Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-19
REPLY OF ALLIES
To THE PRESIDENT
IS CONC|L|AT0RY
Further Negotiations Expected,
Washington Thinks. as Door
is Left Open.
U. S. is INVITED TO AID

Washington, Feb. 1e.-1he reply ol
tho, European Allies TO the note OIL ircsi'
jent Wilson on the Adriatic controversy
Is ,onciliatory in tone. Its obvious aim Is
10 prevent Wilson from carrying out his
intimation that he would hnd 1T necessary
10 withdraw the treaty of Versailles from
consideration in the Senate II the Allies
r.rrsist in their present course with regard
10 the Itslan-Jugo-Slsv dispute.
The door Is left open tor further nego-
tiations. and in official circles there was
universal belief tho President VIII not find
4 necessary TO take the decisive action he
threatened Whether subsequent convcrsa-
ftons will succeed in reaching satisfac-
tory solution cannot now be told.
The Allied reply is not sharp in tone,
although IL Is argumentstive and cx-
plairs the position of the governments
of France and Britain in their dispatch
last month OF q virtual ultimatum to
the ,Iugo-Slavs. II takes the ground
that conditions were such that imme-
Hate action was required and that there
was no intention of ignoring this Gov
rrnmept in making settlement. The
uarticipation of the United States is
invited i'm evolving a solution that will
be satisfactory.
The reply is now being studied by the
state Department and President VII
son. IL Is expected an answer will be made
soon.
There was some doubt as to whether
The text Of the CORRESPONDENCE will be
made public at this time. This Is be-
cause the reaction ON pohncal Gffalrs
IN Italy is feared and because the other
nations who arc involved do not wish
upbiicity.
Friends OF the President feel, how
ever. that the American people have q
,nisconCeptiop of the Presidents point
of vicw on the subject. In order that
thcv may see clearly what his argument
Is. IT is hciug urged on the President TO
make public his note, at least, whether
or not the Allied reply is gwen out 10
the press.
The Presidents note, say those about
him, is such as 10 assure strong public
support and dispcl the belief in some
quarters that he had interfered IN an
unwarranied manner, This support IS
necessary. IL Is admitted, TO show the
Allied Government that the AmencaD
people are not opposing the President
proposal and TO strengthen this Govern
ment's foreign policy, now somewhat
Jared as "A result of the Nilson-LansIng
row
The part DAnnunzio ho, had in pre-
venting the settlement of the AdrlatlC
difficulty is becoming increasingly clear.
BY has occupancy of Iiumc, accompanied
by what WAS n virtual munity In the
Italian Army and Navy. he created an
obstacle that Allied statesmen could not
surmount II is reliably learned that the
poet-ayiAtor is now willing TO abandon
Plume If he can DO so with any grace,
Trade is being diverted from fiume 10
Trieste, and citizens of Fiume are growing
weary Of the spectacular rule of their
Dictator
This Government has not taken any
sction with reference to the reported
decision of the European governments
10 let the Sultan remain In CONSTANT
nople, rs far as can be ascertalned. Amer
lea was not at war with Turkey, it was
pointed out, and while this Government
do,ihtless has views on the subject, IL may
not bc Il party to the negotiation of a
peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire.
The Turkish treaty Is TO be drawn
~ a conference TO be hesd soon IN PARIS,
European governments have desired to
have America take part IN the confer
ence primarily because of the dIsintcr-
Istcdness Of this country and the con-
ficting territorial ambitions of the Eu-
ropean countries America would act
Is check upon greediness, they have
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