Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-02-20
FAKE IS EXPOSE
BY WHITE HOUSE
Wilson Did Not Threaten to Quit
European Affairs.
NOTE REFERS ONLY TO FlUME.
President Insists Settlement of the.
Adriatic Problem Be in Accordance
With Agreements Firm
Against London Treaty.

| Washington, Feb 17.-President
Wilson, it was learned at the, White
House. did not say in his note to the
entente premiers regarding the Fiume
question that the United States would
no longer be able to concern itself in
European affairs" if a Ffume settle
ment were made without consulting
America.
Officials said the Interpretation OF
the presidents note by the Paris
Temps was too sweeping They
said the United States would not with
draw from participation in the peace
treaty and the League of Nations if
the treaty were ratified by the senate,
but that it would withdraw from any
! participation in the Fiume settlement,
including the policing of the Adriatic.
The presidents position regarding
Fiume and the whole Adriatic situa-
tion was said to be unchanged. This
position, however, never has been Of
ficially outlined, and officials declined
to define it.
No reply to the presidents note has
been received, it was said at the state
] department Dispatches from abroad
said the reply had been dispatched,
and that in it the premiers adhered to
their ultimatum to Jugo-Slavia that it
must accept the compromise on the
Fiume question or suffer the carrying
out of the terms of the original treaty
OF London.
Might Affect Relief Work.
The suggestion that President VIII
son had indicated that the United
States would not be disposed to pro-
! coed with its European food relief
measures if the allies remained OBJ
durate was made in some official quar-
tiers. Desire of Great Britain, Italy
and other nations for American funds
/ to relieve famine in Austria and other
countries. it was suggested, might in
fuenee the allies replies to the presi-
dent.
The principal concession indicated
by the president as possibly accepta-
| BILE, it was said in diplomatic quarters,
has been the creation of buffer state
and the entente premiers so far have
| opposed 1t.
Beyond the general statement that
| the United States adhered to the orig
inal proposition Of the supreme coun-
Gil In Paris allotting Fiume and the
coast of Dalmatia to Jugo-Slavia and
Trieste and the adjacent country to
Italy there never has been any off
cial statement of the American posi-
ton regarding the Adriatic issue.
Against Treaty of London.
1t has been reported that the United
States was willing to accept some
amendments of the original plan, but
all of the exchanges have been closely
guarded.
1t is understood, however, that the
American position has been one of un-
alterable opposition to the application
of the terms of the treaty of London,
which would have given Italy jurisdic-
ton over DaImatia, though not over
Fiume and that all of the notes have
indicated the purpose of the American
government to adhere as closely as
| possible to the lines of the original
settlement, based as it was supposed
to be, upon the principle of self-deter-
imitation and of chronological utilization
as set out III President Wilson's orig
inal IA points.
It is believed this position included
consenting to the erection of Fiume
into an independent state. or at least
one under the control of the League of
Nations. But there was unqualified
objection to the transfer to Italy Of
title to Dalmatia or to the long strip
of coast of the Adriatic extending
from Fiume to Italian Trieste
So far as known that is the present
position of the United States, and its
notes have indicated that if the EN-
tente premiers were disposed to find
another solution inconsistent with this
attitude they must provide for the exc
cution of their plans without any par
ticipation on the part of America.
Not an UItimatum.
Paris Feb. 17-President Wilson's
note on the Adriatic question is not
considered in French official circles as
an ultimatum, it was declared by
| foreign office official.
On such partial information as was
obtainable yesterday the Paris press
construed the note as meaning that
France and Great Britain must change
/ their attitude on that question or the
United States would withdraw from
all connection with European affairs.
The official view, however, is that,
rather than an ultimatum, the note is
simply a renewal of direct negotiations
by the United States The reply of
the allies, represented in the press
here as a categoric maintenance of
their attitude by Great Britain and
France, was described by the foreign
Office official as merely continuance
of the negotiations.