Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-23
j. s. sHOULDN' 7
ACCEPT MANDATE
IN MIDDLE EAST
MISSION REPORTS
Majority of Members of Har-
bord Committee Are Against
America Attempting to Pro-
teCt Turks or ArnenianS,
OUR DUTY LIES CLOSER
AT HOME. THEY ARGUE
We Have Plenty To Do Near
at Hand in Restoring Order
in Mexico and Hel0ing the
States of South AlnerLa,

tsY MORNING 1ouPAhL SPECIAL LEASED MisGI
Constantinople. Sunday. Oct. a.
(By the Associated Press RE
commentators of a majority Of the
mem bers of the Harbord mission,
which has been 1eyoting seven weeks
to a closeup investigation Of Armenia
and the middle east, that the United
states should decline to accept a
mandate for Armenia or Turkey are
based largely on the argument that
Americas duty lies closer at home,
Civilian members of the mission who
favor acceptance of mandate for
Armenia, at least, argue on the con-
trary that acceptance is q duty, first
to the peace of Europe, and, secondly,
TO the inhabitants who of themselves
can never rise from the mre of igno-
rance, poverty and race prejudice.
The reports of the various members
upon their observations during their
journey Of nearly 10000 miles by
water, rail, automobile and on horse
back, are practically completed.
i he majority of the members have
indicated their belief that il man
date is taken the United States
should have a long period in which
TO educate the peoples of the middle
east and promote their prosperity SO
they can live together peacefully,
Harbord Refuses To Be Quoted.
MAJOR General Marlboro refused to
be quoted until after Il had reHortee
to President Wilson,
Several military members of the
mission regard the regulation OF the
affairs of these regions as a relatively
simple internal problem II compieta
control over all the territory is given
with authority to discipline unruiy
civilians. They feel, however, as
Americans that Americas task lies
closer at home, in restoring order in
Mexico and helping the states OF
South America
Civilian members fayorlng accept
ance of mandate say that the Ideal
solution is 20 entrust the task to one
outside nation. A majority of the in
habitants, they say, want America as
the disinterested friend and also as
the nation best suited to organize
them along civilized lines, These
members hold that il America does
not accept the mandate il will mean a
partition of Turkey proper along the
lines already begun, with constant
disputes over frontiers between
FRANCE lldllt 1ltdL ~ AttiAh N'HN'
Greece.
1t would mean continuation of the
policies of the past century.
Involve U. s. In Quarrels.
The civilian members argue that If
the United States were to take man
date for Armenia alone, it would in
volve the United States in some de-
gree in the auarrels of Europe. Tho
Armenian people, too, are not suf-
ficiently numerous and their territory
not large enough they say, to give
Armenia a respectable chance as a.
state further. Armenia would be
handicapped by the same old unpro-
gressive neighbors who would seek to
pull ii down.
Many of the members of the mis-
sion emphasize the need for America
sauarely to face the Far Eastern is
sue, declaring that the Pacific isl
America's ofreign field. whereas tae
Ottoman troubles belong to Europe