Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-27
Allies Adridtic
AnslUer Received
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does not intend to subscribe to the rest
OF the peace settlement land this Is un-
derstood to apply to the Turkish and
Hungarian as well as to the Adriatic
settlement) unless made on the basis
OF justice and self determination and
In accordance with the principles on
which this country entered the war and
on which the armistice with Germany
was arranged.
While the President Is standing firm
on the application of these PRINCIPLES
to the making Of the full peace settle.
ment; and is fully prepared to carry
out his threat" of February 10 to
withdraw the treaties with GERMANY
and France from the Senate. II the
allied powers are unwilling to go hand
hand with the United Stntes in en-
deavoring to solve the Adriatic problems
on the basis Of the position he has taken
all along. as regards that settlement.
the Presidents note Is not intended
TO close the door to n settlement.
The conciliatory attitude of the Pres
ident is disclosed in that part OF his
note where he declares his WILLINGNESS
to abandon his project for free buffer
state Of Fiume. II both Italy and Jugo-
Slavia mutually agree regarding their
common frontier In the Fiume region
without compensations elsewhere along
the Adriatic at the expense of third
power.
Would Accept Direct Settlement
If this can be achieved through direct
negotiations between the powers and
the two interested nations, President
Wilson would regard that agreement as
falling within the scope of the prin-
ciple Of self determination. But fail.
ing this, the President holds that both
Italy and Jugo- S'avia should be willing
to accept a decision Of the governments
OF Great Britain, France and the United
States-that is. the decision represented
In the joint agreement among the three
countries Of December o.
The outstanding features of the notes
are President Wilson's criticisms of the
attitude Of the italian Government
throughout the negotiations. his threat
to withdraw from further part in the
peace settlement. and the rejoinder of
the British and French premiers that
their governments would regard the
withdrawal Of the treaties from the
Senate with CONSERVATION.
American government officials have
made the statement that President Will
10 was not intended as a threat, al
though 1t Is understood that President
Wilson meant every word he said in the
much discussed final paragraph (Perti-
max called it a postscript) and is ready
to put his warning into effect IL 1t still
be the purpose of the British. French
and Italian Governments to adjust the
Adriatic question on the basis of prin-
ciples contrary ,to those for which the
President has been contending in the
general peace settlement.
Regarded Warning as Threat
The British and French prcmiers,
however. show BY their reply of Febru-
ary II that they did regard President
Wilson's warning as being an actual
threat" and that they viewed it with
apprehension. The use of the word
threat" in the February u note Of
Presidents reply Of February "a, signed
"Polk," that the British and French
Governments had themselves previously
resorted to threat not against the
United States. but against Jugo Slavia,,
when the latter nation was offered the
January plan of settlement or the ;:,-
plcation of the terms of the treaty of
London. Here is the final paragraph
of the Presidents note of February 10,
"nlCn tne DrltlSn ana rrcncn prcmlerS
interpreted as threat:
The President desires to say that il
1t does not appear feasible to secure
acceptance ot the just and generous
concessions offered by the British,
French and American Governments
to Italy in the joint memorandum of
those powers of December o, 1919,
which the President already clearly
stated to be the maximum concession
that the government of the United
States can offer, the President desires
to say that he must take under
serious consideration the withdrawal
of the treaty with Germany and the
agreement between the United States
and France Of June %, 1919, which
are now before the Senate and per-
mtting the terms of the European
settlement to be independently es-
tablished and enforced by the asso-
ciated governments.
CONSERVATION Among Allies
There was no mistaking the determi :
nation Of the President in the minds Of
the British and French premiers, who
devote four pages of their reply of Feb.
II to consideration of the President 3
''threat."
"The Government of France and
Great Britain" says the Millernnd
Lloyd George note of the 18th, view
with CONSERVATION the threat of the
United States Government to withdraw
from the Comfy of Nations because 1t
does not agree with the precise terms of
the Adriatic settlement.
"The Governments of France and
Great Britain. earnestly trust that
whatever the final view of the United
States as to the Adriatic settlement may
be. they will not wreck the whole ma
chinery for dealing with international
disputes by withdrawing from the treat
les of 1919 because their view Is not
adopted in this particular case"
President Wilson's reply makes no
further direct alusiOn to his threat"
OF Feb. 10, but there is reiteratiOn
Of it between the lines when the note Is
closely analysed, and it is not doubted
here that If the Adriatic. Turkish and
other settlements are made, either with
out the consultation Of the United
States or on principles contrary to
those for which the President fought at
Paris, he will take under Serious con
sideration" the withdrawal Of the two
treaties, and ''permit the terms Of Eu-
ropean settlement to be independently
established by the associated govern
ments."
Speaks for Free Peoples
Declaring that the central principle
for which the war was fought was that
no governments have the right to dis
nf taan II latn he