The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-27

rY0hs t>lv 4 better construction OF the
lxs@at nota Of the United states than
a&s4fficiai construction that In IL rtnA
tinted states stands pat" would be that
Hi ii President Wilson again attempts
~ appeal to the peoples Of Europe over
tas heads OF THEIR prerierE. he pres
.sls.nt points out that the proposed al
issa settlement is immoral and contra
vcpss the principles upon which Amer
ica entered the war and has sought to
establish weTId peace. He declares MS
belief that unjust settlement can only
he provocative OF future wars ana ne
makes an appeal that no sGch unwtse
step be taken
PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
II would appear to be his hope that
public sentiment in Great Britain ana
France, even more than his own per-
suesion. may lead the British and
French nremiers to reverse themselves
and return to the proposals which the
United states will sanction.
No one who reads the correspondence
will fail to note the striking contrast
between the tone OF the president
protest note of February 10 and his
latest reply to the allied governments
In his protest note of February 10 the
president spoke with great clarity and
determination. He said:
This government cannot accept
settlement the terms of which have
becn admitted to be unwise and unjust,
but which II IL proposed to grant to
Italy in view Of her persistent refusal
Il. accept any wise and Just solution.
And then he made his threats to con-
alder the withdrawal Of the treaty with
Germany and tho agreement between
ths United States and France IL ii did
mot appear feasible to secure &C
ceptance of the just and generous con
ceSsions offered by the British. French
and American governments to Italy in
tina joint memorandum Of those pow
ers OF December .. 1919. which the
president has already clearly stated to
Ia the maximum concession that the
government Of tho United States can
offer."
Great Britain and France in their
reply OF February II set forth that
the president in his protest note OF
February 10 evidently had written
without knowledge Of new develop
mnnts which had made the carrying
out Of the proposal Of December Q
which he insisted upon. impracticable
The. British and French premters in
their reply said:
.-Ths proposal Of December has
falleA TO the ground because NOBODY
now wants to set up the artincial Tree
state OF Friume The proposal OF Janu-
ary 20 rs objected to by the United
states which had no representative at
the conference and which cannot there
fore he in close touch with the change
Of opinion and circumstances which
have taken place since its plenipoten-
tiaries returned to America"
COMMON UNDERSTANDING.
They tthe British and French prime
ministArs) cannot help feeling that q
large part Of the MISUNDERSTANDING Is
attributable to the ditficulty OF reach
ing common understanding. In such
circumstances how does the United
States government. which. TO the re-
Eret OF the allies stiIl has no plenipo-
tentiaries At the conference, propose
that this dispute which prevents the
reconstruction and threatens the peace
OF southwestern Europe and whose set
Element 10 urgently required. should
~ w ~ cfuGH{k
while Insisting that, In che event no
amicable arrangement between Italy
ana Juao-Slavia, could be reached. they
would have no alternative but to apply
the treaty of London to the situation.
tho British and French prime minis-
ters said:
THE governments OF France and
Great Britain view with great con-
sternation the threat OF this United
States government to withdraw
from the comfy Of nations because
iContinued on Page Two.l
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