Evening star., 1920-03-08
PROTECT ALBANIA
IN ADR|AT|C TERMS,
PRESIDENT INSISTS
Note to Premiers Accepts,
With Reservations, Plan
for Settlement.

for Settlement.
while EXPIRE ssing satisfaction at the
"unaltered desire" of the allied lead
ers to reach IAN equitable solution
President Wilson in his latest note
to the French and British premiers
accepts with reservations the pro-
pos2l that Italy and Jugoslavia them
selves be permitted to settle the Adriati
dispute.
The text of the Presidents reply to
the premfers. which was dispat I'd
Thursday. and which now is bein.
considered by the supreme council al
London, was made public here last
night.
View on Treaty OF London.
Expressing the view that il con-
etitutes more than a mere exchange
of views and is. in fact. Il statement
of principle. the President refuses to
agree to Withdrawal OF the British
French-AmeriCan memorandum of De-
cember 9 At the same time he indi
Gated his unalterable opposition to
the execution of the terms of the
treaty OF ondon except i'll so far as
the United States government may be
convinced that those terms are intrinsic
ally Just and are consistent with the
maintenance Of peace and settled order
in southeastern Europe.
Must Protect Third Nation.
While he said he would gladly ap-
prove d mutual settlement between
Italians and the JugoslavS which
would be without prejudice to the in
terests of any third nation. the Presi-
dent declared he cannot possibly ap-
prove any plan which assigns to Jugo-
slavia in the northern districts of AL
,rl g.,
what she is deprived of elsewhere"
Albanian questions. he further said.
should not be included in the proposed
joint discussions
If Italy and Jugoslavia. he said. pre-
fer to abandon the so-called buffer
state and desire to limit the proposed
free state to the corpus separatum of
Fiume, placing the sovereignty in the
league of nations. the United States is
willing 10 leave the determination of
the common frontier to Italy and
Jugoslavia.
President Wilson's Note.
President Wilson's note to the pre-
miers on the Adriatic situation fol-
lows:
The President desires to express
his sincere and cordial interest in
the response of the French and Brit
ISV TeCelSeQ on r eD-
ruary %. He notes with satisfaction
their unaltered desire to reach an
equitable solution in conformity
alike with the principles of the
peace conference and of the legiti-
mate though conflicting aspirations
of the Italian and Jugoslav peoples
He further welcomes their express
ed intention. regarding certain es-
sential points, to urge upon the
governments interested that they
should bring their desires into line
with the American point of view
The President is surprised, how
ever. that they should find in the
statement of his own Willingness to
leave to the joint agreement of Italy
and Jugoslavia the settlement of
their common frontiers in the Fiume
region any ground for suggesting
the withdrawal of the joint memo
randum of December 9. In this he
could not possibly join. The memo
randum represents deliberate and
diSintereSted Judgment after months
Of earnest discussion. 1t constituted
more than mere exchange of views:
1t was a statement of principles and
recapitulation of the chief points
upon which agreement had been
reached. There was thus afforded
summary review of these points of
agreement of the French. British and
American governments. and the
memorandum should remain as 1T was
intended to be- the basis of reference
representing the combined opinion OF
these governments.
Prepared to Accept Proposal.
"In referring to the common frontier
In the Fiume region the President had
in mind the express desire OF the Two
interested governments to abandon the
project of the free state of Fiume. as de-
fined in the memorandum of December
8. If, as he understands, the govern
ment of Italy and the government of the
v Serb-Croat-Slovene state prefer to aban-
don the so-called buffer state containing
an overwhelming majority of Jugoslavs,
and desire to limit the proposed free
state to the corpus Separatum of Flume,
placing the sovereignty in the league OF
nations without either Italian or Jugo-
slav control, then the government of the
United States is prepared to accept this
proposal and is willing, under such cir
cumstances, to leave the determination
of the common frontier to Italy and
Jugoslavia. In this connection the Pres
ident desires to reiterate that he would
gladly approve a mutual agreement be-
tween the Italian and JugoslaV govern
ments reached without prejudice to the
territorial or other interest of any third
nation. But Albanian questions should
not be included in the proposed joint
discussion of Italy and Jugosiavia and
the President must reaffirm that he can
not possibly approve any plan which as
signs to Jugoslavia in the northern dis
tricts of Albania territorial compensa-
ton for what she is deprived of else
where. Concerning the economic out
lets for Jugoslavia in the region OF
Scutari. suggested in the note under re-
ply, the President desires to refer to the
memorandum of December 9. as making
adequate provisions to meet the needs
Of Jugoslavia.
Speaks With Less Reserve.
Regarding the character and ap-
plica bility Of the treaty of London
the President is led to speak with
less reserve on account Of the frank
observations of the French and Brit
ish prime ministers. He is unable to
find in the 'exigencieS of military
strategy sufficient warrant for exer-
cising secrecy with government
which was intimately associated with
the signatories of the treaty of Lon
don in the gigantic task of defend
ing human freedom and which was
being called upon for unlimited as