The Washington herald., 1920-11-26

areas" Secretary Colby broadly
hints that there can be no "peacefui
ordering" of our economic relations
with States that violate the doctrine
thus laid down. Petroleum is deE
lined as a classic commodity upor
which to base a demand for recognf.
tion of the enlightened principle
which the American note espouses,
II is growing in commercial impor-
tsnce 50 fast that the right to draw
upon latent resources In undevelopet
regions" for replenishment of-ths
worlds supply must remain untrauft
meled.
Answer 10 Tripsrtite.
In certain respects the Colby noce
is Americas rejoinder TO the Anglo
Frsnco-Itslian trfpartite zgreement
covering Turkey. That pact wa
sealed in secret in August and re-
Nesled for the first tina only a few
weeks ago. The Secretary Of Staoe
recalls that the United States has
consistently urged" the princ1pIe
that Territory rsnsferred in coits-
ouenee Of the defeat Of the cerfe
powers must not become the com
nereix spheres OF any nation or
group. but held snd.>admlnistered
SO as to assure equal treatment
been our clear understanding, Secre-
tary Colby explains, the United
States would never have assented
to the mandate system
Not the least caustic sting in the
American note is in its tail. The
British note Of August sought to
justify British oil policy in the
Near East by contrasting the pres
ent production of petroleum in the
United States with that Of Great
Britain. Lord Curzon also made
some observations anent American
supremacy" in the petroleum indus
try. Secretary Colby almost curtly
resents those allusions. He reminds
the British Foreign Minister that
Americas idealistic views on mar
dates are not dictated by MATERIAL
istic considerations such as the sup
ply of oil ''or any other commod-
ity." Before Offering Lord Curzop
assurances Of my distinguished
consideration" Secretary Colby
takes a farewell hing at a ''misap-
prehension" under which he says
the British government Is laboring-
American supply Small
He points out that not only does
the United States possess only
about one-twelfth Of the petroleum
resources of the world. but that
America is subjected to heavier
drafts for foreign supply than any
other oil-producing country. As the
demand for petroleum is outrunning
the Ennn1NF Araarfra ~
opportunity to explore and develop
the petroleum resources of the
world, wherever found. should with
out discrimination be freely ex-
tended"
Although oil is the burden of
| Secretary Colby's note. he stresses
! in the final passage Of his nofe-thst
At is higher things that the ited
States is concerned about. Sdboss
range around the unalterablS tIrin-
ciple that mandates acquifef By
''joint struggle and common VIC
tory must be administered for the
joint and common good.
Mr.. Colby,s shaft at Great
Britain's 'misapprehension" as "a
the extent Of Americas oil resour-
, ces may be hurled at a statement
made publicly by Sir Auckland
Geddes shortly after his arrival tn
this country. The British Ambaann-
dor, addressing the Pilgrims OF the
United States in New York on Nay
25, last, declared that -in all, you
control at least eighty-tvo per cent
of the oil supply OF the world" The
American note now asserts that vs
control approximately only eight
and one-third per cent II may be
that Sir Auckland got his decimal
, points mixed