New-York tribune., 1921-01-23

srouble in Armenia and Turkey has
eeen the Treaty OF Sevres. Admittedly,
this was difficult question with which
to contend. but the treaty was drafted
oy the Allied powers, and the trouble
has arisen over the failure of certain.
factions to accent this treaty and of
the Allies to enforce it. This is a
question over which the President has
no control, and measures (which he
might take or recommend in this direc-
ton would be dependent upon the
hearty cooperation and support of the
Allied powers.
"rhe British Prime Minister calls at
tention to the report that Armenia is
under the control of Moscow, from
which it appears that another compli-
cation was developed. The dependence
OF Armenia on Soviet Russia is another
situation over which the President has
no control, and he sees no action he
could take to free Armenia without the
moral and diplomatic support of the
principal powers. which holds promise
OF bringing peace and accord to the
contending parties.
There is bitter d:strust and fear Of
war along all the Russian borders. 1t
to the Caucasus if the result is merely
TO free the forces there engaged for
= new campaigns on other sectors of this
long front. The distressful situation
of Armenia is but one detail of this
vast Russian problem, and the Presi-
dent most earnestly urges his convic-
tion that it is only by a general and
con- .rehensive treatment of the whole
problem, only by full and generous CO.
operation of the principal powers, that
hopeful approach to the pacifcation
rVI -
found.
Armed Invasion Opposed
The attitude of the President tow
ard those now in power in Russia has
been frequently and cleaxly expressed.
He regards the Bolsheviki as a violent
and tyrannical minority, by no means
representing the real desires and pur-
poses Of the Russian people. But he
had never believed that the problems
raised by this coup d'etat could be
solved by military action from outside.
He now hopes that the recent tragical
events on the Polish front and in the
Crimea have convinced all the world
that armed invasion is not the way to
bring peace to the people of Russia.
"The rapidly shifting events Of re-
cent months have only strengthened
his conviction that. the Russian revo-
must be developed to q satisfactory
conclusion by the Russians themselves.
Help may from time to time be given
from outside and Voluntarily received
but attempts at military coercion can
but end in disaster
'"There are elements In the present
situation which give added hope to
projects of pacification. All the world
is weary of war, and the conviction
grows among the peoples of all coun-
tries that the military method offers
problems of reconstruction which face
us. There is at present no overt civil
war in Russia. 1t is now a problem
of the relations between Central Rus
sia and the surrounding smaller ma
tional groups.
Mutual Distrust Main Obstacle
"The unrest and instability along the
border are caused by bitter and mutual
distrust. The struggling new nation
alities, which were formerly part of
the Russian Empire, are afraid to dis
arm and return to the works of peace
because they distrust the Bolsheviki
and fear new aggressions. The Soviets
contend that they are afraid to demob-
ilize because they fear new attacks.
The great impediment to peaceful
reconstruction in those troubled bor~
der territories is the imminent danger
OF new hostilities, caused by the ut
ter confusion between offense and de-
fense. Unless this Aistinction can be
clearly defined there is not only small
NOPE of peace, but no hope of a clear
perception of who is responsible for
new wars.
at is therefore the thought of the
President that the present moment
offers a peculiarly pressing challenge
to an attempt at general pacifcation
OF: on the Russian borders along these
lines Such an attempt seems to the
President the logical outgrowth-in
tact, the only logical development-of
the request to mediate in the Arme-
man conflict, and he feels bound in
conscience once more to cal this mat
Ter to the attention of the associated
nations
ut is obvious to all that these small,
struggling border states will not at
tack great Russia unless encouraged
BY promise of support from the strong
er powers. The President therefore be-
lleves that the sine qua non of an at
tempt at pacifcation must be public
ana solemn engagement among the
great powers not to take advantage of
Eussia's stricken condition and not to
violate the territorial integrity of
RUSSIA nor to undertake themselves
any further invasions of Russia nor to
tolerate such inyasions by others.
such public agreement would in
eject say to those now in power in
Russia: You are not menaced from
outside. The great powers have volun-
tarily guaranteed you from attack You
can have peace if you want it,
The responsibility for any new war
which might break out on the Russian
border would then be clearly placed.
IF the principal powers represented
on the council of the league find them
selves in accord with the President in
this matter and will assure him of
their moral and diplomatic support he
will instruct his personal representa-
tive, Mr.. Morgenthau, to proceed at
once on his mission"