The Washington herald., 1920-02-28
NITTI RETICENT
ON TYING ITALY
TO WILSON IDEA
Diplomats See Reservations
OF Premier Implied
In Note.
ALLIES TO COOPERATE
France and England Draw
ing Near to Rome's
Viewpoint.
ALLIES TO COOPERATE


Italy has not accepted Presiden
Wilson's latest Adriatic proposal IL
its entirty. England and Franc
have also qualified their acceptance
Of Il.
Officials in allied circles hers
drew these conclusions anent the Al.
lied reply to the Presidents latest
note. The answer of the allies wa;
sent to the White House by Actias
Secretary of State Polk at noon yes.
terday.
Premier Nitu probably will no:
oppose direct negotiations with tbs
Juyo-slavs. allied opinion said. bu1
admittedly he will not befo:ehanc
bind himself to the President's
chariot" in the event of their fail
ure. France and England are both
expected to support this Italian po-
sition.
Close Allied Cooperation.
Neutral diplomats see a very close
cooperation between England
France and Italy at present. Anglo
French diplomacy has begun tc
reckon with "the Presidents loss oi
strength in America. it is said. The
American political situation alleg.
edly has tended to press Premier
Millerand and Lloyd George toward
the Italian side. .., ...
Besides. il is thought quite prob
able that France and Italy nav,
come to a mutual understanding
tions, Diplomatic circles genet ally
ident Wilson by the league of ma
ions and the Franco-Amerfcan mil
itary agreement guaranteed the
French against future German MI.
itary aggression. The President.
withdrawal of the treaty from the
Senate would he regarded by France
as a violation of that pledge.
Such a withdrawal would give
France a diplomatic opportunity foi
an indefinite or even permanent oc-
cupancy of the Rhineland barrier.
Germany,s failure to make the stip-
ulated coal deliveries to France and
carry out other indemnity clauses
Of the treaty are regarded as as
sisting any -sach, Ereneb intsntions'
even now.
In this connection, many think
that France has made a plain stat e.
ment of her case IN the most re-
sent allied note to the President
IL is even possible. IN this opinion
that France attempts 10 Justify her
change of attitude toward the An
glo- o-Franco-American pledge of De-
cember by President Wilson's in
iirect threat to break his French
guarantee pledge"
Allies Act Quickly.
President wilson's Adriatic pro-
oosal left Washington February "a.
and within two days the allied re-
ply had left Europe. This dispatch
1n the part of the allies is gener-
ally regarded as a diplomatic ges-
.ure'' to reveal allied harmony. The
act that the premiers left the notes
inal composition to subordinate
members of the supreme council also
S seen as a thrust at the President.
Allied diplomatists at Washington
will not admit that Wilson has con-
'ronted the allied premiers with a
'eal dilemma. He proposed an Ang-
o-Franco-American solution of the
Adriatic problems. should an Italo-
Iugo-Slav conference end in a dis
agreement. The Presidential inti-
nation is that any Anglo-Franco-
American settlement would have to
De based upon the December agree
nent or its essentials.
This, however, does not corner
France and England without any
.hance of escape, ii is insisted. In
act. Wilson's last note is viewed as
having one handle, at least, which
:an be turned against him.
Allied representatives here state
he allied case in this fashion. Presi-
lent Wilson proposes Anglo-Franco-
American arbitration" in the emer-
yency of an Italo-Jugoslav disa-
yreement. after direct negotiations.
But simultaneously, contrary to the
recognized practice of an arbitrator
1e exposes his own unalterable posi-
ion.
An "Initial Prejudice
The proposed wilsonian "arbitra-
ion." 1t Is claimed, ilIogically starts
put with an axiom. This is an une-
luivocal and direct proclamation
hat Fiume cannot be Italian, Eng
ish and French arbitrators could
1ot agree to what diplomatic lam
suage- calls the Presidents initial
prejudice"
Jugo-Slavs in the CapitalNview
he Presidents latest diplomatic
gesture with mixed feelings. They
ion't know whether 10 be pleased
Or displeased with 1t. There is an
unpleasant possibility Of "allied
pressure" In direct Italo-Jugoslav
negotiations. In parts of the last
aote. the Presidential gesture
Ilso becomes a. fst. made at Jugo-
slavia-
On the other hand. Italians ex-
press frank criticism of wilson's
proposal They say that he begs
more than one question, asked by
he preceding allied note. He is
yiewed as still thinking in terms of
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