Arizona republican., 1920-02-27

v . Lussin, Lissa and Pelagosa were to b, assigned to Italy and the remainder | were to go to the Serb -Croat- -SlOvens 1 state. All Adriatic islands were to b, demilitariZed and there were to be special provisions to permit Italians ir Da1matia to choose Italian nationality Express Opposition To Procedure President Wilson's note of January l l9, in protest to these arrangements asked whether it was the intention of the British and French governments | in the future to dispose of the various | questions pending in Europe and to | communicate the results to the gov ernment of the United States" adding that Clemenceau and Lloyd George must realize there were features in the proposed Plume settlement which could not be acceptable to this gov ernment
 Lloyd George and Clemenceau re- 1 plying, under date of January 23, dis claimed any intention of making a definite settlement without the views of the United States but had taken it up at the point at which it was left when under Secretary Polk returned to Washington. They replied they felt practically every important point of the joint memorandum of December g rerhains untouched" and added that ''only two features undergo alterations and both these are to the advantage
 
 French premiers argued that the dis appearance of the free state of Plume would reunite 100000 Jugo- Slavs with their fatherland, and that the Albania settlement was such as to afford sat isfaction ito the necessary requirements of all parties concerned"
 They characterized 1t as fair
 settlement of a difficult and dan
 gerous question and "that in the
 event of it's not being accepted
 
 enforcement of the treaty of Lon
 don, which IS satisfactory to no-
 body.'
 Both premiers disclaimed any intent to show the slightest discourtesy to the United States or that they wished to conceal their action in any way
 As President Wilson was not at the confer ence. they said they thought the best plan to proceed with the negotia- tions and communicate the result to the United States.
 Wilson Criticizes Action
 President Wilson's reply of February 10 said he could not believe that a solution containing provisions which already had received the we'll merited condemnation of the French and Brit ish governments (referring to the set tlemem of December 9) can in any sense be regarded as right"
 He could not agree that the memo randum of January 14 left untouched practically every important points as argued by the British and French premiers and declared his opinion that the original proposal has been pro foundly altered to the advantage of improper Italian objectives to the ser ious injury of the Jugo- -Slav people and to the peril of world peace.''
 The fact that Italy rejected the
 proposal of December g and ac-
 cepted that of January A, the
 president thought was proof that
 Italy would receive "very positive
 advantages" President Wilson pointed out that while the British and french govern ments in the agreement of December | 3 concurred in the view taht corridor | for Plume ran counter to every con l sideration of geography, economics | and territorial convenience" they agreed to it by memorandum of Jan | nary A. and that whereas Italys de- mand for the annexation of allied | [stria had been rejected in the for ner agreeemnt "on the solid ground | that neither strategic nor economic considerations could justify such an- | lexations. the agreement of, January A provided for this unjust and in- sxpedient annexation of allied Istrfa."
 Would Control Foreign Affairs.
 President Wilson said that whereas he agreement of December excluded every form of Italian sovereignty over 1 tiume, he could not avoid the con- 'lusion that the agreemnt of January opens the way for Italian control 'f Fumes foreign affairs" The president said he felt the original | agreement gave proper protection to