The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-15
FRENCH WOULD
 HOLD ASIA-MINOR
Activities of French Nation in This Country Give Right of Control to the French Government.

Paris, Feb. 15. Correspondence of The Asso ciated Press-The rights of 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 peo- ples of the Orient and recalled inter venttons by France in Syria and Le- banon 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 al- so sent missionaries into all parts of Turkey, not for the purpose of pros elyting but for teaching and charit- able work. Before the war there were French schools in all sections of Tur- key, and in the great towns there were French hospitals for the care of the poor. In Syria especially the number of schools was considerable. In Beirut we had a large university, and I must add that the Americans also had one, working for the civil ization 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 and industry had 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 be- tween Damascus and the coast, the Damascus-Beirut line, was French. he said. It was also a French society which before the war undertook the repair of roads in many parts of the Ottoman Empire, and a French com- pany had a concession for big rail- way in Armenia. 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 sixty per cent" he continued. "The share of England before the war was ten or twelve per cent, that of Italy nearly five per cent, and Germany had all the rest.
 There is another important phase of the question. You know about the great number of monasteries and re- ligious institutions in Jerusalem. For our French Catholics Jerusalem is a second Rome and they always have sent money and missionaries to pro- i mote the Catholic influence in this ] holy town.
 i This sums up large part of the claims of France in Asia Minor, and I believe that M. Pichon, (French Foreign Minister) was entitled to speak of our rights there. He was | the more entitled to do so in view of the abominations committed against the Armenians and Syrians by Fur kish Unionists early in the war"
 Referring to the treaty signed by France and England while the wal was in progress under which France was to have supervision of Syria, Le. banon and Armenia-Minor, M. Gou
 added.
 At that time France and Englant thought 1t necessary after the war tt
 give all these populations a certain fu11re and autonomy. But we wer,
 ob Eed to note that in these countrie,
 tha e are large number of race
 and |religions. Great differences exis bet pen these religions and races I lis probable to give these coun
 trdesSuneontrcllsd indspendence. Thei