The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-04-28
ARMENIAN MANDATE
May GO BEGGING
Congress Not Keen to
Accept Proposal
of Allies
BY JAMES r. NOURSE
staff Correspondent Of Universe
Service)

| ScTylCoJ
| WASHINGTON The Armenian
mandate very likely go begging If
the allied premiers as reported in
cables from San Reno decide upon
shifting the burden for maintenance
and protection of the infant repub-
lie upon the United States. No Of
ficial confirmation of the agreement
said to have been reached by the al
lied conference has been received
here. State department cables have
been utterly silent upon the action at
San Reno.
Nor has the White House received
any word respecting the mandate
or the reported proposal that Presi-
dent Wilson should fix the bounda-
ries of Armenia.
Except for newspaper dispatches
there has been no word to the state
department regarding the difficult
ty over the Fiume settlement and
the allied premiers have not as yet
acknowledged receipt of the note
sent few weeks ago by the presi-
dent in which objection was stated
to certain features of the plan to
dismember Turkey and sacrificing
the commercial interests of Armenia
In congress, however, a violent re-
action has set in against the pro-
posal that America should accept the
Armenian mandate. Even Senator
Hitchcock, the administration leader
in the upper house, expressed strong
objection to having the United States
embark upon such a policy as that
of accepting the mandate over any
foreign country. The senator point
ed out that acceptance of the man
date would necessitate the employ
ment of large bodies of troops and |
frankly stated his belief that public
opinion would not support such &C
ton.
Other senator's, members of the
foreign relations committee, gave
expression to similar views.
Senator Knox, former secretary
of state, declared that congress
would not pass an enabling act to
permit the mandate to be accepted.
A joint resolution of congress would
be required, Senator Knox said, and
this could not be obtained.
Senator Moses of New Hampshire,
one of the irreconcilables in the
peace treaty fight, said the move
was a final effort to wish ON us the
poor house of the world"
st demonstrated" he said, that
hope springs eternal in the European
breast" he added.
''In view of the action already
taken by the senate committee on s
foreign relations, giving the full !
measure of relief which America can
afford to Armenia, feel certain that t
our answer to Lloyd George will be
Nay, nay, Pauline" I
The view expressed by Senator
New, also member of the commit
zee, was that the United States ought
lot to go into Armenia unless it was
prepared to back up the mandate
With force Of arms. t
I'VE don't want to go into Ar s
nenia unless we go in right" the t
senator said. 1--WE don't want to I
rave them into trouble and then I
lave to withdraw because we are not t
Wiling to go through with it, +
Senator Hitchcock said that even t
he recommendation made by the t
of the foreign rela- a
ions committee that warship be s
ent to protect American interests in c
Armenia, that marines be landed at
3atum and that arms be provided
" the secretary of war to equip an
army, would present many
He said the American p
eople were not in the mood to sup f
ort such a proposal at this time. Q
1t was suggested by officials at n
he state department that the action b
f the allied premiers in offering the n
mandate to the United States was "
in view of the fact that G
renters surely know that a man. "