The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-27

and Great Britain therefore earn
( estly trust that whatever the final
view of the United States govern
ment as to the Adriatic settlement
| may be they will not wreck the
whole machinery Of dealing with
International disputes hy with
/ drawing from the treaty of 1878 be-
cause their views is not adop2d in
this particular case. The
/ governments of France and Great
Britain cannot believe that 1T Is
the purpose of the American peo-
pie to take step so fsr-rcach-
ing and terrible on it's effects on
ground which has the appearance
OF being so inadequate
The London comment on the pres
/ tdent,s latest reply to the prime
ministers of Great Britain and France
was that is was ''conciliatory.''
1t certainly Is far less drastic in
tone than the protest note OF Febru-
ary 10. Their. is no doubt whatever
that the note of February 10 was
written by Mr.. Wilson The impress
sion prevails here that the language
of the note OF February "a probably
, is largely the language of Acting Sec
rotary of state Polk. 1t seems to be
clear from the latest note that the
, president, when he wrote his protest
rote of February Q did not know
that the Jugo- Slavs as well as italy
had expressed dissatist action with the
settlements proposed in the memo
randum of December 2. The latest
note said:
THE OBJECTION
The president rotes that the
objection of the italians and
.Tugo -Siavs were made the basis
for discarding the project of the
Free State of Ffunie. II would
seem 10 follow therefore that the
joint consent OF these two pow
ers should have been required
for The substitute project The
consent of Italy has been obtain
( ed. He does not find, however,
that the Jugo- Stavs have also ex-
pressed their Willingness to ac-
/ copt the substitute plan. Are
they to be required now TO ae-
eept proposal which is more
unsatisfactory because they have
raised objections TO the solution
opposed by tho British. French
and American governments In the
memorandum of December 80
The president would of course
! make no objection to q settlement
! mutually agreeable to Italy and
! Jugo- Slavia regarding their COM
| mon frontier In tho Fiume re-
/ ment is not made on the basis of
k CONNIE nSa tons elseSS here at-tae 4
! expense of third power. His
! willingness TO accept such pro-
posed joint agreement OF Italy
I and Jugo-Slavia Is based on the
| fact that only their own nationals
| are involved. In consequence the
results of direct Negotiation of
! the two interested powers would
! fall within the scope Of the prfn-
| cipal Of self-deterri nation. Fail
| ing In this both parties should
| be willing to ACCEPT decision
| Of the governments Of Great
( Britain France art, the United
/ States"
between Italy and Jugo- Siavia il be-
! iieved here to be the way out" OF
( the diplomatic enlargement. Un-
doubtediy Italy and Jugo-SiAvia will
j he more urgently pressed than ever
/ TO come to a mutual understanding
| the allies and the United States.
The president SAYS in his latest
J rote with respect to the application OF
| The treaty of London to the situation
! that Tho American government must
hesitate to speak with assurance
4 since it is matter In which tho
1 French and British governments can
alone judge their obligations and de-
ternine their policies"
But the presid snt points out that
in Wow of understandings already
reached the application OF the treaty
! OF London to the situation would only
serve to muddle it up by imposing
conditions generally admitted to be
unwise and unjust. In concluding
his latest note the president does not
withdraw his threat to recall the
rcace treaty il an improper settle
ment OF the Tiume controversy In
! made but he does not repeat 1t. The
note concludes as follows,
The president asks that the
prime ministers OF France, Great
Britain and Italy will read his
determination in the Adriatic
matter in the light of these
PRINCIPLES and settlements and
will realize that standing upon
such a foundation CT principle he
must OF necessity maintain the
position which he arrived at after
months Of earnest consideration.
He confidently counts upon their
cooperation upon this effort to
maintain for the allies and asso-
eiated powers that direction of
affairs which was initiated by the
victory over Germany and the
peace conference at Paris"