The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-18

common sense of the term. It was said, but was merely statement of a situa- tion in which the United States might find itself if asked to subscribe to agreements in which it had no hand in the making and to which it was op- posed.
 The explanation was made in official quarters that the League of Nations was to be the instrument for enforce ing various agreements as to boun- daries and the like and that if the United States became party to the treaty of Versailles it thus would be subscribing to the enforcement of agreements to which it had not given either it's aprova1 or consent.
 It was explained further that the
 AngIo-Frcnch-Americ treaty and
 the treaty sf Versailles were com
 sidered insepnrabie so far as this
 question was concerned. anS that If
 a situation arose where the Presi-
 dent would have to consider with
 drawing the latter he also would
 nave 10 c0nsAucr WitnUraNlhE bhc
 former.
 SPOKE TOO QUICK
 An early announcement at the White House characterized as an absolute falsehood" the statement by Pertinax in the Echo De Paris that President Wilson's communication contained a postscript bearing a threat to with draw the treaty from the Senate. This was recognized as erroneous as soon as 1t came to the attention of other of ffcials. Obviously it did not come from President Wilson himself. and 1t was later explained that those who made the statement had spoken without full and complete information.
 At first, too, the Presidents communi- . cation was referred to as a memo randum' an6 was described as con taining only eight or ten lines. Ii sub sequently was disclosed, however, that the communication finally sent was in the form of note and that it covered two or three pages. This note, it was explained, was uprepared from Il memorandum to Secretary Lansing which the President dictated and sent to she state department.
 Whether the supreme councils reply to the Presidents note will be made public has not been decided. The President's s communication has been witheld some officials taking the view that they aid not wish to add a possible complication to the situation in Italy or any other country by giving publicity to the ex- changes in advance of an entire agree ment between the principals.
 There is no disposition, however, to withhold information regarding the va rious steps that have been taken since the original agreement in Paris by the supreme council with Acting Secretary Polk of the state department present, down to the dispatch of the Presidents ncte.
 OTHER INFORMATION GIVEN
 The original agreement arrived at in Paris on December 9, was handed to the Italian foreign minister December F. and was described by former Premier Glenn enceau in the French chamber of depu- ties as joint agreement between Great Britain, France aQd the United Sta,es.
 Early in January, after the American peace delegates had returned home and the United States was represented at the meetings by Ambassador Wallace in the capacity of an observer, there was a meeting of the supreme council in which Premier Lloyd George stated that some modfications had been made in the original plan of December 9, and on January 14, it was stated that Premier Nitti, of Italy, had accepted the revised rlan.
 U. S. NOT CONSULTED
 The agreement then was communicated Ito Jugo-Slavia in the form of an uiti- matum, and while Ambassador Wallace communicated the fact to the state de- partment. the American government was rot consulted about the changes. The United States at the end of January notified the supreme council that it's po- sition regarding the matter was un- changed
 Meantime. the Jugo-Slavs protested against the settlement and the time al- lowed them for a final reply was ex- tended. On February 10. the Presidents note was dispatched and in it the entente rremiers were told that the United States would have to consider what its position would be if the premiers proceeded to settle the Adriatic question without cen sutling it.
 When the negotiations on the Atriat.c question were initiated. it was said, there vas an understanding that all matters relating to this question should be set- tied through negotiations between the foreign offices of all she powers repre- sented on the supreme council at Paris.
 In some official quarters t was sug- gested today that foreign press by de- seribing the Presidents note as a threat was endeavoring to place the blame for the situation which has arisen on Amer ca, instead of on the supreme council W here it belongs
 While the American notes are with held, it is known that they establish that the United States never has aband- oned the contention that the transfer to Italy of the board walk along the Adriatic from Trieste to Plume and the possession of most of Istria and Dal- matia, would not be acceptable.