Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-19
NOTE Of WILSON
ABOUT ADR|AT|C
PROBLEM OPENS
SUBJECT AGAIN
Presidents Stand as Made
4 Known to Allied Supreme
Council Results in Open
ing Matter 10 Negotiations
CAPITAL WITHHOLDS
REPLY FROM ABROAD
1t Is Reported, However,
That the Allied Premiers
Have Asked u. S. 10 Sug.,
{ geSt Basis for Settlement

Nsr MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiREl
Washington, Feb. 18 (by the AS
sociated Press. )-President Will
sons note to the allied supreme
council regarding the Adriatic
question, which caused something
of stir in this as well as the allied
countries, apparently has served to
reopen the whole subject to nego-
tiation.
The supreme councils reply was
received today at the state depart
ment, but was withheld. London
advioes say that the note was con-
ciiiatory. The state department
made no comment on this, but it
was pretty well understood that the
entente premier's communication
had at least removed the Adriatic
question from the status in which
it was after the council communi-
Gated its settlement to Jugo-Slavia
in the form of an ultimatum with
out the United states being party
to the agreement.
The Jugo-Slavs were given the
option of accepting the councils
plan or submitting to the carrying
out of the Adriatic provisions of the
secret treaty of London, negotiated
before the United States entered
the war. In this connection it was
disclosed today that President Will
son, in his note, again came out
definitely against the application of
this treaty.
1t was also understood that the
president had taken the position
that regardless of the operation of
the treaty of Versailles and the
league of nations, the United states
should be party to the Adriatlc
settlement because of its position
as co-belligerent.
While the premler's reply was
being received at the state depart
ment from Ambassador Davis, a
suggestion came from Europe that
the premiers had invited the Amer
ican government, in the event that
ii still held that the original Adri-
attic agreement made at Paris on
December should be carried out,
to indicate the practical steps that
could be taken to execute TINS
agreement, If it should be accepted
by italy and Jugo-Slavia.
Under the terms of the December
9 settlement, to which the united
states was party, Fiume was TO be
erected into a free state under the
league of nations and in other re-
spects the general principles OF
self determination of the peoples
affected was to be put into force.
The seizure of Fiume by DAN
nunzio, it was suggested, had |
changed conditions in the Adriatic |
and the inability or indisposition OF
the Italian government to restore
the status quo appeared to place
the weight of responsibility for do
ing so upon the entente powers or
the United States. 1t was realized
that none of these was willing TO
undertake such a move and conse-
quently other measures to meet the
case were considered.
AS comment upon this suggestion
involved a disclosure of some or the
features of the latest entente note,
the state department had nothing
to say on the subject. J
There is reason to believe that
the general tendency Of the pre-
miers' note is to invite the Unites
States to come forward with some
solution of the problem.
At the state department 1t was
said that the councils note would
receive careful consideration, max
ing it evident that some time must
elapse before a reply will be made
While the department has decid-
ed not to make public the presi-
dents communication and the
councils reply without the consent
of France, Great Britain and Italy,
It was learned from authoritative
sources today that the American
looked with favor on
publication of the exchanges and
had taken steps to ascertain
the wishes of the other govern
ments in the matter.
A factor in the desire of the
United States for publicity, it was
said, was the prejudiced versions of
President Wilson's note which were
published in the foreign press.
These versions were said to have
misinterpreted the presidents posi-
ion.
One thing of Importance from
the American viewpoint which de-
reloped today was that such deci-
,ions as are reached by the pre-
niers in their London meetings, at
which the United States Is not rep
resented are subject to approval
at subsequent meetings in Paris at