The New York herald., 1920-01-07
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LINKS ADR|AT|C
WITH TURKEY.
Proposal to Take Near East
Mandates Alternative to
Yielding Fiume.
SAYS THE QUESTION is
STILL TO BE SETTLED
viii Not Enter Separate Conference
with Jugoslavs, but Deals Only
Through Paris.
By TRUMAN H. TALLEY,
Special Correspondent Of the Herald.
Copyright 1920, By the Nc,o York Herald
Company-AU Rights Reserred.l
Especial Cable to the HcraId.l
LONDON Tuesday

LONDON. Tuesday.
signor Nitti, Italy's Premier, received
me this evening after the deliberations Of
the day in Downing street had terminated
and granted me a candid interview ir
which he discussed the Adriatic impasst
In particular and the world peace situation
In general.
Signor Nitti Is q short, stout, cordial
parsonage, so frank and smiling that he
seems anything but Prime Minister, and
even In his spontaneous and easy speech
no bellies tho austerity supposedly cloth
ing such ministerial dignity. Nitti is ar
optimist. He tells story at variance
with the grave Adriatic situation and also
at variance with the solemn demeanor Of
Signor Scialoia. whom I saw but mo-
ment and who was non-committal on the
chances Of solving the deadlock
But with all his cheeriness Signor Nitti
Is by no means hcraldipg a settlement,
for such realization seems to be still
distant. However. Nitti believes that an
adjustment cannot be much longer de-
layed and says he believes all the major
conference issues, including Fiume and
Turkey. can be satisfactorily settled In
principle by the end of January.
Conversation, Not Conference.
first asked Nitti about the days Down.
ing street conference. He quickly re-
Piled
1T was not conference, but con-
versation."
He said considerable ground had been
explored on old and new formulae for set
Ting Fiumc, and, although satisfactory
and cordial progress had been made, 1t
was not intended to make any decisions
until all had assembled in Paris. Rather,
the London parleys were preparatory
i asked whether he cared to discuss the
report that Italy might take Near East
ern mandates or even commercial pro-
.tectorates in return for an otherwise dis
advantageous F'iume settlement.
He replied he had nothing to say ex-
cept that this and kindred proposals had
been made before and still remained 10
be settled, a. statement which may be
Of tho highest sienificance In view OF the
information obtainsble in other high
Italian quarters to-day that Italy has in
dicated her willingness to throw in her
lot with England and France In settling
the Turkish question in accordance with
Anglo-French desires in return for a
favorable Fiume settlement, the most ac-
Fiume TO Italy and the least acceptable
being autonomy indisputably free OF
Jugoslav influence. so that a free Fiums
could later determine her sovereignty.
Could Block Turkish Settlement.
1t Is asserted in Italian circles that 1t Il
obvious Italy, If so Inclined. could seri-
ously and yet not unfairly impede the
Turkish treaty while England and
France. now that America has definitely
disowned Far Eastern inclinations, ear
nestly wish Turkish settlement and
might be willing at this critical stage OF
world affairs to grant Italy much more
than they previously offered IL Italy
pledges support for any Anglo-French
plan Of Ottoman readjustment
This sounds like political bargaining but
the fact that the Italians are here only
for conversations preliminary to a new
Paris attempt at al all-round settlement
lends credence to today's well defined re.
port that some such scheme is afoot
Nitti, however, wouldn't say more than