The Washington herald., 1920-02-27
interpretations Vary.

D1plomatlsts here think that
the President has somewhat
shifted his former diplomatic
stand. They say that the diplo-
matte tone of the communication
of February "a contrasts strik-
ingly with "thc indirect threat of
February TO-"
However, administration circles
deny that the President has sub
stantially changed his position on
Fiumc and the Adriatic, generally.
Should Italy and Jugo- -Slavia dis
agree in direct negotiations the
President will favor the operation
OF the December decision of Eng
land, France and America. This,
they declare, is the beginning and
end of Mr.. Wilson's solution of
the moot problem.
Wells Become Thicker.
Apart from these diplomatic and
administrative opinions. there is an
outstanding, obvious fact The
veiis, hiding any threats" in the
Presidents last note. are far
thicker than the wells in the pre-
ceding communication.
Reports from abroad warrant the
belief that Premier Nitti desires
immediate contact between Italy
and Jugo-Slavia- Indications are
that England and France will at
tempt to inject harmonious at
mosphere in such I meeting.
However, Anglo-French diplo-
macy has already attempted to
play safe" as regards the success
of such negotiations. In the Anglo
French note of February IL the
Italian compromise or the pact of
London are cited as the best avail
able solutions of the controversy.
diplomatic Brickbats- Fly.
The correspondence between the
/ allies and the White House some
times takes the form of "diplo-
| matte brickbats.' In one, place
France and England tell the Presi-
dent that the pact of London is not
"a scrap of paper"
In another place they ask Mr..
Wilson to come up to date with af-
fairs. Their allegation is that now
not only the Italians, but even the
Jugo-Slavs don't want what he
wants.
! Worst of all, they accuse him OF
predicting the ineffectiveness Of his
own league of nations by his Adri-
attic attitude. The French and
British governments cannot possi-
bly, accept the implication that the
guarantee of the league of nations
is worthless" they declare.
In his turn, the President diplo-
maticalIy charges the allies with
doing what the Germans were ac-
cused of doing. He recalls the
fourteen points and the right OF
self determination. accepted by the
allies in the treaty of Versailles.
He says that the old system must
go and a new system and spirit be
given to international relations.
otherwise. he tells the allies, they
will plant the seeds of war and the
United States can not carry on with
them.
The President cleverly uses the
Jugo-Slav ultimatum as an argu-
ment to explain the treaty delay in
the American Senate. He declares
that Americans think that such
l"expedients" of the allies would
lead them into imperialistic or un-
just wars.
Note With the "Punch.-
The Presidents suggestion of the
possibility of the treaty's withdraw
al from the Senate came in his note
of February 10. The barbed para
graph of this communication, which
was signed by former Secretary OF
State Lansing, follows:
1T is time to speak with the ut
most frankness. The Adriatic issue,
as it now presents itself, raises the
fundamental question as to whether
the American government can on
any terms cooperate with its Eu-
ropean associates in the great work
| of maintaining the peace of the
[, world by removing the primary
[ causes of war. This government
does not doubt its ability TO reacn
amicabie understandings with the
CONTINUED ON FACE THREE.