Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-15
CA IN THE BLACK SEA-By Frederic j. Ha

WASHINGTON, D. c., July 8-The spot
w light of American interest through the
decades to come may be centered on
that mysterious body of water, half fresh,
half salt, which lies near the land center of
the Eastern hemisphere, the Black sea.
The curtain-raiSer in the future drama of
commerce to be played with the Black sea as
its stage was put on the other day when the
shipping board announced that the 7,3o0-ton
steamer "Huachuca" pronounced "waw-chu-ka)
would henceforth ply back and forth between
America and Odessa. The shipping board also
announced that the 1o,OoO-ton steamer "Poly-
biuS' would be the second addition to the Black
sea trading fleet, and would be put into service
during the month of July.
This is the first evidence of an increasing in
tereSt on the part of the United States in that
region of the world which surrounds the Black
sea. There are other evidences of interest which
may, in the years to come, lead to conditions
that may make this part of the world the incu-
bator for American ideas in the Near East
There is, for instance, the proposal, said to be
favored by President Wilson, that the United
States become the mandatory for what is left
of Turkey and for Armenia.
Under these circumstances, the United States
would control Constantinople, which is the
dominating city of the Black sea- Located as
it is on the BoSpho.uS, that narrow strip of
water which is the outlet for all the region
which is tributary to this placid, lfeleSS, inland
ocean, ConStantinople is the point of strategy
military or commercial, for this part of the
world, and for Russia Armenia, on the other
hand, lies on the southern shore of the Black
sea, and a protectorate over it would, there
fore, stud that shore with representatives of
America in the exercise of their mandatory au-
thority, and develop a, liaSon with those ancient
and Biblical lands of the Near East.
In the history of the world in the past few
decades there have been a number OF instances
where nations have exercised an authority SIM
liar to that of the mandatory which is pro-
posed in the future conduct of international
affairs. The government of India by England
is of the nature of a mandatory, except that ii
is permanent where control under the League
Of Nations is intended to be temporary. Under
British control, India has been transformed from
a land of chaos, peStilence, famine to one OF
India has benefited by British control. On the
other hand, nobody denies that Britain has ben
Fitted StupendouSly through her connection
with that part of the world which lies around
the Indian ocean. This mandatory has made
Britain the dominant force and the reaper OF
the harvests of that part of the world.
In Egypt Great Britain exercises another
permanent mandatory, and the result is that
England becomes the dominating force in that
ancient world which lies along the Nile and
controls the bulk of its trade. Among other
results is possible emancipation of the British
from dependence on the United States for cot
ton
The United States exercised in Cuba a man
datory which was temporary, and in virtually
every respect the same, sort of mandatory
provided by the League of Nations. This coun-
try occupied Cuba but a short time but the
result was that it became so familiar with every
interest and need of that productive island, and
so much more intimately bound to it than is
any other country, that it now takes virtually
all that Cuba produces.
Likewise in the Philippines, where the
United States has guided the destiny of unde-
veloped peoples, has the result been that a
civilization has developed built upon American
ideals, and a commerce has developed, ninety
per cent of which goes to the United States
Our control of the Philippines would seem tc
be argument in favor of the acceptance OF
manufactures.