The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-01-29

COLONIAL issue !,
NOW FOREMOST
w. delegates Will Urge I'm
m sate Adoption Of Amer
lean Plan.
II -SON ANSWERS BRITISH
america May Be Made Guard
ian of Turkey in Europe
and Armenia.
son ANSWERS BRITISH

and Armenia. /
Paris. Jan. 28.-(A P.)--The future
OF the colonies taken from Germany
has assumed place as one OF the
| most interesting Of the immediate
phases of the many y-sided problems
] under consideration " ths supreme
council of the peace conference
Hearings now are being given by the
supreme council to members OF the
conference and to colonial experts
upon the disposition of the colonies
The council is at same time proceed.
ing with consideration of general
policy which shall be adopted by the
five great powers In this matter.
At present it appears these pow
ers through the supreme conncA In
tend to dispose of the subject con-
I fident Of the approval Of Its decision
by the conference itself. The hear
ings already have progressed to the
stage where the existence OF views
greatly at variance with those set
forth in President Wilson's fourteen
points have been disclosed.
This development has determined
the American delegates to remind the
other mowers of that fact and to urge
the adoption of the American plan
at the verv outset In order to keep
the rival claimants within the bounds
of fairness.
"fhis plan, which was discussed
Monday and is receiving immediate
further consideration. looks to inter-
national control of the colonies
backward nationalities and tribes by
Individual powers .or by agents to be
known as s'mandatories" of the league
! OF nations. These agents are to de-
rive all their powers from the league
| and to act entirely on the lines OF
policy dictated by that body.
The distribution of these guardian
ships Is to be made by the league OF
nations: so 1t again happens, as in
the case of many Of the projects OF
reform broached at the conference,
that its successful application is
wholly dependent upon the consum-
nation of the league.
One argument against the leagues
control of the colonies advanced by
the British colonial officials was that
the "mandatories" might feel them
selves saddled with enormous finan-
cial responsibilities in an effort to
develop their wards and yet be sub
JeCI 10 CTltlC1sIH III LHS GNeHI tllSy
failed to brings them forward.
President Wilson himself felt
called upon to answer this argument
| by the statement that the American
plan contemplated that the manda-
| tory power would be liable only for
! administrative expenses: other ex-
penditures would be made only when
authorized by the league. unless the
IL - g. tAsn1 ~
| of it's own resources.
While the plan has not progressed
to point where any attempt has
been made to assign particular ma
tions to these guardianships, the
matter has been the subject of special
thought and consideration. In the
case of America it has been sug-
gested that owing to its large influ-
ence in Turkey through the numerous
/ graduates of Robert college and be-
cause of the conviction among the
Turks of the disinterestedness OF
| America. IL it is called upon to as
sumo such charge, 1t wight naturally
| first take upon itself the guardian
ship, not only of Turkey in Europe
hut also a considerable portion OF
| Turkeys former provinces, including
Armenia.
Up to this moment the whole prof.
ect Is still subject 10 complete re-
adjustment. Nevertheless 1t is felt
by some of the delegates that II the
league of nations is assured on a
basis OF freedom of discrimination
the great powers may be willing to
abandon their plans for the complete
annexation of former German colo
nies and separated sections of late
enemy states. although opposition is
expected from the colonial govern
ments to such a scheme.