New-York tribune., 1920-02-29
Wilson Notes
Criticized in
; Sharp Debate
Continued from page 1

operate with European nations for the
peace Of the world Well, they wheezed
few times when they got that"
Senator Shields, Democrat, of Ten
nessee, asked how far Senator Brande-
gee thought the United States. should
enter a controversy concerning few
Dagoes over on the Adriatic."
Eyes, he can't have his way about a
spot of red ink on the map of Europe"
resumed Senator Brandegee, "and at
the first difference of opinion he says
the league can go hang for all of him.
He told us that the heart of the world
would be broken il we didn't jump
right in.
"The American people, believe, are
absolutely ignorant of the technical
issues embraced in the Fiume contro-
versy. We are pretty intimate with
each other in this Senate, and yet no
man living can say how the Senate
would vote on any part of the question
if it were submitted here for arbitra-
ton.
''Yet, here's voice, heard in Ions
don, Paris and Robe, speaking with the
maximum Of assurance, not to say
cocksureness, as to what America
thinks"
Thomas Fears New War
Interrupting the Connecticut Senator,
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho,
referring to the Allied note of Feb
ruary II, in which the Premiers had
Viewed with surprise the threat of the
United States to withdraw from the
comfy of nations" said he did not
accept the statements Of those gentle
men with any great degree Of sim
cerity"
1t has been matter of history, he
said, that none of the premiers have
had any confidence in the league.
Senator Brandegee termed the notes
as "uplift talk" couched in diplo-
matte "vernacular" understood by
hands across the sea-" and said the
controversy only illustrated how little
self-determination really would have
TO do with decisions under the league.
"If Jugo- -Slavia does not accept the
conclusions of these gentlemen who
are writing state papers to one an
other" he said, then JugoSlavia had
better look out. That's all there is to
it, and that's all there is to this
treaty"
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of Colo
rado, another of the "irreconcilables,
said that if the Adriatic tangle were to
be taken as an illustration Of the oper-
alton of the league, "harmony will be
optalned Only at the expense OF Amerl-
can popularity"
"In the event that an agreement is
impossible" he continued, "as I fear is
tnc situation, the result is obvious and
var again Will make it's appearance
between two great nations"
He suggested that the United States
might be drawn into such war unless
It refused to maintain its position
by armed forces"
The text of the refusal of the Jugo-
Slav government to accept in its en-
tirety the proposition of the British
and French Premiers for settlement of
the Adriatic question was made public
here to-day by the Jugo-Sla legation.
Outline of Jugo-Slav Note
At the outset the note says the
Iugo-Slav government regards the pro-
posal "as an amicablo proposition and
not as an ultimatum,' and reaffirms
The previous suggestions that "the
present difficulties be settled either by
arbitration or by means of plebiscite.
''In regards to the essential part of
these propositions" the note says, "the
royal government is OF the opinion that
it should point out that these are not
IN accord either with the principle de-
clared by the peace conference Of the
Of peoples or the aspirations of ma
sion Of its geographical and economic
interests.
"As far as the propositions them
selves are concerned, the royal govern
ment must point out that it cannot ac-
cept them in their entirety. The royal
government relies on the spirit of ius-
tice and equity of the great powers
which made to it the communication Of
January 20, permitting it to suggest
such changes as are necessary in or
der to insure the peace Of the Adri-
attic.
The royal government is further
forced to point out that in the propo-
Sltlons of January 20 no guarantee is
given either for the evacuation of the
territory over which the sovereignty
OF the Serbs, Croats and Slovene state
will be recognized, nor for the evacu-
alton of ume or cara, which would
become independent states. Neverthe-
less recent events Cone Of which hap
pened Yesterday proved that those in
command Of the regular and irregular
troops which occupy the territories in
question are determined to take no
account OF orders given or which may
be given them by their government"