The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1920-05-07
ASKU,S, MANDATE.
FOR ARMENIA
Supreme Council of Allies Sends
Formal Request to Wilson
to Accept Task.
UNDER BRITISH.
Lloyd George Wins Mesopotamia and
Pslestine-JeWs Given a Country
Under Baifour PIan-Syria
Awarded to France.

San Remo.-There were three out
standing developments IN the latest
activities of the conference. They are :
The presentation to the American gov
ernment through Ambassador Johnson
of a formal offer from the Supreme
Council of the Armenian mandate in
the event of the non-acceptance of
which President Wilson is asked to act
as arbitrator of the Armenian bound
aries controversy.
Distribution Of the mandates for
Palestine and Mesopotamia to Britain
and for Syria to France.
Decision to bid the German Pre-
mier attend the conference to be held
in Belgium in May, at which the whole
matter of Germany's execution of the
treaty of Versailles will be threshed
out.
The action In regard to Armenia is
generally constructed as another at
tempt to place the destinies of that
unhappy land in the hands of the
United States. It is assumed, of
course, that America will refuse to act
as mandatory under a League of
Nations of which she is not a men,
Der, no mater from what other angle
she might view the assumption of the
onerous and costly task of playing big
brother to the Armenians.
Such attitude, however, would not
necessarily preclude the President
from undertaking the delimintation of
Armenfa's frontiers, concerning which
there is sharp cleavage of opinion
among the entente powers. The chief
point at issue is whether Erzerum
should become the capital of the Ar
menian Republic, as the Armenians
emphatically demand, or be left to the
Turks.
At present the city is the strong
hold of Mustapha Kemal Pasha, who is
occupying it with a well armed force
of $4,000 insurgents. The Italians con-
tend that with Erzerum torn from Tur-
key there would be endless chaos in
Asia Minor, whereas the British appear
willing to give it to Armenia.
All hands are willing to let Presi-
dent Wilson decide, since if fresh
trouble and massacres should result
from his disposition or the matter
the responsibility would be his and not
Europe's In any event this form of
passing the buck on the part of the
Supreme Council merely tends to
leave the entire Armenian problem up
in the air, for whatever the President
might decide-even if he undertakes
the job of arbiter, which diplomatic cir
cles here consider highly doubtful
there would remain the question of
husky little army. On behalf of the
Premier, Philip Kerr, Lloyd Georges
chief secretary, fatty denied reports
that Canada was willing to accept the
Armenian mandate.
In placing Palestine under British
mandateIthe council established within
the ancient limits of Holy Land what is
called "the national home of the Jews. "
The terms of the mandate protect
the national rights of Jewish citizens
of other countries. That is to say, a
Jew of American, British, French. or
other nationality may retain his ma
tionality, although he is also a citizen
of the State Of Palestine. The rights
of Arabs also are protected, there be-
ing 100000 Arabs in Palestine and
100000 Jews.
France has been the protector Of the
Christians in Syria since the middle
ages, having been designated for the
purpose by the Holy See.
The question with regard to Syria
has been serious controversy between
the French and British governments
since the armistice was signed, partic-
ularly over the point whether France
should have all of what is geographic
ally outlined as Syria, or only certain
parts.