The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-02-20
ALLIES STAND PAT
ON FlEDME AFFAIR
Wilson Protest and Ultima
tium For Jugo-Slavs
Disregarded

Paris, Feb. 16.-Great Britain
and France, in their reply to Presi-
dent Wilson's "bombshell note"
stand pat on their Adriatic policy,
which he has vetoed.
The note is signed by Premiers
Lloyd George and Millerand and Is
said to record the allies absolute de-
termination to go through with the
program agreed on among themselve"
Italy being the third party.
Briefly, this program confronts the
kingdom of Jcgo Slavia with the
choice of accepting the compromise
of January 20 or seeing the now
famous secret pact of London enforc-
ed to the letter. The compromise Is
give-and-take proposition. which
makes Fiume a free city under juris-
diction of the League of Nations.
1t gives the Jugo-Slav kingdom
considerable advantages, such as the
cession of Albania, but 1t does not
give all the Jugo Slavs want. Ths
pact of London, however is even less
acceptable to them.
President Wilson flatly opposed
this whole proceeding of territorial
barter and insisted on American parti-
cipation in the final settlement, In
default whereof he made a strong
threat, the exact nature of which is
not yet fully disclosed here, though
the general understanding is that 1t
amounted to the ultimatum that If
America was not consulted and the
Adriatic problem settled without her
consent, she would no longer concern
herself with European affairs.
Exact Words Not Clear.
Another version is that he threat
ened only to withdraw American con-
Germ with the whole Adriatic affair,
which indirectly would mean primart-
ly Italy.
But whatever may have been the
precise extent of the threat, the
French and British premiers have de-
cided to take the risk and in their
reply, believed to have reached Wash
ington by this time, announce that
they can not. turn back. One press
ing reason for this is that they have
promised the Italian premier "a solu-
ton one way or the other before he
leaves London for Rome to report to
his people who are clamoring for
sediment.
Messrs. Millerand and Lloyd George.
in the reply. rush to Italy's defense
against the implication that she Ia
motivated by selfish ambitions. Thus
for the first time. the three allied ma
lions form a united front against the
American President.
In the past stages of the Adriatic
quarrel, France and Britain either
have been on the fence or openly on
his side against their ally. In this
change observers profess to see sig
nificant sign. Yet, Italy herself is
extremely anxious to retain the good
will of the United States and her
premier, Signor Nitti, has openly de-
clared that America can annul every
decision"
The Franco-British note takes con-
siderable pains, it is averred, to en-
phasize Italy's sacrifices in the war
and the high motives and ideals for
which she embraced the allied cause
words which recall many an identi-
cal argument flung by Italy into the
faces of her allies with no little bit
terness only few months back.
At the same time that the reply to
President Wilson was dispatched
Lloyd George, as president of the new
-'peace conference" at London, mott
fed the Jugo-Slav delegation in Lon
don that the allies attitude is un-
changed, that the virtual ultimatum
to Jugo-Slavia of January 20, stands
The Belgrade government, mean
while is fully expected to take heart
from President Wilson's attitude and
defy the allies. There are reports of
an internal cricis in the kingdom, the
Davidovitch cabinet having resigned
because Prince Regent Alexander re-
fused to dissolve the provisional ma
tional assembly and order new cleo
lions.
In official circles here, the view
was cautiously advanced that the two
kingdoms-Jtaly and Jugo-slavia-
might best be left to settle the Adria-
tic problem between themselves. Pre-
mier Nitti himself is said to have sug-
gested this. saying 1t might be the
best way TO prevent state OF chaos