New-York tribune., 1918-01-16
International Control
in Asia Minor and
Africa Urged in
Message
Reforms Promised
In Protectorates
Sovereignty of Turkey
Recognized Only in
Strictly National
Territory

LONDON, Jan. 15.-The British
Labor party in message to the Rus
sian people, made public to-day. an
nounced that the British people ac-
ceptcd the Russian principle Of self
determination of peoples and no an
nexations for the British Empire, par
ticularly in the middle East. Africa
and India
The party declared in favor of plac-
ing the whole Of tropical Africa under
uniform international control.
The more rapid development Of self
government for India was promised.
and a protectorate for the peoples Of
Asia Minor by an international organ
ization to be constituted by the peace
conference was favored
Reached Crisis in War
The message, which was issued BY
the Labor party in conjunction with
the parliamentary committee OF the
Trades Union Congress, says:
I'VE have reached a crisis in the
war. The negotiations at Brest-
Litovsk have been interrupted be
cause the Germans have refused to
admit the principle of self-deter-
mination of peoples and the doctrine
OF no anneXations. In thus acting,
the Central Powers are speaking
clearly in the name of a militarist
state.
IN this crisis the British people
must speak because the Russians can
only succeed in their great and peril
Gus task if supported by the people
everywhere. The British people
must proclaim to Russia and the
Central Powers that its aim is iden-
tical with Russia's, that we, too, see
10 solution for the evils of militar-
ism except self determination and no
indemnities.
"In applying the Russian principle
to our own case we are conscious of
the problems raised. but we DO not
shrink tietefrom. The British peo-
pie accepts the principle of no an
nexations for the British Empire.
Ihls applies in our case TO the mid
die East, Africa and India
Cite Record in India
We wish to remind the Russian
people that Great Britain, taught by
the loss of the American colonies in
the eighteenth century, was the first
modern state to grant complete self
determination to any group IF its
inhabitants, for example, the Domin-
ion of Canada, Australia. South
Africa and New Zealand. We accept
the principle also for India and other
though we believe that the record Of
the British government here gives
little occasion for reproach.
"We intend to meet this by more
rapid development of self govern
ment. We respect the sovereign in
dependence of the Turkish people in
their national home, but we believe
that the domination of their govern
ment over other peoples is q him
drance to their own national de-
velopment.
"Our government is pledged to
some Of those peoples Arabs, Pales-
tinians, Armenians shat the Otto
man rule shall not again be imposed
on them. This responsibility should
be undertaken by the peace confer
ence and "a permanent international,
organization that we hope will be
there constituted.
Urge International Control
IN tropical Africa We repeat our
a Of
body contends that the black races
can govern themselves. They can
only make it known that the par
ticular government under which they
have been living is bad in some or
all respects and indicate the specific
evils from which they desire liberia
ton. We believe that the peace con-
ference would be we'll advised to
place all tropical Africa under uni
form international control.
I'VE adjure the peoples of Central
Europe to declare themselves or
make their governments speak for
them in answer to Russia and our
selves. We call on them TO renounce
annexations in Europe with the same
good faith In which we are renounc-
ing them in Asia. We call on them
TO give the same self determination
to the french, Alsatlaa, Italian,
Polish and Danish members of their
states a. Russia has given to Fin
land. Courland. Lithuania and Rus
sian Poland"
The manifesto concluded:
THE family interests of dynasties
or the desire Of the German. Aus
trian and Magyar governing classes
to dominate other classes and ma
tionalities must no more be suffered
TO prevent self-determinatio IN Cen
tral Europe. and thereby irperil it
in Europe IS whole. thar the inter
ests of British imperialism or Brit
ish capitalism must be suffered to DO
elsewhere.
Peoples of Central Europe, thi.
catastrcpoc Of the human race. this
fatal scnisn in the civilized worid
can only be ended by the defeat Of
mihtarism on both sides and by the
victory of both sides Of moral and
intellectual fair dealing. Jf tha