Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-07-27
THE COLONIAL MANDATES

I
Practical Suggestion" In it he outlin-
ed his project of league which has
been very closely followed in the COW
enant which has been adopted by
the peace conference in Paris. Gen
eraJ SHUTS pointed out that one of
the first results Of the war would be
| the removal of existing sovereignties
over the colonial empire of Germany
and the nations heretofore under OF
toman rule, and the establishment of
group of new and untried states in
Europe.
With respect to the colonies, he in
sisted that none of these territories
should be annexed by any of the vic
torious powers; that in their future
government, any external authority,
control or administration which might
be necessary because of their imper-
fectly developed civilization, should
exclusively be vested in and, eXercis-
ed by or on behalf of the League of
Nations. He pointed out that wherev-
er in the post joint international ad-
ministration had been applied to ter
ritories or peoples it had been found
wanting; that the only successful adj !
ministration of colonies or depend |
encies was that which had been car
ried out under the direction of one
state with sufficient experience for
the purpose. He advocated admins
tration of the peoples and territories
coming under the jurisdiction of the
league, by nominating. a particular
state to act for and on behalf of the !
league in the matter and that wher-
ever possible this agent or mandate
nv of the league should be nominal
ed or approved by the people of the
territory in question, the degree OF
authority, control or administration
to be exercised by the mandatory
state to be in each case laid down by
the league in a special act or char
ter.
Britain'sp Colonial Empire"
During the war different power
of the Alliance came into possession
of various territories or colonies, and
at the time Of the opening of the
peace conference, some of them gave
evidence of a strong desire to con-
tinue such possession for their own
benefit On the other hand, Great
Britain displayed very strong dis
inclination to expose herself to the
charge of having waged war to ex-
tend her colonial empire. General
SHUTS proposal furnished a solu-
ton of both of these difficulties and
the principles advocated by him were
closely followed in Article XIX of the
original covenant of Paris. Great
objection to it, however, were eX-
pressed in some American quarters,
upon the ground that the league
might require a nation-ours, for
without its consent, and
even against its will to undertake the
administration of some far distant
country. The apprehension was not
warranted by the language of the
covenant, but the revised covenant
has removed any possible basis for
it, by expressly limiting the selec-
ton of mandataries of. the league to
those states who are willing 10 ac-
cept.
The history of German colonization
is one of the exploitation of semi
barbarous peoples for the benefit of
Germany, without the slightest re
gard to the welfare or interests of
the peoples she ruled over. 1t is,
therefore, unthinkable that any of
the African or Australasian possess
sions should be restored to her, nor is
it conceivable that the Allied powers
should return to the rule of the I'M
speakable Turk any of those regions
which have been freed from Ootto,
man tyranny a ~ET
Not Ready for Self-Government
The African colonies are, and for
many years will be incapable of gov
erning themselves. Such regions as
Mesopotamia, Syria, and Armenia are
occupied by peoples unaccustomed to
self-government and incapable at the
present time, of being entrusted with
complete political autonomy. While
each of these countries was occupied
by the army of one of the Allied
Powers, yet in a general sense, their
possession was the result of the COM
bined effort of the Allies, and no one
power Is warranted in claiming toe
right or should be charged with the
duty of continued occupation and sole
responsibility for the government of
such regions. The suggestion of Gen
eral SHUTS was followed by the peace
conference as affording a just solu
ton of a difficult problem.
Sacred Trust of Civilization"
Article XXI of the revised coven-
at decErts that there shall be sp-
piled to that problem: