The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-17
FRENCH RIGHTS
 IN THE EAST

Paris, Feb. IT. Correspondence As- sociated Press). - The "rights' or France to guide the destinies of Syria, Lebanon and Armenia-Minor were ex- pounded to the Associated Press to- day by M. Gout, director for Asia in the French Foreign Office. M. Gout asserted that 1t 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 a 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, l not for the purpose of proselyttng, l but for teaching and charitable work 1 Before the swar there were French i schools in all sections of Turkey and 1 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.''
 M. Gout called attention to the fact
 that French capital end industry had l created three of the four ports Of 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 French society which l m +lao al r
 of roads in many parts of the Ottoman Empire, and a French company had | a concession for a big railway in Ar menia. 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 GO per cent,
 he continued. '"The share of England | before the war was 10 or 2 per cent.
 that of Italy nearly per cent, and
 Germany had all the rest. There is
 another important phase of the ques,
 ton. 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
 o1ic influence in this holy town. Thi
 sums up a large part of the claim
 of France in Asia Minor, and I be 1ieve that M. Pichon (F'rench Foreigl
 Minister) was entitled to speak of ou rights there. He was the more entitled to do so in view of the abominatton committed against the Armenians ant } Syrians by Turkish Unionists earl. l in the war"
 , Referring to the treaty, signed b. 7 France and England while the wa , was in progress under which Franc
 was to have supervision of Syria, Le
 banon and Armenia Minor, M. Gou added:
 . ''At that time France and Englan n thought it necessary after the war t V give to all these populations a cer f tain future and autonomy. But " l were obliged to note that in thes , countries there are a large number c , races and religions. Great difference r 1 exist between these religions an : races. It is not possible to give thes - countries uncontrolled independence , | Their best people also agree that it , | necessary to have, not a master, bu
 a sort of arbitrator and guide to civ
 ] iIization.'