The Washington herald., 1919-05-11
By WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.


the British have passed by on the
other side" and Armenia Is looking
to America as her good Samaritan.
IL seems likely that we also shall
line up with the priest and the
Leyite and let the man on the Jeri-
eho road suffer : return visit of the
fobbers.
III we do line III the priest
and the Levite. continue to
hesitate about takiil. Ne Armenian
mandate which Armenia iesires and
Europe expects of us. we may by
our hesitation force a new world
war. The new world war is i'm
pending now. 1t is a war of faiths.
The Moslem world is restive. II
knows that the Christians are wai
weary. The Moslem world would
not rise for Germany in 1915 and
I6; Germany tried to incite the Mo>
hammedan world against the allies;
but today. feeling that promises of
independence were not kept in
Egypt. and promises of further lib
critics were violated as to India, and
also doubtless melted to this feel
ing by German agents. the defend
ers Of the Moslem faith are begin
ming to give unmistakable signs
that they understand their position
OF power. They. are the only war
like people in the world at present
America Can solve PunIe.
One thing surely can restrain them:
An American mandate in Armenia.
4 Armenia is the eastern outpost of the
Christian faith. Armenia is now sur
rounded by foes keen to destroy this
Christian outpost. The Moslem fears
no serious interference from Euro
anti-imperialism in the labor party
has weakened the strong arm of Eng
land: France Is bled white, and could
wage no war for purely financial rea-
sons. il for no others.
Italy Is notoriously aggrieved at the
result Of the war just ending But
America still is strong; America has
enthusiasm and power to back her
enthusiasm. and II she would estab-
hsh protectorate in Armenia the
eastern outpost of Christianity would
be/safe, without striking a blow.
Eventually We shall take the man.
date. but we may take it only after
war has started and after a further
war Is necessary. A policy of watch
ful waiting now may mean the be-
ginning of the second phase of the
modern thirty-years' war. 1t may be
worth while to read a summary of the
case.
Case Of Armenia.
When the American peace delegation
came to Paris. the American news
paper men became acquainted with
man somewhat over-7e yeat4 OF age,
curious figure, short, with extremely
broad shoulders and heavy chest and
large head. a figure well known to
anH -
men. but unknown to most Americans
His one desire was to meet the states-
men of the Great Republic of the
West. in whose power and altruisrn he
and his people had an absolute and
childlike faith. His one wish was to
present the case of his people before
American statesmen. in the supreme
faith that this would save his people
the Armenian nation
The figures was Boghos Nubar
Pssha. son of the Armenian, Nubar
Pashe. who was the Prime Minister
Df Egypt under Lord Cromer. The
present Nubar Pasha is President of
the Armenian delegation. the repre-
sentative of the Armenian people
throughout the world. Boghos Pasha
is a lifelong friend of Clemenceau and
well known to Mr.. Balfour. Yet it
was difficult for him to obtain an au-
dience with the representatives of the
United States, because they were
busted with the league of nations
They regarded that as a greater prob
lem at the moment than the mere saw
ing of a people.
when the Russian revolution
broke out in 1917. the Russian
armies of the old regime had
gradually melted away before the
f.k Irr 4
out of the Turkish Armenian Prov
inces northward into Russian Ar
menia where their forces dissolved
Along with them in their retreat
went several hundred thousand
Armenian refugees from Turkish
Armenia into the Armenian provin-
ces of Trans-caucasian Russia. flee
ing the certainty of death at the
hands of the Turkish and Kurdish
bands. These refugees are still
living among their Armenian rela-
tives of the north. Daily they die
by hundreds, of disease and starva-
tion. despite the great efforts of the
organized expeditions of the Arme-
nian and Syrian Relief of the Red
Cross and other charitable organi-
zations.
Another Armenian Group.
In January there arrived in Paris
another Armenian delegation. a
Z. group of intelligent and virile men
from Trans-caucasiap Armenia
headed by A. Aharonian. formerly
president of the newly-constituted
Armenian Republic of Trans-cau-
sia- He resigned this office to
present his section of the Arme-
in people at the Peace Confer
ytnce- On February 26 Nubar Pasha
and Mr.. Aharonian were called be-
fore the Higher Council of Ten of
the Conference to explain the de-
mands of the Armenians. The de-
sires of all the Armeniaps were the
same-that Armenia be freed from
Turkish misrule: that the Arme-
nian state should include the Villa
vet of Adana. which comprises most
Cf the ancient Armenian kingdom
of CECILIA; and that all Armenians.
: both those of the old Russian EN-
pire In Trans-caucasia and those of
Turkey. should be united In one
state and under one regime. Prf-
Sately tehy desired an American
mandate. but dared not ask 1t. For
III II were refused the Armenians
would suffer for presenting this
claim. q
The general situation in the Near
East determines the destiny of the
Armenians. The situation at pres
mt IL that the old Turkish tyranni-
al rule Is removed.
Arnenfnn Situation Desperate