The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-11-30
Note From America
Polite But Strong

would seem essential hat suitable
publicity should be given to the
drafts of mandates which it is the
| intention to submit to the council,
in order that the fullest opportunity
! may be afforded TO consider their
terms in relation to the obligations
assumed by the mandatory nower,
and the respective Interests CT all
governments, which ere or deem
themselves concern or affected"
"The fact can no. oe ignored" Mr..
Colby continued, shat the reported
resources of Mesopotamia have in
terested public opinion of the United
States, Great Britain and other coun-
tries as potential subject of eco
nomic strife. Because of that fact
they become an outstanding illustra-
ton of the kind of economic ques-
tion with reference to which, the
mandate principle was especially de-
! signed, and indeed a peculiarly criti-
cal test of the good faith of the ma
tions which have given their adher-
ence to the principle. This principle
was accepted in the hope of obviating
in the future those international diff
ferences that grow out of a desire
for the exclusive control Of the re-
sources and markets of annexed ter
ritories.'
Suggestion of Conflict.
Mr.. Colby then frankly states that
the American government "fnds diff
6culty in reconciling" the special ar
rangement set forth! in the socalled
San Reno petroleum agreement be-
tween Great Britain and France, with
the British governments statement
that the petroleum resources of Mes
opotamia, and freedom of action in
regard thereto, will be secured to the
future Arab state, as yet unorgan-
lied.
Furthermore, he says, "it is diff
ficult to harmonic that special ar
rangement with your statement that
concessionary claims relating to
those resources still remain in their
pre-war position, and have yet to
receive with the establishment of.
the Arab state, the equitable consid-
Grafton promised by his majesty's
government.
"This government has noted in this
connection public statement OF his
majesty's minister in charge Of petro-
leum affects to the effect that the.
San Reno agreement was based on
the principle that the concessions
granted by the former Turkish gov
ernment must be honored. 1t would
be reluctant to assume that his ma
jesty's government has already un-
dertaken to pass judgment upon the
validity Of concessionary claims in
the regions concerned, and to con-
cede validity to certain Of those
claims which cover, apparently, the
entire Mosopotamia area. Indeed
this government understanG: your
note to deny having taken, and to
deny the intenticn - take, any such
ex parte and prea&.ure 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 if oil; and in
view of your assurance that it is
not the intention of the mandatory
power to establish on it's own behalf
any kind of monopoly, am at loss
to understand how to construe the
provision of the San Reno agree
ment that any private petroleum
company which may develop Mesopo-
tomian oil fields shall be under per-
manent British control
To Correct Misrepresentation.
Referring to "some allusion,' made
in the original British note to Amer
lean supremacy in the petroleum IN
dustry, Mr.. Colby says that to cor
rect misapprehension, (which your
note reflects" he will state that 'the
United States possesses only one
twelfth approximately of the petro-
leum resources of the world and
that the oil resources of no other ma
ton have been so largely drawn upon
for foreign needs.
But it is not these aspects Of oil
! produ ction and supply, in so far as
they are Of domestic interest to the
; United States, with which | am con-