Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-27
Correspondence New York Times.

Washington, Feb 27.--Prcsident Will
ecn's reply to the latest note from Prime
Minister Millcrand and Lloyd George
on the Adriatic question, made public
last night with the rest Of tho corresponds
onoc. frankly informs them that he ha.
no choice in tho present circumstances
but to maintain the position he has all
along taken ss regards that settlement.
While the President would make no
objection to q settlement, mutually agree
able TO Italy and Jugo slavia, regs ding
their comm m frontier IN the Fiune
region, provided such an agreement
is not made a basis Of compensation else
where at the expense OF nationals Of a
third power, and on these terms would
consent Ia the disc arding Of tho project
for free State of Flume, he is not pre-
pared 20 yield on the rcarragemcnt Of the
boundaries of Albania TO the injury of
Albania He also regards as Imprscticnblo
the proposal 10 connect Fiume with Italy
by narrow and barren strip of coast
territory, and is Just as vigorously OPP
posed as well to the application Of the
secret treaty of London.
The President again reminds the British
and French governments that he does not
intend to subscribe IN the rest of the peace
settlement land this is understood To
we'll as to the Adratic settlement) unless
made on the basis Of justice and self-de-
termination and in accordance with the
principles on which this country entered
the war and on which tho armistice with
Germany was arranged.
POINTS THE WAY TO SETTLEMENT.
While the President is standing firm
on the application of these principles TO
the making Of the full peace settlement
md is fully prepared to carry out his
threat" Of February 10 to withdraw the
treaties with Germany and France from
tho Senate, If the allied powers are un-
willing to 60 hand in hand with tho United
States IN endeavoring TO solve the Adriatic
problems on the bass of the y, s:tion be
has taken ail along rs regards that
settlement, the President 8 note is not IN
tended To close the door 10 a settlement.
The concliatory attitude of the Prcsi-
dent Is disclosed in that part If his note
where be declares his willingness TO
abandon his project for free buffer State
Of Fiume, If both Italy and Jugoslsvis
mutually agrec regarding their common
frontier IN the Plume region without
compensations elsewhere along the
Adriatic at the expense of third power.
II this can be achieved through direct
negotiations between the powers and
the two interested nations, President
Wilson would regard that agreement
bs falling within the scope of the princi-
pie of self-determinaf fiou. But failing
this, the President holds that both Italy
Ind JucoslavA should be willing to accept
decision Of the Governments of Great
Britain, France and the United States |
that is, the decision represented in the /
JOINT agreement among the three coun-
tries of December 9.
In a nut shell. this is understood 70 /
he a correct Interpretation of the atti- |
'ude of tho President as intended TO /
I've set forth in the notes made public |
last night. But aside from the in;rica- |
cies and difficulties Of the whole involved |
Adr1atic problem, controversy which |
President Wilson joins the British and |
French Premiers IN regaI ding as being
dangerous enough to precipitate war in
the Near East unless satisfactory settle |
ment can be promptly reached, the out |
sj janoinr features of the notes are Piesi- /
dent Wilson's criticisms of the att tude of |
the Italian Government throughout the |
negotiations, his threat to withdraw from /
further part IN the peace settlement, and |
tie rejoindsr of the British and French /
Prcmiers 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
sons warning in his note of February 10
was not intended as threat, although
il is understood that President Wilson
meant every word he said in the much
final paragraph (Pertinax
called IT a postscript and is ready TO
put his warning into effect If il will be
the purpose of the British. French and
Italian Governments to adjust the Adriatic
question on the basis of principles con-
frary to those for which the President
has been contending in the general peace
The British and French Premiers. how
ever, show by their reply of February Il
that they did regard President Wilson's
warning as beng an actual threat" and
that they viewed 1t with apprehension
The Use of the word threat" In the Feb
7Iary IL note OF the Premiers brings the
-ejoinder ID the Presidents s reply OF Feb
-uary 81, signed Polk, acting," that tho
British and French governments had
themselves previously resorted 10 8
threat" not against the United States.
out against Jugo-Slavia, when the latter
patton was offered the January plan of
'ettlement or the application of the terms
IF the treaty Of London. Here is the final
paragraph OF the Presidents note of Feb
'uary 10, which the British and French
,remiers interpreted as threat:
The President desires To say that If