Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-17
WILSON IN CONTROL
AGAIN; BAKER MAY
QUIT THE CABINET
Break With Lansing May Have
Been fastened by the Fiumc
Issue.
HEALTH MUCH IMPROVED
Ccrr,,xponden,e Baltimore sun.

Washington, Feb. I7.-President viii
sons note to the Allied powers on the
Adriatic question gives definite notice ts
the world that he again has assumed full
control of Americas foreign policy.
To what extent his categorical refusal
to accept the Lloyd George proposal fol
an adjustment OF the Fiume controversy
runs counter to the policy of Mr.. Lansine
while Secretary of State NAV only bt
conjectured. pending the publication o
the diplomatic correspondence. That Mr.
Lansing's ideas on the Fiume question
as on other issues which came up before
the Paris Peace Conference, were not
always in accord with the President is
generally understood.
OTHER RESERVATIONS RuMoRED.
Meanwhile official Washington still
refuses to settle down under the shock
of the Wilson-Lansing break. In spite
of the White House attitude that the
whole matter is CLOSED incident. the
Capital is alive with rumors involving
other officials likely to be involved be-
fore the final chapter is written.
Among these reports the most per-
sIstent today was to the effect that Sec
retsry of War Newton ID. Baker had
rendered his resignation, or was con-
temDlating doing so. The White House
discounted this report, but MIR. Baker
himself refused to affirm or deny it or
to discuss 1T In any way.
1t as known, however. that Mr.. Baker
feels considerably upset over the Wilson
lansing break and feels that he shares
equal responsibility with Mr.. Lansing
IN the latter's course in holding Cabinet
meetings during the Presidents illness
Indeed, II is stated in high quarters that
the former Secretary of State has in
his possession q letter from Mr. Baker,
written at the every outset of these Cab
met meetings, in which Mr.. Lansing 8
course was approved.
FOREIGN POLICY REAL cAusK.
The fact that the President shows
no inclination 10 proceed with other
Cabinet changes is taken as further en-
phasis of the belief generally held here
that his pretext for calling for the resigns-
ton of MIR. Lansing was merely means
TO an end, and that at the bottom of the
Presidents action was a complete diverg-
ence of views between the Chief Executive
and the former Secretary of State on the
question of foreign policies
As 3 further demonstration that his
hand is now firmly back on the helm of
the shi> of state, the President Is said
TO be determined to preside at the next
meeting of the Cabinet on Friday. Whether
he will carry out this intention will de-
pend, 1t is believed, on the extent to which
he yields TO or ignores the advice of his
attending physicians. This WAS indicated
thJs afternoon by Secretary Tumulty,
who stated that the President was al
ready doing . tremendous volume of
work, and it WIS stated at the White
House that there wss some concern lest
he should overdo things.
PHYSICIANS AT WHITE HOUSE..
This afternoon DR.. Grnyson and other
physician, who have been IN consults-
tion on the Presidents case at intervals
during his illness, called again at the
White House, but it was stated that this
WAS simply one of the usual consultA-
tions of this kind. The Presidents break
with Mr.. Lansing, with its attendant
circumstances, it had been feared by
some of the Presidents friends, might
work setback in his condition but
such, it is declared, has not been the
case.
Each morning at stated hour the
President, after enjoying an airing on
The south portico of the White House,
is accustomed to wheel himself or walk
into the East Room, where he enjoys an
hours display or more of moving-pic-
ture drama. At other times he engages
himself closely with public affairs.
NO COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL.
So far as the note to the powers on the
Adriatic question Is concerned, the Preei-
dent authorized the statement today that
it was not. as interpreted ~ this country
and abroad. a threat OF general withdrawal
py this country from participation In
European affairs If the Lloyd George
proposal is accepted by the Supreme
Council. Rather, it was stated at the
White House and State Department,
that the threat involved merely a with
drawal by the United States from partici- |
patton In the naval policing OF the Adriatic !
and other guarantees for such settlement. |
The compromise solution of the Adri- |
attic question, against which the President |
has expressed his disapproval, was pro-
posed to the Italian Government bv |
France and Great Britain January 20 |
and acceeded to by the Italian Govern /
nent. Italy, 1t is said, came to this agree
nent with some difficulty, owing 70 the |
public sentiment In that country that in /
compromise Italy was making
/ greater concession than was justified /
~ her national aspirations.
TERMS OF ALLIES PLAN.
The proposed compromise provides
that the eastern boundary of Italy shall
De extended a short distance eastward