The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-28
WILSON ACTION IN
ADRIATIC MATTER
REAL COMPROMISE
Lawrence Shows Notes EX-
changed, Stripped Of OipIO-
matte PhraSeOIOgy. Indicate
President Has ReCeded.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent Of The News
SCimttlr)

WASHINGTON. Feb. % On the sur
face President Wilson appears 20 be
standing pat" on tho Flnme issue
Actually however he has rceeded sui
ficiently 10 permit OF u settlement be
tween Italy and luEu- Slavia. stripped
OF diplomatic phraScology and legal dis
cussions the exchange of notes lust
made public places the president OF the
United States on record as being VIII
ing to accept any solution which the
two most interested parties-ttaly, ana
JuEo SlaNia-inay reach. provided the
settlement does not prejudice the in
tereSts Of Albania, a circumstance that
Is not difficult Of adjustment,
The president moreover, backs down
on his threat TO withdraw the treaty
and American membership Va the league
of nations II the memorandum ~ Dec.
IS not accepted for, since that pro-
posal was rejected hy Italy. Jugo-
Siavia has appeared ready 10 negotiate
a new settlement
The question of American withdrawal
really turns upon whether or not the
United states Is 20 be consulted, The
allies have given assurance that they
via consult the United States What
they forgot was that, although the
United States has not yet become a
member Of the league Of nations
American ambassadors abroad should
have been kept informed Of what was
going on in respect Of questions grow
inE out Of treaty signed by the presi-
dent.
American diplomats In Europe. how
ever. being anxious not 10 offend the
senate, have rpfrhincd from meeting
with the allied premiers IN formal meet
ings Of the league, something that has
confused foreign governments and led
20 the present misunderstanding.
Blame Communication.
Secretary Lansing seemed To take the
view that Imperfect means ot commaui-
cation was responsible more than any
thing else for the divergence Of the
allies from the viewpoint sought to be
established BY the president, and it is
tact that Mr. Lansing urged Mr.. VII
son not to alfix a threat to his note to
withdraw the treaty,
MIR Lansing felt that matters had not
Vet reached SO critical a stage and
mat an ulumatum Of that kind might
nave serious effect on the status at
the treaty In the senate. where Il might
be construed as justification OF the ideas
OF irreconCilAbles, who all along have
been contendinE that partnership with
european governments was an assOCia-
ton with territorially ambitious and
selfish nations,
The president, however. took em.
phatic issue with Mr.. Lansing and in
rather summary fashion ordered the
note sent, threat and all. The notes
sent TO the allies were, therefore, not
the work OF Secretary Lansing, but
we're written By some of the experts
VINO accompanied President Wilson TO
the peace conference.
The documents We're, however. revised
~ the president, who Is not yet strong
enough 10 write a diplomatic note OF
such length without outside assistance
Inc allies contend that they discard.
ca the memorandum OF bee 3 largely
because II was Objectionable To lTalv
anew. 9'''' W."
They are admittedly IN an emharrass
lng position because Of the treaty ~
London, but the central fact brought
cut IN the exchange OF notes is that
1feat britain and France were ready
70 Nleid lo practical eXpedlency In the
Einlne affair to appease Itaty. while
PRESIDENT Wilson was quite sure this
would only mean a temporary calm,
FROM the viewpoint Of liberals prpsi.
dent Wilson \ StaunCh refusal To allow
eApedienty to govern him in the Adri-
ave settlement Is healthy return to
tue fundamental principles which so
many Of his critics wished he had FOL.
ioWcd IN the Shantng affair and tho
Hhincland, both of which settlements
We're defended on the ground Of eN-
podiency
NV. NHsoH readiness to take the
world into his confidence on thu dinl1-
matte correspondence over Frme OPENS
new era tn diploma, v. toe, IL has
raised among liberals HOPE the question
81 how much more the president might
have accomplished by adopting a course
81 pttiless publicity on some Of the otbe,.
Items ON the p. Is settlement.
For white the Fiume CorrespDndrncc
WAS variously interpreted on Cnpitol
Hill, whore opponents Of the treaty saw
confirmation Of their contention that
the fueaiy means LASeigienent in Eu-
rnpean tangles, others saw the posgI-
hilties Of the league Of nations pro
JeSed forccfuly on the international
screen.
Much comfort was derived out Of the
recognition, moreover by the h1les thai
the treaty of Versailles was not To re.
main unchanged and that one OF the
articles OF the covenant providing for
revision was not Inserted as an ,mpty
promise but might be actually invoked
Friends Of the president have hereto
fore put much faith IN that article
which"permits Of revision. though they
have wondered how the treaty could be
revised SO long Us all agreement ON th,
couaril must be unanimous italy t. "a
member Of the council and the presi-
dent expresses in his last note n rrlr
That revision Of n mandate j. duubtrul
Spcaklpg ~ giving Italy a mandate over
Albania, MIR Wilson says,
Moreover. one part tOf Aihauial
would be administered by the Italian
government. which IL represented ou
the council Of the league the other part
nv the Jugo-SIqv government which
has no such representation Therefore
to alter or withdraw the mandate AZ
some future time would be well-nigh
impossible. -
The foregoing paragraph has excited