Republican farmer., 1919-02-21
FRENCH RIGHTS
 IN THE EAST

Paris, Feb. IT. CCorrespondence As- sociated Press). - The rights" of France to guide the destinies of Syria, Lebanon and Armenia-M Minor were eX- pounded to the Associated Press to- day by Nj. Gout, director for Asia in the French Foreign Office. M. Gout asserted that it had long been the role of France to protect the helpless peoples of the Orient, and recalled in terventions by France in Syria and Lebanon to defend the Christians and that France had played great part in the defense of the Armenians in 1895 and 1896.
 France" he said, worked not only to protect Christians, but she also sent missionaries into all parts of Turkey, not for the purpose of proselyting. but for teaching and charitable work Before the war there were French schools in all sections of Turkey and in the great towns there were French hospitals for the care of the poor. In Syria especially the number of French schools was considerable. In Beirut we had a large university, and I must add that the Americans also had one. working for the civilization of the Syrian people. A great number of physicians were bred in the French universities
 NJ. Gout called attention to the fact that French capital and industry had created three of the four ports or Asia Minor, and pointed to the great rail- ways built and controlled by the French. The first road opened between Damascus and the coast, the Damas- cus-Beirut line, was French, he said. It was also a French society which before the war undertook the repair of roads in many parts of the Ottoman Empire, and a French company had a concession for a big railway in Ar nlenia. The important silk industry of Syria, he added, had been fostered and developed by France.
 we may point out also the great share of France in the public delft of Turkey, which is nearly 60 per cent.,' he continued. The share of England before the war was 10 or 12 per cent, that of Italy nearly per cent, and Germany had all the rest. There is another important phase of the ques- tion. You know about the great num- Der of monasteries and religious insti- tutions in Jerusalem For our French Catholics, Jerusalem is a second Rome and they always have sent money and missionaries to promote the Cath olc influence in this holy town. This sums up a large part of the claims of France in Asia Minor, and I be- lteve that NJ. Pichon (F'rench Foreign Minister) was entitled to speak of our rights there. He was the more entitled to do in view of the abominations committed against the Armenians and Syrians by Turkish Unionists early in the war
 Referring te the treaty, signed by France and England while the war was in progress under which France was to have supervision of Syria. Le- banon and Arm enia-Ainor, NJ. Gout added:
 At that time France and England thought it necessary after the war to give to all these populations a cer- tain future and autonomy. But we were obliged to note that in these countries there are large number of races and religions. Great differences exist between these religions and races. It is not possible to give these countries uncontrolled .indLpendence. Their best people also agree that it is necessary to have, not a master, but a sort of arbitrator and guide to oiv- ilization."