Norwich bulletin., 1920-01-10
lRu Henry ". Iessunl

the development or cerLain DaekWarQ | nations under Art. XXI of the re- vised covenant formed "a sacred trust of civilization and that peoples not | yet able to stand by themselves were contemplated as infants in interna- tional law, for whom the League of Nations might appoint guardians, who would be subject to all the duties and .obIigations of such an officer, but with I the same difference in the rela ationShip of tutelage as obtains in our muni- eipal law where a guardian acts for an infant under fourteen and for one over fourteen. And taking the ex- ample of Armenia, quoted the fourth parapraph of Article XXI; Certain communities, formerly belonSing to- of the mandate but in regad to the stage Of development where their ex-
 stence as independent nations can be provisionaIIy recognized, subject to the rendering of administrative ad- vice and assistance by mandatary until such a time as they are able to stand alone.'' This differentiates such
 a people assthe Armenians from the peoples of Central Africa, for exam
 pie. As to such latter wards of civ
 iiizatioh nothing is said as to con-
 sulting their wishes in the selection
 of the mandate, but n regard to the illustration of Armenia, t is obvious that is wishes must be a. principal consideration in the selection of the
 mandatary," and in respect to the lat ter, Par. II of Art. XXI applies, with its phrase as to entrusting tutelage of this ward to such advanced nation willing to accept"
 During the past few years nearly every household in the United States has had Sympathies and interest ar
 oused to the extent of contributing to tortured, slaughtered and Adeported by | the savage Turks and Kurds. But the l idea of our government accepting a mandate and becoming accountable ] to some super government has met i with much antagonism, and at the i same time the new republic of Ar menia has itself considered whether, 1 if it be recognized as a sovereign na- 1 tion by the great powers, it will not | Itself diminish it's sovereignty and re- 1 pair ts dignity by accepting the posi- l ton of the ward of a mandatry. The question thus emerges whether the result which the majority of the Am erican public wishes to accomplish
 cannot be secured without running counter to ether of these prejudces. I 1 believe that this can be accomplished 1 through the ordinary instrumentali- I ties of diBlomatic relationship. | LC( Ol IIlS OH1I- | States recognize the new republic of Armenia as sovereign nation and
 appoint minister as it's diplomatic representative to negotiate a treaty l with the new republic. under which administrative advice and assistance may be afforded with all the advan-
 tages of none of the disadvantages in herent in the scheme of the covenant of the league of nations. The council
 of the league would welcome the elim- ination of this problem in the near east from ts own agenda, and the h. f1uehce of the United States when a member of the league. or even sooner, could be exerted in demanding the delimination, under an international
 boundary commission, of the territor- ial Boundaries to be granted to the new republic.
 B. The nature of the adrainistra-
 tive adivce and assistance and the ex-
 tent to winch it Shall be given would
 then repese where it really belongs,
 andt the governments directly interest l ed would determine whether the
 treaty should cover merely financial
 assistance of the appointment of ad- miniStratOrs of the finances of Ar
 menia until such time as it should be : able to repay any loan which we
 might make, or whether it should ex- ] tend to the furnishing of munitions
 and men to enforce the mo trespass-
 ing, signs that would be set uI against the Turks and Kurds and the
 Tartars and Georgians But it seems . clear that if the moral influence ot
 might plus right is to be greater now than it was before the great war, the !; fact that we are the ally of Armenia
 or that we are back of the new gov . eFnment with money, and with men ii ), need be, would be as effective agains , these savages of the Turkish empire as the actual sending of troops.
 Fl c. Under such a treaty the Ar. menians, with American administra.
 tive advice. could develop the grea
 agricultural and mineral resources O the nation, and I venture to pre-
 dict that in ten years the republic eoulC be supporting and in twent!
 years the United States loan woult have been repaid.
 D. One great fact must be evel :. kept in mind in viewing this whole , subject, and that is. that the momen security of life and liberty is assured in the provinces of their former dom
 icle, the men and the families of Ar. menia would repatriate themselves b. , tens of thousands, for it is only the extrenit.es of persecution and tor ture that ever drove them from theil dative land.
 This solution is consistent with tht , desires of the recently organized gov. ernment of the Armenian republic. is consistent with the theory under lying the covenant of the league O. ; nations, but it is totally inconsistent
 with the suggestion, made by appar- aftly well-meahing but singularly i'll advised, self-styled friends of Fur key" that the United States should accept a mandate for Armenia anc Turkey together. Is our memory st ? short that we can contemplate mak ' ing. any covenant of assistance direct . !y or through the league with tn 2 heirs executors administrators ol . assigns of Abdul the Damned? Tn , Turks have no claim on American af :. lection or respect. A mandate fo : . Turkey and Armenia together woul e be a traveSty on cofnrnofl sense Tn :. peoples are not jusdem generis a Their interests are mutually hostile a It reminds one of the American show Q man in Vienna before the war wh
 exhibited Happy Family" in g cage, consisting of a leopard. a vol | a hyena and lamb, and when aske , how long they had cohabitel the 'cag 5 he replied. Two years-but," he add ' ed meditativeIy," the lamb has to b 'f renewed occasionally"
 a The United States wants no hyen [ farms. Let Europe or the league sol d ve the Turkish situation. Europe ere = ated it by her selflshness and jealous = ies. Intefnat tionalize C0nstantinopl if you like, but limit the Turks t II Anato1ia. They eah possibly gover Q. themselves, although incapable (