Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1920-03-08

I
President Wilson's note to the premiers
on the Adriatic situation follows:
The president desires to express hiS
sincere and cordial interest in the re-
spouse "f the French and British prime
ministers received un Feb. -. lie notes
with satisfaction their unaltrrcd desire
to reach an equitable solution ~ con
f"rnity alike with the principles of the
peace conference and uf the legitimate
though conflicting aspirations II the
italian Slav peoples. lie further wei
comes their expressed intentions re-
garoiing consideration essential points
ITO urge upon the governments interest
ed that they Shnuld bring their desires
snt" line with the American point of
view.
''lhr president T. surprised. however.
that they should find in the statement
of his own Willingness Ia leave To the
joint agreement uf Italy aud lugo Slavia
the settlement "f their common from
tiers ~ the tinme rcgiou any Ernnnd
far suggesting thr withdrawal ~ fhrl
joint memorandum of December .. In
this be- could not p"sSihly join The
memorandum represents deliberate and
lsiiSIntcrcsted judgment after months Of
earnest discussion. III constituted more
than mere exchange ~ views: il was
statement Of principles and rccapitu
lation of the chief points upon which
agreement had been reached There was
thus afforded Il summary review of these
points uf agreement of the French. Brit
iSh and American governments and the
memorandum should remain rs il was
intended ~ hc. tbs basis Of rcfrrcnr"
representing the combined opinions ~
these governments.
In referring a. the common frontier
in the Fiume regiun' the president had
in mind the express desire of the two
Interested governments a. abandon the
project of the free state of Fiumc aS
defined iR the memorandum If becem-
hcr =. i'll a. hr understands the gov
crnmrnt "f Italy and the government of
the Serb Croat Slovak state prefer to
abandon the so-called buffer state con
tanning an overwhelming majority OF
Jugo Slavs and desire to limit the pro-
posed free state 20 the Corpus Separa-
tum Of Fiume. placing the sovereignty in
the league of nations without either
Italian or Jugo Slav control then the
government If the United States is pre-
pared to accept this proposal and il
willing under such circumstances a.
leave the determination of the common
frontier % Italy and Jugo Slavia. In
this connection the president desires a.
reiirrate that he would gladly approve
"A mutual agreement between the Italian
AMI Iugn Sav governments reached
without preiudice To the territorial ar
either interests ~ any third nation. but
Albanian questions should not be includ-
cd in the proposed joint discussion of
Italy and Iugo Slavia and the president
must rcaffrm that he cannot possibly
approve any plan which assigns to Jugo
Slava III the northern district ~ Al
haDia territorial compensation for Whit
she Is deprived nf elsewhere. Concern
ing tile economic outlets far lugn Siavia
in the region of Scutari suggested in the
note under reply the president desires
~ refer a. the memorandum ~ llerem-
her .. aS making adequate provisions To
meet the needs of .Iugo Slavia.
Regarding the character and appi-
cabilty of the treaty Of London. the
president is led e. speak with less re-
serve on account of frank observations
of the French and British prime min
listers. lie is unable t. find in the ex-
I igcncieS of military strategy sufficient
| warrant for exercising secrecy with
government which was intimately asso-
ciatea with the signitories IT the treaty
! of London in the gigantic task ot de-
/ Tending human freedom and which was
being called upon for unlimited assist
ance AMI for untold treasure. The def
mite and well accepted policy Of the
American government throughout ITS
participation i'm the deliberations of the
peace conference was that il did nnt
consider itself bound by secret treaties
If which Il had previously not known
the existence Where the provisions ~
such treaties were just and reasonable
the nited States VAS willing 10 respect
them. But the French and British
prime ministers will of course not cN-
pect the government If the nited States
a. approve the execution If the terms
of the treaty of London except insofar n
that government may he convinced that
those terms are intrinSically just and are
consistent with the maintenance nf
peace anI settled order in southeastern
Europe.
The absence IF an American repre-
sentative with plenary power i I" hc
regretted AMI max have been source
If Inconvenience but the president can
recall several instances where decisions
in the supreme cnunril were delayed
while the british and French representa-
tives sought the views of their govern
ments and h. il convinced that time
would have been saved and many mis-
understandings avoided If before actual
decisions had been reached and COM