The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-05-26
Will JOHNSON BOLT
IF TREATY UPHELD?
BIZ DAVID LAwRENCE,
(Copyrigat By The Intslltg genesr.)

WASHINGTON. May % - President
Wilson has tossed another footoa!l INTO
the gridiron Of treaty controversy. His
request that Congress accept the man
date OF trusteeship over the newly eS-
tabiished Republic OF Armenia revlNes
the pro and con of the League or Nat
ions debate though in this instance inc
President uses the expressed interest OF
the Senate In the fate OF Armenia as a
vehicle for the introduction Nt concrete
measures of assistance for the dis
tresScd ArmenianS.
The action OF the President was re-
ceived with mingled surprise and doubt
In the ranks OF the Democrats as wei
as Republicans. The President took no
suited leaders OF his own party in Con-
gress as to the probable sentiment there
nor did he broach the matter TO certain
members OF the cabinet who would be
vitality, concerned with the administra-
ton Of mandate should it be accepted.
The feeling persists that Mr.. Wilson Is
merely following out moral commit
ment which ne entered into at Paris In
his informal conversations with the
statesmen OF Europe. At that .time. he
felt absolutely sure that America would
do her part In preserving the peace OF
the world and particularly IN helping
to their feet the people OF the newly
liberated countries like Armenia. The
Presidents task in acting as arbitrator
of the Armenian boundaries is strictly
within the executives jurisdiction ana
involves no consent on the part or Con-
gresS Mr.. Wilson has however, kept
his promise to submit 10 Congress any
mandates. the acceptance Of which ne
has said would always be a aAegislative
win Urge Action
Congress isn't especially interested IN
Armenia, however. or any other part or
Europe though to be sure the passage
OF a resolution expressing interest In or
sympathy with foreign peoples is easily
accomplished this presidential year be-
cause OF the natural desire to please
groups Of foreign born voters. When
the Armenian resolution was passed II
was regarded as one OF those measures
which are innocuouS in their ooliga-
ttons. Congress-, for instance. will al
ways pass q resolution expressing sym
pathy with ireland or Poland. but any
measure that involves the spending or
money or lives in Offering concrete help
to Ireland either in assisting in the
overthrow Of British rule or flEhting the
Bolsheviki on the Polish borders would
never have the ghost OF chance or
passage. President Wilson. however
has taken the Senate at its word in rs
expression OF sympathy with Armenia
and will urge the acceptance OF man
date as an altruistic act in keeping with
American tradition.
Slated for Shelf
II Is not to be expected. on the other
hand. that Congress Will do anything
more than shelye this request from the
president. It has shelved the proposal
for a British. French and American de-
fensive treaty. Possibly when the
League OF Nations question is settled
at the polls next November. Il definite
affirmative or negative on these ques-
tions will be secured. In the meantime.
tho prospect OF sending troops and Am
erican officials and the spending OF gov
ernment funds in far-off Armenia gives
the opponents OF the Leagnue their OPP
portunlty to emphasize the supposedly
large moral obligations which the COW
enant tends 70 impose. Defenders OF
the President answer this with the
statement that the cost Is intinitesmal
when these troublous little countries
provoke a world war. They maintain
that Il IS cheaper to accept mandates
and keep the peace and prevent war
than TO settle war when once It Is
ineY table.