The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-06-08
THE PRESIDENTS MANDATE.


His strongest partisan will probably con-
cede that the president has made political
mistake in urging the acceptance of man
date for Armenia by the United States VI
course. if the chief executive is right IN MS
position, and standing for that right is po-
litical mistake, he should be commenced
rather than condemned for committing II.
What this government should do is what
the majority of the people want 1t to do.
That is free government. If the opposition
to the presidents policy came entirely from
the republicans it could be charged to po-
litical bases and ignored. But when IL
comes from the leaders of the demosf- .
party. including both Georgia senators ana
the majority of the democratic senator's, II
proves that the reason for the opinion Is
that it is not what the people want, For II
NAV be assumed that in presidential cleo
ton years anything which appeals to the ma
ioritv of the people meets with party APP
iproval, if it comes from that party leader
ship. That is what makes campaign argu-
lments.
Upon its merits mandate for Armenia
does not appeal to the majority of the Amer
lean people There is a sentiment, sympa-
thy and a sense of fair play connected with
the Armenian people that appeal to all men,
and deep down in their hearts the American
people would not be sorry to see every IA
natical adherent of the Moslem faith in
Turkey exterminated. But Americans un-
derstand that so long as a Turk remains in
~, Of
the population are Turks there will be
clashes between the two races. The country
would have to be policed locally to protect
the Armenians. That policy would require
an army of considerable proportions and
a detachment of the navy capable of pro-
tecting the country in both the Black and
the Mediterranean seas, on both Of which
the new nation borders. Bolshevik Russia
will invade the country just as it has in
vaded every surrounding country, and in
time the nation with a mandate for 'Arme-
MIA will be forced to put an army in the
field to combat that accursed governmental
policy of demons and monsters.
Assumption of the mandate is not for
year or two years. How long it would re-
ouire the Armenian people to develop sufti-
GENTLY to stand alone is only conjecture.
Whatever the United States did in admin
istering the mandate would be limited to
"advice and assistance" unless the doctrine
laid down in the covenant of the league of
nations is entirely ignored. One paragraph
of article % of the covenant reads:
Certain communities formerly be-
longing to the Turkish empire have
reached a stage of development where
their existence as independent nations
can be professionally recognized sub
iect to the rendering of administrative
advice and assistance by the manda-
tory.
If the advice of this government were not
followed there is no way in which it can be
enforced unless the whole principle of
mandatory government laid down by the
Versailles convention is overturned. The
United States in Armenia would be a sort
of benevolent onlooker required to defend
and uphold all the policies the government
of the country might promulgate, but with
no voice in determining what these policies
should be- This fact is the strongest argu-
ment against accepting a mandate. If the
United States could conduct the government
until the Armenians are trained in self gov
eminent there would be less scruples about
undertaking the task. But accepting the
guardianship without having any control
over the actions of the ward is too much of
burden.