New-York tribune., 1920-02-18
Reaction Is Acute After
News That President
Intended Merely to
Keep Out of Adriatic
Italian Sentiment
Deeply Concerned
Premiers' Reply to Note
Is Expected to Reach
Washington During Day


Washington During Day
LONDON, Feb. II (By The AS
sociated Press).-The statement
from Washington confirming the
first reports that the President had
lntimated that rejection of his Adri-
attic policy might be followed by
diplomatic reprisals to-day furnished
another surprise to British politi-
clans and the public who, outside of
small but important circle which
meets twice daily in Downing Street
and the advisers in the confidence
Of this group, experienced the
greater surprise because it came on
the heels of other Washington mes
sages >intimating that only Ameri-
can retirement from it's part in
policing the Adriatic was intended.
The Supreme Allied Council, af-
ter handing to John w. Davis, the
American Ambassador, it's reply to
Mr.. Wilson's Adriatic note, issued
an emphatic denial on it's own be-
half Of French newspaper reports
that it was persuaded to modify
and soften the first draft of the
reply to President Wilson by inter
vention exercised by Viscount Grey,
Lord Robert Cecil and Austen
Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. The susceptibilities of the
non British members Of the council
were one of the factors behind this
denial, because the story was calcu-
lated to give the impression on the
Continent that the British were
dominating the conference.
Italy Seriously Aggrieved
The feeling at Italian headquarters
IN London with respect to the Presi-
dents action is strong. Unofficially
it is Spoken of as an attack upon Italy,
and his memorandum is described as
an ultimatum. The Italians also feel
that ltaly's claims to nsideration for
her part in the war and the sacrifices
made have never been quite appreci-
ated by her Allies.
The feeling in the Jugo-Slav camp
is equally strong, but has the element
of elation that the Slavs have strong
champion. They feel that they are at
disadvantage because Minister Trum-
bitch is outside the councils of the
powers, and, like the Italians, have
their own grievance in that they con-
slider that the fact they were in the
war from the start and that their
country was virtually ruined is not
to be given the weight it deserves.
The American Embassy is engaged
to o-night in coding and forwarding the
reply to Washington. 1t will be in
the hands of the Washington govern
ment tomorrow.
Notes To Be Kept Secret
The council made it known in it's
daily semi official communication to
.the newspapers that it does not pur-
pose to make public the correspond
ence, SO the question of whether the
text of the notes will be given to the
world rests with President Wilson.
Since the main facts are public
property, namely, that the President
strongly objects to the solution of the
Italian -Jugo -Slav problem by the ap-
plication of the Treaty Of London
thereto, and objects so strongly as
to contemplate Americas withdrawal
from the Versailles compact as pos
sibilty, and that the council objects
to the reopening of the question, the
undecided point is whether the argu-
ments exchanged shall be published
while the controversy is hot on the
anvil.
"The Daily MailD says it understands
the Supreme Councils reply to Presi-
dent Wilson informs the President that
the circumstances surrounding the
proposals in January (when Premers
Lloyd George, Ntti and Clemenceau
held their meeting and reached an
agreement) were such that they could
not be ignored and that the council
was compelled perforce to take decis-
ions in the voluntary absence of an
American representative.
The reply also remarks, says "The
Daily Mail" that the more effective
proposals of December would be vail
dated if the Pres dent would indicate
how they were to be carried out.
FROM me r1Ohne european bureau
Copyright. 1920. New York Tribune Inc }
LONDON, Feb. 1.-THE reply of the
Allied Supreme Council to President
Wilson's Adriatic note, which was
handed to Ambassador Davis to-day,
will not, it is understood, impe ril
clther,the good relations existing be-
tween Europe and the United States
or the dignity of the Allies. What has
! happened it seems, is this:
Before the breaking up Saturday of
the conference Of Premiers three drafts
of reply to the President were made.
Final choice among these was left until
Monday Over the weekend British
influence weighed in the balance
against the choice of the sharpest re-
ply and led to the adoption of note
couched in more conciliatory terms.
Millerand for Sharp Reply
Premier Millerand, who meanwhile
had gone to France, believed that a
more strongly worded reply would be
chosen, and it was information to this
effect which leaked out in Paris.
Eventually that draft which is least
likely to offend America-for, after