The Washington herald., 1920-11-26

"
he "open door" in Mesopotamia. fol-
ows:
The Right Honorable Earl Curzon
OF kedieston, X. c.
His Maiesty's Secretary Of state
for Foreign Affairs.
November 20. 1920.
MY Lord-I have the honor TO
refer to your note of August % re-
gardfng the application Of the
principle of equality OF treatment
to the territories Of the Near East
10 be placed hinder masdates, and
specifically to the petroleum re-
sources Of those territories ms uf-
fected by that principle.
Before considering the obserSa-
tioss of HLs Mnjesty's government
on the general principles advocat-
ed by the United states, and
agreed TO by the allied powers,
for application 10 the mandates
over FORMER Turkish territory, as
outlined I'm the notes of May IL
and July -, addressed to you on
behalf of this government, i think
II will clarity the discussion 10 in
dicate certain Of your statements
and assurances which this gov
ernment has been pleased 10 re-
ceive. Thus, ! note that the ns-
alignment to Great Britain of the
mandate for Mesopotamia was
made and accepted subject to no
81
with any third government re-
EardfnE economic rights, which,
OF eOurse. would have been wholly
mt variance with the purpose and
contemplation OF any mandate.
IL Ia also gratifying to learn
His Majesty's government In I'm
full sympathy with the several
propositions formulated I'm the note
of May IL. above referred to, which
embody or illustrate the principles
which this government believes
should be applied In the inundated
regions, and which are essential
to the practical realization of
equality of treatment.
The statements Of your note. to
the effect that the British govern
ment has refrained from exploit
Ing the petroleum resources of the
inundated territories In question; I;
that the operations referred to
have been conducted for purely
military purposes under the i'm
mediate supervision Of the army
authorities and mt army expense,
and that no private interests
whatever are In any way involved,
are accepted with n full sense Of
the good faith Of the british Cow
ernment.
Assurances OF Britain.
The Eoxernmeat Of the United
States notes that His MaIesty's
government has found IL necessary
to suspend, during the period of
occupation. the grant of facilities
and opportunities to British as
well ms TO other private interest.
TO Investigate the natural re-
sources of the country, either for
the purpose of acquiring new
claims or Strengthening old ones,
and that there is no reason for
assuming that the administration n
either Of Mesopotamin or OF PaIcs-
tine has mt amy time failed to
carry out the assurances of His
=
This government welcome. your
pledges to the effect that the nat
urnt resources of Mesopotamia are
10 be secured to the people of
Mesopotamia and TO tke future
Arab state, to be established i'm
that region, and that IL is the pur-
pose of the british government,
fuiiy niive to its obligation ax n
temporary occupant. not only to
secure those resources to the Meso-
pOtnmfan state. but also IL abso-
lutte freedom of action in the con-
troi thereof. and In particular that
f Is far from the intention of the
mandatory power TO establish my
kind OF monopoly or preferred DO
sftion In its own Interest.
The government of the United
states appreciates, likewise. the
concurrence with its view that the
merits Of all claims to rights nj
legged to have been acquired in the
inundated territories before the
outbreak OF hostiiities must he
duly established before recognitiop
OF such claims will be accorded.
AdNerting, ut this point, to the
views OF His Majesty's govern
mcnt regarding the nature of the
responsibilities OF mandatory now
ers under the league OF nations. I
desire to call 10 the ntscu ton of
HIS Mnjesty's government, the
fnct that, while the draft man.
date, Form A. was not adopted Mt
Paris, IL was the understanding of
the American representatives,
there present, that the British
government entertained and had
expressed convictions favorable to
said form, and that, presumably,
IT'S representatives would exercise
their influence i'm conformity with
those convictions.
America for Equality.
L need hardly refer again to the
fact that the government of the
United states has consistentIy
urged that 1t Is of the utmost i'm
portance to the future peace Of
the world that alien territory
transferred ms n resuIt of the var
with the central powers should
be held and administered in such
a way as to assure equal treat
mont to the commerce and to the
citizens OF all nations. Indeed II
wns in reliance upon nm UNDER
standing to this effect, and ex-
pressly I'm contemplation thereof
that the United States was per-
, suaded that the acquisition under
mandate of certain enemy terri
tory by the victorious powers
would be consistent with the hes,
interests of the world.
B II fs assumed. accordingly, that
your statements with reference "a
Mandate A. together with the
statement that the draft man.
dates for Mesopotamia and Pales-
tine have been prepared with q