Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-03
.HARBORD'S REPORT !.
GOES TO SENATE
Conclusions ON Armenian Prob
lem Transmitted by
President
TWO VIEWS OF MANDATE
BY the Associated Press

=
Washington, April 3.-President
Wilson transmitted to the Senate today
the report of the American commission,
headed by Major General Harbord,
which investigated conditions in Ar
menia. .'.t .... ..
The report had twice been asked for
by the Senate, first last November and
then under a resolution adopted sew
eral weeks ago.
The commission made no recommen-
dations as to the United States assum-
ing a mandate over Turkey and Ar
menia, but its report contained ex-
tensive arguments for and against such
action.
No mandate should be taken, the
commission said. without formal agree
ment with France and Great Britain
and also definite approval Of Ger
many and Russia. The inhabitants,
the mission stated, desire America to
take the mandate first, with Great
Britain their second choice.
Two Views Of Question
The principal arguments advanced
in favor Of the United States accepting
a mandate were that the influence of
the United States would tend to avert
wars: that the Inhabitants wanted
American protection and that this
would give the United States an oppor-
tunity to do great humanitarian
work.
Reasons advanced against a mandate
were that It would weaken our posi-
ton relative to the Monroe Doctrine
hat th,,r N ~ N, knr ~ at
home" and that the first years cost
would be $275 ,O0O, 900, including
$SS 500, 900 for the army and navy.
Better millions for a mandate than
billions for war;" said the recommen-
dations favoring q mandate
IF America accepts mandate for
the region visited by this mission,' said
General Harbord, at will undoubtedly
do so from a strong sense of interna-
tional duty and at the unanimous de-
sire, so expressed at least. of its col
leagues in the League of Nations.
United States Should Make Conditions
Accepting this difficult task without
previously securing the assurance Of
conditions would be fatal to success.
The United States should make its own
conditions, certainly before and not
after acceptance, for there are a multi
tude of interests that will conflict with
what any American would consider a
proper administration Of the country"
I'm our opinion there should be
specific pledges in the terms of formal
agreements with France, and England
and definite approval from Germany
and Russia to the disposition made of
Turkey and trans Caucasia and a
pledge to respect them"
In administration and sanitation, the
report said, America could aid the peo-
pies residing in the territory. and
amount now given charitably for Near
Eastern aid.
Mandatory for Const tantinOple
Without recommending whether the
United States should or should not &C =
cept n Turkish mandatory, General
Harbord's conclusions were that man =
datory by some power was the only
solution of the problem. The manda :
tory territory, he stated. should in :
clude Constantinople.
Estimates of the number of troops
required for mandatory, General Har-
bord stated. varied from 20, 900 L, 200, :
600, but. he added. that ne believed
30 900 would be required the first year.
The Turks, he said, would not object
to n mandatory over Armenia and pos
sibly other sections, while a plebiscite
would show an overwhelming majority
in Armenia and in some other sections
for American supervision.
Separate mandatories for different
sections of Turkish territory was dis
approved.