New-York tribune., 1920-02-23
Reply to Allies, 1t Is
Understood, Will Place
Special Stress on the
Plan Regarding Fiume
Reamrms Proposal
Submitted Dec. 9
Will Stand By Arguments
Against Making Port
Free, Giving Italy Istria

From The TribuneS Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-President
Wilson's reply to the note Of the Brit
ish, French and Italian governments
regarding the settlement of the Adri-
attic problem will be long and will go
into great detail on the whole Adriatic
question, especially with regard to
Fiume, it was said tonight
The President will support his posi-
tion with mass of data on the racial,
political and other features Of the ter
ritory in dispute, which has been pre-
pared by experts of the State Depart
ment, and will reafirm his stand be-
hind the proposal that was submitted
to Italy December 9.
Although not yet ready for trans
mission to Europe, Mr.. Wilson's COM
muncation, it was said tonight, prob
ably would be sent to the State De-
partment late tomorrow afternoon or
Tuesday to be forwarded to Ambassa-
dor Davis for presentation to the peace
council.
Still Opposes Free Port
The President in his reply will stand
by the arguments against making Fiume
a free port, giving 1stria to Italy and
the elimination of the buffer state of
F'iume, as laid down IN the note sent
to Italy on December 8, it is believed
The memorandum of December 9, it
was pointed out, contained strong ar
guments against the very decisions
embodied in the communication handed
to the Jugo-S -Slavs on January 20. The
earlier memorandum was signed by
Premier Ciemenceau for France, Sir
Eyre Grove for England, apd Frank
Polk for the United States.
In the memorandum Of December
the attention of the italian government
was called to the fact that President
Wilson had agreed to fix the Italiar
boundary on the line Of the Eastern
300, 900 Jugo-Slavs were placed under
Italian rule, and that in exchange the
Italian government should accept tn,
proposal to create q buffer state o.
Fiume between Italy and the Serb
Croat Slovene state.
Makes Buffer State Impossible
To make the port of Fiume a free
city, the Italian government was tolc
in the memorandum of December 8
would make the proposed buffer state
impossible. Italy should not be giver
the strip Of land connecting Fiumt
with her, it was argued further, be
cause Italian sovereignty over Istris
would interfere with the complete in
dependence of the buffer state of Fiume
The signatures Of Great Britain anc
France are attached to the arguments
contained in the December 8 memo
randum, declaring the very awards
made in the agreement of January &c
to be unjust, it was pointed out here
tonight.
Publication of the text of the memo
randum Of December 9 and the agree
ment OF January 20 in Paris caused
diplomatic circles in Washington to
expect a favorable answer to this gov
ernment's desire for the publication of
all the notes exchanged since Decem-
Der 8.
Would Justify Wilson View
With the arguments contained in the
memorandum of December g. and the
subsequent notes reversing the terms
Of the agreement proposed on that
date, made public, the action of the
President in objecting to the agree
ment proposed on January 20 to the
extent that he threatened to withdraw
the United States entirely from Euro
pean affairs would be justified, it is con-
tended
The President in his reply will take
a firm stand for the agreement pro
posed in December, it is understood
and will reaftirm his insistence for .he
rights of small nations, and particular
ly that the Jugo-Slavs shall have an
outlet to the sea.