New-York tribune., 1920-03-12
.CurZOn Blanes
u. S. for Muddle
Over Turkey
Tells Lords Treaty Diff
ficulties Are Largely Due
to Delay for Which
America Is Responsible

LONDON, March 11.-Blame for the
troubles that are being experienced in
settling the Turkish problem was laid
at the door of the United States by
Earl Curzon, British Foreign Secretary
in explaining the peace conference s
negotiations to the House of Lords
to-day
"The difficulty in framing the treaty
is largely due to delay, and America is
responsible for the delay" Lord Curzon
said.
The Foreign Secretary added that the
peace conference hoped when the new
states were set up in Asia Minor, how
ever, the United States "would helr
materially in assisting the new AR.
menia."
Earl Curzon's Statement
Earl Curzon's statement follows:
1.-The difficulties with which we are
confronted result from the fact that
the treaty with Turkey ought to have
been taken up year ago if it had been
possible. The circumstances which
prevented that or rendered it difficult
at Paris are we'll known, and the
House knows that the additional delay
that ensued later in the year was due
to no action or inaction on our part,
but solely to our waiting for the United
States of America.
THAT was the necessary cause of the
delay. 1t was in its consequences ex
ccedingly regrettable.
Situation nuo IN noIo,,
81 do not attribute the blame to any
body, but it is fact, which he who
runs can read, that the situation that
has been growing up is due to the fact
that twelve months have been lost in
dealing with this question"
Earl Curzon spoke in answer to Wis.,
count Bryce, who declared that the
Turk had been directly or Indirectly
responsible for all the European wars
IN the last century. and maintained that
he should be driven out of Europe and
even behind the Taurus Mountains.
Earl Curzon said the peace confer
ence believed the only way to expect
quiet Near East was so to arrange
things that the new states could be on
terms of friendship in some measure
with their neighbors. To take Con-
stantinople from the Turk and other
WioS tcS uO"f lOO HdIQ d peace, ne
declared, would only aggravate his
hatred and result in unending turmoil.
A plan for Immediately impressing
Turkey that she must conform with the
armistice has been completed, the For
eign Secretary said, and the Allies
had sent instructions to their high
commissioners at Constantinople to ex-
ecute it. 1t was inadvisable to make
this plan public at the present time,
as publication might defeat the Allies
aims, he said.
With that matter settled the con-
ference will attempt to decide upon the
disposition of Cilicia and Armenia. AS
many questions must be submitted to
the Allied governments, the procedure
will be slow, hence Earl Curzon did not
hope for the completion of the treaty
before April /.
Zeitun, HUNT and various other
Armenian villages in Cilcia have been
besieged by Turkish bands for the last
ten days, according to dispatches re-
celved from diplomatic sources to-day.
The dispatches say the Armenians thus
far have been able to defend them
selves.
lZeitun is in the vlayet of Alcppo,
twenty miles northwest of Marash,
where the recent Armenian massacres
are reported to have occurred.