South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-11
WITH THE PRIEST AND THE IEVITE
Why The United States Must Accept the Mandate Over Armenia Unless Thr
Christianity Shall Fall Victim of MosemSm
By William Allen White
By William Allen White

.cept in syria, Palestine and Mesopotamia. The revolt
now going on against the British in Egypt is essen
TALLY a natiOnalhstic Egyptian movement; but it has in
it, also, something of the MOslem feeling against the
Christian world. only so can the killing OF Armenians
in Cairo be explained. The Near East is in d dangerous
mood and it is aware that the western allies have not
the troops 10 send in or are unwilling to send them
If there is an auti-western outbreak in the Nearer
Orient its first victims will be the remnants Of the Ar
menian race. For they are the eastern outpost OF the
Christian world. They are mixed in amongst the Mos
lem Turks. anj where they live in compact groups, are
wedged in between the Turks. the Tartars on the
northeast, the Mosiems OF Persia to the east. and the
Arab Moslem world to the south.
ARMENIAN
AT PRESENT.
What can be done to save this people? They had
hoped to ind a savior in the United states They still
cling fondly to that hope. But they have small
grounds for their faith in America. To succor them we
VIII send food. But a race marked for death by the
sword needs more than food. What they should have
is troops. strong. honest American troops, to lead them
back to THEN homes and defend them until the ferment
Of this world IS over.
This desperate situation of Armenia IS due TO a sue
cession of deplorable facts:
1. The United states is not at war with Turkey. The
president cannot send III troops without an act OF con-
gress. even though American troops are in Russia, with
whom we have no war.
2. In the armistice with Turkey, Armenia was no.
occupied by allied troops and no provision vas made
for evacuation by the troops led by the brutal officers
OF the young Turk organization.
3. 1t is not known in Paris whether the American
people will accept the obligation of a mandate over
Armenia should it be offered To them. Yet everyone
feels strongly that ii is Americas obligation and no one
Is Wiling 10 OHend n OnlleA states DN stepping nlO IL
territory which is by tacit consent rcsarded as the
burden Of our great nation. So Armenia ie left naked
TO her enemies.
Though the Armenians cannot realize it. so far as
helping them is concerned, we are q broken reed,-a
gutless people.
There is only one hope for Armenia. If the Amer
lean people should realize the situation and insist upon
the immediate sending Of troops. demand the mandate
over Armenia, and prepare itself for the task Of de-
Tending this country, then there is a chance.
SHOWS REASONS FOR
TAKING STEP.
There are powerful reasons which would determine
US to take this step:
1. II we do not 10 50. the division OF Turkey amongst
the allies will be a mockery Of the idea OF self-determi-
nation. so far as the Near East Is concerned. the
American idea of developing these people toward free
dom and their own ultimate self-ContrOl is lost IL We
do not accept the Armenian mandate.
>. We alone are in a position To get Tor the Arme-
Man state the territory which il needs for it's real de-
velopment. Otherwise France viii take Cnicia- and
Armenia will be without its natural and necessary port
of entry at Adana and Mersina.
:. Free from the Jealousies and suspicious of the
European powers. we can hope to bridge the river Of
blood and bitter memories which separates the Arme-
mans from the Turkish and kurdish population OF the
country. with whom the Armenians must live.
II is up to the people Of the United States. We have
expressed our sympathy for the Armenians in many
ways. The time for sympathy is past. We must either
wash our hands as Pontius PLATE washed his or We
must take the Armenian mandate.
So much for the historical statement Of the cause
during the six months last past But during the last
few weeks, during the mid-spring season, events have