The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-28
SHIELDS GIVES
| REASON FOR HIS
MANDATE STAND
Senior Senator Says the Con-
gresS Has No Constitutional
Authority to Tax People to
Protect ArmenianS.

| WASHINGTON, May %. tSpl) Am
licipating criticism from the usual
Fources that denounce him for not
Fielding to the president on all mat
1 ers irrespective of his own judgment,
Senator Shields has issued statement
outlining his objections to the United
States taking mandate for Armenia.
lie discussed the question strictly from
aln American standpoint.
1T is, ] have no doubt" said Senator
Shields "a very attractive proposition
4 o Great Britain, who wishes buffer
Sitate created in Eastern Asia for the
protection of her commerce and her
Elrotectorate over and control of Egypt,
HMesopotamia, Hedjaz, Persia and India,
and also to the Armenians, who are
always soliciting aid in this county, and
want some other country to fight their
battles and feed them. but, from an
american standpoint as l view it, 1t
Il S simply monstrous.
1T is the legitimate and natural off
Espring of the league of nations and
uxhat we would have been compelled to
E,tand for If we had become a member
4 If that league.
1T is bad in law and worse in policy.
The congress has no constitutional
)ower to provide for mandate of this
character. The constitution was framed
md adopted for the government pro-
ection and to secure peace and tran
Vi LliC OnllGu oldlCs anu llOl Vi
1 iny other country or people.
Congress has no authority to raise
IN army and provide a navy and collect
axes for their maintenance, other than
! or the national defense, and for the
enforcement of law and order. We sent
our armies to France, but it was for
he national defense. The ondition
H.lsat confronted us was, would we fight
\ th9 Germans, along with Great Britain
Hsnd France on French soil, or alone on
american soil? That was the only au-
thority for sending our army to France.
THE president, as has been repeated
" stated in the public press promised
while in Paris that the United States
would take mandate for Armenia, II
the league OF nations should be accepted
by America and sent Gen. Harboard
and a staff there to examine the coun-
try and estimate the army and the ex-
pense that would be required, and il
scheme into effect The British are a
shrewd people and have been success
full in using other nations to advance
their interest.
THE proposed mandate will require
an army of over $4,000 men, according
to the lowest estimate, to be renewed
Hnd replaced annually, because OF
deaths in war with fierce and cruel
Turks and other Asiatic nations, and
the Asiatic pestience that constantly
sweeps over that country, for not less
than ten years and would cost the
United States $3.50, 100000 a year in
money.
what Is loosely called Armenia Is
in the interior of western Asia, and has
ho fixed or definite boundaries. Much
of 1t Is desert waste and mountain fast.
hess. 1t Is inhabited by several nation
Rlities, consisting of Armenians, Turks
<urds, Arabs and perhaps some others
G.,rstI .t..nV,
IONS, no one nationality being in the
majority. Our army would have to be
Supplied from home, and would be con-
stantly engaged in war with these
different turbulent and fierce people.
British pressure is said to be behlno
he proposition and this is plausible, be-
cause the British are chiefly interested
s. n having us protect their commerce
hnd their possessions by an army II
that country Why not let Great Brit
ain take the mandate and protect heI
own interests? /.
I'VE might as well pass a law tc
stand 10, 900 American boys up against
wall to be shot and require their par
ents to pay the expense of the eXecu'
t,,n. Those who wish to contribute
tOythe sacrifice should have their sons
enlist and raise the money to transport
and maintain them. An army for this
purpose can not be raised other thar
by CONSUMPTION, and we certainly nave
taxation enough,
"If we must have a foreign war, why
not send an army into Mexico to sta
=bfiize that country and protect Ameri'
cans and their property there? There
have been over 500 Americans muir
2dered, many American women horribly
treated and hundreds of millions OF dol,
lars of American property destroyeo
there in the last five years. Mexico is
AT our door and our people are there
and our first duty is at home and tc
our own people.'