TRIESTE: Peace Comes to the Adriatic

Excitement pulsated through the city of Trieste as men, women and children streamed into the Piazza, dell’ Unità. By 2 in the afternoon, more than 15,000 had packed into the square, beneath two giant, freshly painted red pylons built to fly huge flags of Italy and the city. Sidewalk vendors did a brisk business in tiny flags and miniature hats of the Bersaglieri, the Italian elite troops who were the first to occupy Trieste after Austria’s defeat in 1918. At three minutes after 2, a voice boomed from the city hall balcony the news the crowd had gathered to hear: in London representatives of Italy and Yugoslavia had signed the agreement (TIME, Oct. 11) giving Zone B of the Free Territory of Trieste to Yugoslavia and Zone A—with the city itself—to Italy. “Triestini,” cried the voice from the balcony, “now wave your flags!”

Triestini had long been pictured as fearful of the economic losses that would follow the withdrawal of U.S. and British forces. But the worry was not in evidence in the Piazza dell’ Unita. The crowd irrupted in a fervor of patriotism. Some oldsters broke down in tears. Youths began chanting, “Italia! Italia!” and voices were raised in the refrain of Brothers of Italy and Hymn of the Piave.

After Ten Years. In Rome, the signing produced no jubilation, but satisfaction. Premier Mario Scelba took his Cabinet to the great, glittering ceremonial hall of the Quirinale, where in times past Italy’s Kings and Roman Popes held audience, and there formally announced to President Luigi Einaudi that the agreement had been signed. The President then presented an Italian flag to a bevy of city officials from Trieste.

Before the Senate, Scelba made no pretense that Italians had got all they wanted. “I would fail in my duty,” he said, “if I did not frankly confess that these frontier adjustments grieve us deeply.” But he added triumphantly: “After ten years the flag of the fatherland will again fly over the town hall and the Church of San Guisto of Trieste.” At that, the whole Senate rose to its feet, the center and right cheering, only the Communists silent. (They could not afford to oppose the universal Italian yearning to have Trieste, but neither could they stand up for Italy’s claim without violating the Communist line that Trieste should remain a Free Territory with Russia having a voice in its future.) No legislative approval was required, but the Senate gave the compromise its ceremonial approval by an emphatic 129 votes to 89.

Good Fruit. In Belgrade, where Yugoslav Communists had once trumpeted, “We give our life, but never Trieste!” Marshal Tito reacted with equal grace and calm. “The settlement of the Trieste question,” said Tito’s Acting Foreign Secretary Ales Bebler, “should be the springboard toward [a] new era in relations.” Tito himself spoke warmly of the negotiations that had produced the settlement, paying particular tribute to President Eisenhower for the personal letter which persuaded Tito to give ground and thereby make the settlement possible. The Yugoslav leader added: “With this understanding we are prepared to accept with the greatest pleasure every suggestion for cooperation and collaboration between Italy and Yugoslavia. This agreement ought to bear good fruit.”