Paris Peace Conf. 873.00/13: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy ( Page ) to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

54. Monsieur Popovitch, delegate from Montenegro to Peace Conference, has just called on me and made the following statement: That Montenegro is at this moment in complete revolution, which is supported by about 380,000 Montenegrins of the peasant party, composing about four-fifths of the population, and on the third of January occupied militarily by force Podgoritsa [Podgorica], Danivgrad [Danilov Grad], Nishich [Nikšić], Colascilla [Kolašin], Virbasar [Virpazar], and yesterday were fighting to take Cittinge [Cettigne], They are [Page 366] reported to have 45,000 militia with rifles and some machine guns and under the command of two generals, General Milutine Vucinitch and Djuro Petrovitch. They have overthrown the government in all the cities, except Cittinge and they have demanded the intervention of the Allied troops making this demand on Venel, the French Commandant at Catspaw [Cattaro], and through Popovitch on the Italian Government here.

Popovitch states that the desire of the Montenegrins is to be free and independent and as such united with Jugo-Slavia in a confederating form of government, Montenegro retaining its freedom indisputable and they will resist being absorbed and merged in the Serbian people. They prefer a representative form of government to any monarchy, but prefer the old dynasty to the Serbian or any other dynasty. He states that Italy wishes Montenegro to be free and independent, but would prefer it a republic. (I am far from sure as to whether Italy would not have had it to be republic). The other one-fifth of the Montenegrin population Popovitch states are in favor of uniting with Serbia. This one-fifth composes mainly city population, who comprise intellectuals, but he states the peasants were the people who have [apparent omission] Montenegro free for three hundred years. Popovitch delegate has just returned to inform me he has received radio telegraph message from Cattaro informing him American troops have entered Cittinge.

Nelson Page