According to the Austrian census of 1910 Istria contained 386,740
inhabitants, of whom 218,854 (or 58.5 per cent.) habitually used the
Serbo-Croat language, while 145,552 (or 38.9 per cent.) used Italian.
The Yugoslavs cannot help regarding the Istrian statistics with
suspicion, and believing that here, more than in Dalmatia, they were
made to suffer on account of Austria's alliance with Italy and with the
Vatican: one of the wrongs which Strossmayer fought against was that
Istria had been entrusted to an Italian Dalmatian bishop who could not
speak a word of Slav. This prelate appointed to vacant livings a number
of Italian priests whom the people could not understand; a Slav coming
to confess had to be supplied with an interpreter. As to the statistics
in the commune of Krmed (Carmedo), for example, of the district of Pola,
the census of 1900 gave 257 Croats against three Italians, whereas in
1910 it was stated that 296 inhabitants spoke habitually Italian and six
spoke Croatian. Nevertheless, if one accepts the Austrian figures, the
58.5 per cent. should not be treated as if they did not exist. Perhaps
the Italian officials could find no interpreters to translate their
proclamations and decrees; if the Yugoslavs could not read them that was
a defect in their education. If they were unable to write to the
authorities or to send private telegrams in Italian, let them hold
their peace. At any rate, said Vice-Admiral Cagni, we will not encourage
the Croatian language, and on November 16, 1918, he commanded the
Yugoslav schools to be shut at eleven places in the district and also
two schools in the town. The Austrians had allowed these schools to
remain open during the War; but of course if you wish to prevent people
from learning a language this is one of the first steps you would take.
Thirteen Yugoslav schoolmasters at Pola were thus deprived of their
means of livelihood. The Admiral said that he really did not want to let
matters remain in this condition, but all these schools had been at the
expense of the State; let the Yugoslavs support their own schools. They
were, as a matter of fact, entitled by reason of their numbers to have
State-supported schools. Yet that was, of course, in the time of
Austria; and why should Italy be bound by Austrian laws? Italy would do
what she saw fit. In various places the teachers were, in the presence
of Italian officers, compelled to use Italian for the instruction of
purely Yugoslav children. Slav schoolmistresses were, in several cases,
taken out of bed in the middle of the night and conducted on board
Italian ships. The clergy were ordered to preach in Italian in churches,
such as that of Veprinac, where the congregation is almost entirely
Slav[13]--and so on, and so on. Well, there are several ways of
governing a mixed population, and this is one of them.... "Zadar and
Rieka," said Pribi[vc]evi['c] in November to an Italian interviewer at
Zagreb--"Zadar and Rieka will enjoy all liberty of culture and municipal
autonomy. And we are convinced that an equal treatment will be accorded
to the Slav minorities who will be included in your territory. We
understand and perfectly recognize your right to Triest and to Pola, and
we would that in Italy our right to Rieka and Dalmatia were recognized
with the same justice."[14]