New-York tribune., 1919-12-08

who is chairman Of the American Conn
mittee for the Independence Of Ar
menia. Mr.. Gerard opposed the idea
of an American mandate for Armenia
and asserted that the Armenian people
are capsule Of ruling themselves.
American Mandate Opposed
He said that America will not accept
a mandate for Armenia and that the
only way to help Armenia to get back
to her feet as an independent nation
would be by giving her direct aid,
which, he said. Senator Lodge, Elihu
Root Charles E. Hughes and other
members Of the American Committee
for the Independence Of Armenia favor.
Mr. Gerard said:
America will not accept any man.
date for any country. Hughes, Lodge,
Root Butler and Bonapartc, who are
members Of our committee, are abso-
lutely opposed to Americas accepting
this view. feel that if it is the duty
Of America to extend aid to any ma
ton, we need not be directed by a
group Of powers to perform that duty.
Our people are deeply interested in the
welfare of Armenia. We want to see
the creation Of an Armenian state ex-
tending from the Black Sea to the
Mediterranean and America will do her
share in the creation of that state.
Platform of Committee
"This is the platform of our commit
tee, and it is pur purpose to see to It
out regard to certain secret treaties.
America did not fight to enable her
Allies to enrich themselves at the ex-
pense of Armenia. The first thing for
US to do is to have the Armenian re-
public recognized, SO that we may be
able properly to feed and clothe the
starving million and a half Armenians
within that republic, and also organize
necessary Armenian forces for the
eventual occupation Of southern Ar
menia. The Turks will not be allowed
culated murder. They destroyed and
dispersed the Armenians Of Turkish
Armenia, but it shall be our duty to
return the refugees to their homes and
repatriate Armenians from other coun-
tries to fill up the gap created by the
Turks crime.
Opposes Turkish Aims
"Some queer Americans advocate
that America accept mandates for Con-
stantinople, Anatolia, Armenia and
other regions. If there were any pos
sibility of Americas accepting any
such mandate, l should deem it duty
to do all I could to prevent it. Any
such joint mandate scheme is purely
Turkish. A joint mandate serves 70
extend and consolidate the rule Of
the Turks and promote PanTuranian-
ism; kill the Armenian race and ma
tionality, and smother Christianity in
the Near East.
at is a we'll known fact that the
Turks entered this war with the
specific purpose of establishing con-
Meeting link between themselves and
the Tartars Of the Caucasus and Trans
Caspian. The Armenians stood in the
way, so they attempted to exterminate
the Armenian race. 1t is now being
proposed that the Turks be offered an
opportunity to attain under Americas
protection that which they failed to
achieve through the war. An Armen-
ian state. stretching from the Black
Sea to the Mediterranean, is the only
barrier that will prevent the expansion
Of the an-Turanian ambition Of the
Turks of Anatolia."
Other speakers were o. Kadjaznouni,
former Prime Minister of the Armen-
ian Republic, DR.. Caro- Pasdermajian
and Professor A. Der Hagopian, vice
presidents of the Armenian national
delegation to the peace conference, and
General Agop Bagratouni, formerly of
the Russian army and commander OF
the military district of Petrograd.