show his sangfroid, dashes off to the motor races at Milan.