The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-02-19
WILSON MADE RECORD
IN FRAMING REPLY
Supreme Councils Com
municati0n Was Received
Only Yesterday-Wilson
Is Said to Have Adhered
to the Position Taken in
His Note of Feb. 10.

Washington, D. c., Feb. l9.-Presi'
dent Wilson to-day completed his reply
to the allied supreme councils note
on the Adriatic question and sent 1t
to Acting Secretary Polk, who Is put
ting it in form for transmission to the
council. Il is expected to be on the
cables before night.
There was no indca tion as to the
notes contents or its length. The pres
ident began drafting it early this morn
ing and completed it in two hours. The
councils communication was received
only yesterday and the speed with
which the reply was prepared here was
said to constitute something of rec
ord.
The president went to his study at
9:30 a. m., and, summoning his stenog
rapher, Immediately began debating
the reply, He was understood TO have
answered the councils contention point
for point and to have adhered to the
position taken in his note of Feb. TO-
It is now pretty well established that
in his communication the president in
formed the allied countries that If they
proceeded to settlement OF the Adr-
attic question without the consent and
participation OF the American govern
ment, the United States might have to
decide whether it could become party
TO the treaty of Versailles and the An
glo- French American pact.
The note received from the council
yesterday was sent to the White House
Immediately after 1t was decoded and
the president studied it very carefully
during the afternoon and evening.
When he was ready to begin work to-
day he was understood to have had his
reply well outlined in his mind, and
consequently was able to dictate 1t in
"a short time.
The president was represented as be-
ing perfectly willing for the exchanges
to be given to the public after he had
completed his case" which was done
with the drafting of the note to-day.
However, no decision as to making the
communications public will be reached
until the allied premiers have been
heard from. They have been approached
as to their wishes.
Washington, d. c., Feb. l9-The next
step of the United States in the Adri-
attic controversy was under consider
alton to-day by President Wilson and
state department officials, following the
arrival and DECIDING of the reply of the
allied premiers to President Wilson's
recent note.
Comment on the reply was withheld
and it will not be made public without
the approval of France, Great Britain
and Italy, but it was learned authori-
tatively that this government looks
with favor on publication of the ex-
changes and has taken steps to ascer-
tain the wishes of those governments.
One reason the publication is desired
here is to prevent further prejudiced in
terpretations of President Wilson's
note such as have appeared in the for
eign press.
Cable dispatches indicated that the
reply was conciliatory and that the
whole question of Fiume and the Dal-
matian littoral was at least reopened
TO negotiation.
Careful consideration is being given
the allied reply, according TO officials,
indicating that a rejoinder may not be
forthcoming for some time.