The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-25

Armenia, declaring in a statement that
| ANY mandate is impossible
| The United States, Mr.. Bryan said,
could do more toward making the
world safe for democracy, "even for
democracy in Armenia" by recogniz-
ing the Armenian republic and enter
ing the League of Nations ''as the
friend of little countries"
The Presidents Message.
The president in his message said:
Il received and read this document with
| great interest and with genuine gratifica
| ton, not only because it embodied my own
convictions and feelings with regard to
Armenia and people, but also, and more
particularly because it seemed to me the
voice of the American people expressing
1 their genuine convictions and deep Chris
7 tan sympathies and intimating the line of
| duty which seemed to them to be clearly
Il cannot but regard it as providential
| and not as mere casual coincidence that
| almost at the same time / received infor-
! nation that the Conference of Statesmen
now sitting at San Reno for the purpose
of working out the details of peace with
| feasible to work out in the conference at
| Paris. had formally resolved to address
cept a mandate for Armenia. They were
at pains to add that they did this not
| from the smallest desire to evade any obh-
| cations which they might be expected to
undertake, but because the responsibilities
which they are already obliged to bear
| in connection with the disposition Of the
/
| capacities to the uttermost and because
| they believe that the appearance on the
prepossessions of the old world will in
| spire a wider confidence and afford
| firmer guarantee for stability in the flu
| ture than would the selection of any
| European power.
Must Support the Weaker.
EARLY in the conference at Paris, 1t was
| agreed that to those colonies Sand terri
| tories which as a consequence Of the late
| war have ceased to be under the SOW
| ereignty of the states which formerly gov
people not yet abb. to stand by themselves
under the conditions of the modern world,
| there should be applied the principal that
| peoples form a sacred trust of eiviliza-
| ton and that securities for the perform
an zee OF TINS, trusr sn9uid pc AFFORDED.
munities formerly belonging to the Turk
ish empire have reached stage of devel-
| opment where their existence as indie
| pendent nations can be Professionally recog-
| nized. subject to the rendering of ad-
ministrative advice and assistance by a
| able to stand alone.
| 1t is in pursuance of this principle and
advice and assistance that the statesmen
| comforting at San Reno have formally
quested this government to assume the
| duties Of mandatory in Armenia. 1 may
| add for the information of the congress,
| that at the same sitting, it was resolved to
request the president of the United States
to undertake to arbitrate the difficuity
| of a boundary between Turkey and Ar
menia and vilayets of Erzerum, Trebizond,
| Van and Bitlis, and it was agreed to ac-
cept his decision thereupon well as any
stipulation he may prescribe as to access
| to the sea Tor the independent state of
Armenia. In pursuance of this action 1t
was resolved to embody in the treaty with
| Turkey. now under final consideration
provision that Turkey and Armenia and
the other high contracting parties agree to
refer to the arbitration Of the president
Of the United States of America of the
I n hafr Trrr l-oxr
| and Armenia in the vilayets of Erzerum,
Trebizond, Van and Bitlis, and to accept
ulations he may prescribe as to access to
| the sea for the independent state of Ar
| 1nenia; pending that decision the bound
| at present. ~ r..
| Declares 1t Our Duty.
Il haze thought It my duty to accept
1 this difficult and delicate task
| In response to the invitation of the
council at San Reno, I urgently advise
and request that the congress grant the ex-
ecutive power to accept for the United
States a mandate over Armenia. I make
| this suggestion in the earnest belief that
| It viii be the wish of the people of the
| United States that this should be done
| The sympathy with Armenia has proceeded
from no single portion of our people but
| has come with extraordinary spontaneity
| and sincerity from the whole Of the great
| oody or christian men and women in this
country by whose free will offerings Ar
menia has practically been saved at the
/ most critical punctUre of its existence In
| their hearts this great and generous people
nave made the cause of Armenia their own.
| It is to this people and to their government
| that the hopes and earnest expectations of
| the struggling people of Armenia turn "a
describable suffering and peril and I
| hope that the congress will think It wise
Utmost morality. 1 know from unmis-
| taxable evidence given by responsible rep
f feSentases OF many peoples strggging
| again that the government Of the United
states is looked to with extraordinary
trust and confidence and I believe that il
would do nothing less than arrest the
hopeful processes of civilization If we were
| to refuse the request to become the helpful
friends and advisers of such of these peo-
pie as we may be authoritatively and for
malIy requested to guide and assist
the congress very 1aI critical cSniee uP bDf
II make the suggestion in the confidence
that am sPEesak in, in the spirit and in
OF the Christian peoples. The sympathy
for Armenia among our people has sprung
from untainted consciences, pure Chris
/ tan faith and earnest desire to see
their time of suffering and lifted from
their abJect subsection and distress and
enabled to stand upon their feet and take
their place among the free nations Of the
world. Our recognition of the indepen-
dence of Armenia will mean genuine lib
/ erty apd assured happiness for her people
II we fearlessly undertake the duties of
functions of mandatory. 1t is, therefore.
with the most earnest hopefulness and
with the feeling that I giving advice
from which the congress will not willingly
turn away that I urge the acceptance of
the invitation now formally and solemnly
extended to us by the council of San
Reno, into whose hands has passed the
d1fficult task Ct composing the many
complexities and difficulties of govern
ment in the one-time Ottoman empire and
the maintenance of order and tolerabIe
conditions of life in those portions of the
empire which it is no longer possible in
the interest of civilization to leave under
the government of the Turkish authorities
themselves