The Washington herald., 1920-12-10
Learning maketh young men tenn
perate, is the comfort of old age, stand
ing for wealth with poverty, and serving
as an ornament to iches.-Cicero.
Saving Armenia.


IL was hoped would be the Armenian
Republic. These Boundaries will include section of
the old Turkish Empire about the size of the State
Of Illinois, and section of the old Russian Empire
about the size of Kentucky.
The territory to be taken from the Turkish
Empire probably does not contain 10000 Armenians,
but is bountifully supplied with hundreds of thou
sands of armed Turks, The territory taken from the
Russian Empire contains the majority of those Ar
ulenisns who have survived famine and massacre.
:, This section of the former Russia, however, is
SO situated with regard its outlet to the sea, its
rail connections with the outside world and the
supply of fuel for its railways that tRe maintenance
OF its political and economic indepen ence is abso-
ldtely dependent the establishment, and contin-
nation of friendly relations with thu surrounding
states
~ The boundaries proposed are no doubt theoretc-
ally correct. but the practical problem to get the
political and economic organization of state to
function within them.
The Azerbaijan Republic, to the has been
extinguished and added to Soviet Russia. Georgia,
10 the north, has practical hope of m, intainng
hs independence against the manifest ambition of
Soviet Russia restore the former frontier between
Russia and Turkey.
AT the present time all of Turkish Armenia is
occupied by the forces of Mustapha Kemal, while
Russian Armenia is practically divided between the
Bolshevid, who occupy the eastern half and have
set up Soviet government in Erival, the, Arm nian
capital. and the Turks, who have the v st
ern half.
The negotiations which several governments
including own, have offered undertake for the
protection of the Armenian state which political
entity has ceased exist will doubtless be resolved
into negotiations with the bandits of Moscow on the
one hand and the bandits of Turkey on the other,
both of whom appear to be anxious join frontiers
In opposition to the whole Western world one rep
fesenting militant Mohammedanism and the other
militant Bolshevism. n
-ea In view of the existing situation it would appear
that the Armenans have very little hope for from
the proposed negotiations or from the Armenian
forces Gen Wood is be asked to organize unless
this force is to be sufficient defeat and hold in
check the Turks on side and the Bolsheviks on
the other, possible combination of both
Obviously this is very large order considering
Arrnenias geographical location and total inability
to supply military materials Alternatvey tbs nego-
tstor may offer Armena's aggressive neighbors ter
rtofy or other concessions to buy them off, How
they will be compelled to respect any engagements
. they may make is another problem.
From the armistice until recent events America
has maintained the Armenian population from
starvation at cost to the American people of ap-
proximately S3ooooooo, mostly provided by Con-
gEsssional appropriation Practically nothing has
been done by the rest of the world except to lament
AsAenia's tragic fate and to call upon America to
come to her aid
''~lt would appear that practical alternative to
the military intervention proposed by the league
and one with more promise of success is for the
aAies to assure that they will offer to Nationalist
TuSkcy the return of Smyrna Syria and Mesopota-
ma IN consideration of the Turks acknowledging
the independence of the newly delimited Armenia
and withdrawal of his armed forces; and on the
other hand, to authorize the offer to Soviet Russia
an engagement that the allies will not again embark
military operations against Soviet Russia in con-
sideraton of the Bolshevks guaranteeing to respect
Armenian independence
In other words, Europe possesses the quid pro
quo with which to assure the independence of the
Armenian people. With this assured, no doubt the
American people will be willing to continue the
financial support necessary to set the new state on
its feet The combination of the plans advocated
by the British and French at Geneva-negotiations
supplemented by reorganzed Armenian army
indicates that the nations whose interests predom-
mate in Asia Minor are not sufficiently moved by
Armenia's condition 70 sacrifice their interests to
improve it.
The plan of an Armenian army, commanded bv
an American, oficered by the Allies, and financed
by the United States, is more move of Euro
pean statesmen to sidestep their manifest response
bility in the Near East. 1t is time that Europe
showed some indication of realizing that the Arme-
nian question is not merely the stock example BY
which the unwillingness of the American people to
do their part in the world may be Illustrated, but
that Il is responsibility which rests clearly with
those powers with mandates in Asia Minor, a re-
sponsbility which they seek to evadeA
In the meantime the Armenians, despaning Of
effective aid in their struggle for independence have
formed some kind of Soviet government Russian
protection is definite thing and is more effective
against the Turk than the protestations of allied