New-York tribune., 1920-11-26
state, the equitable consideration
promised by his majesty's govern
Turkish Claims Questioned

Turkish Claims Questioned
This government has noted in
this connection a public statement
OF his majesty's minister in charge
of petroleum affairs to the effect
that the San Reno agreement was
based on the principle that the con-
Turkish government must be hon
ored. 1t would be reluctant to as
sumo that his majesty's government
has already undertaken to pass judg-
ment upon the validity of conces-
slonary claims in the regions con-
cerned, and to concede validity to
certain of those claims which cover
apparently, the entire Mesopotamian
area Indeed, this government un-
derstands your note to deny having
taken, and to deny the intention to
take, any such ex parte and prema-
turc action.
"In this connection, I might OBJ
serve that such information as this
government has received indicates
that, prior to the war, the Turkish
Petroleum Company, to make specific
reference, possessed in Mesopotamia
no rights to petroleum concessions
or to the exploitation of oil; and
AL view VI yOuI Ul dliSc LHoI ~
is not the intention of the manda
tory power to establish on its own
behalf any kind of monopoly, l am
at some loss to understand how to
construe the provision of the San
Reno agreement that any private
petroleum company which may de-
velop the Mesopotamian oil fields
shall be under permanent British
CONTROL
"Your lordship contrasts the pres
ent production of petroleum in the
United States with that of Great
Britain, and some allusion is made to
American supremacy in the petroleum
industry. should regret any as
sumption by his majesty's govern
ment or any other friendly power
that the views of this government as
to the true character Of a mandate
are dictated in any, degree by con.
siderations of the domestic need of
production Of petroleum or any
other commodity.
U. s. Oil World Commodity
~ may be permitted to say, how
ever. for the purpose of correcting
a misapprehension which your note
reflects, that the United States pos
sesses only onetwelfth approximately "
of the petroleum resources of the
world The oil resources of no other
nation have been so largely drawn
upon for foreign needs, and youl
| ordship's statement that any proph-
ecies as to the oil-bearing resources
of unexplored and undeveloped coun-
tries must be accepted with reserve
hardly disposes of the scientific cal
culation upon which, despite their
problematical elements, the policies
of states and the anticipations of
world production are apparently pro
ceeding. The government of the
United States assumes that there is
a general recognition of the fact
that the requirements for petroleum
are in excess of production, and it
believes that opportunity to explore
and develop the petroleum resources
of the world wherever found should
without discrimination be freely ex-
tended, as only by the unhampered
development of such resources can
the needs of the world be met,
But it is not these aspects Of oil
production and supply, in so far as
they are of domestic interest TO the
United States, with which l am con.
cerned in this discussion. l have
alluded to them in order to correct
confusing differences, liable to arise
from certain departures, which
believe | discern in your lordship S
communication, from the underlying
principles of mandate. as evolved
and sought to be applied by the Al
lied and Associated powers to the
territories brought under their tenn