Evening star., 1921-09-17
Editorial Digest
America and the Mandates.

The American attitude toward man
dates. which Lord Robert Cecil calls
q purely negative" one, responsible
for the present chaotic condition Of
the system. at least has the whole
hearted support of the American peo-
pie. as voiced by the press. With few
exceptions. American newspapers in
dorse the latest pronouncement of
the State Department on the mandate
question. and find 1t not a negative.
but a forcefully positive statement of
policy. Even strong league papers
maintain that our non-membership
In the league cannot be permitted to
prejudice In any way our rights in
! of them feel that only by joining can
we enforce these rights.
"The blame for the delay in the
institution of the mandate system
cannot be laid at the door of the
United States" declares the New
been put into effect because those
who tried to put it into effect got
started all wrong" and "muddled the
situation by trying to count us out"
1ntelligencer (republican), that the
| system has created complications"
since it is entirely new in interna-
| tional affairs" and there is still
J much to be desired in the way Of a
mandate understanding"
"The fact that the allied nations
] have asked for additional information
| on the attitude of the United States
toward the whole question indicates.
to the Brooklyn Eagle independent
democratic)., that they are now
| tory to this country" and the San
| Francisco Chronicle independently
also detects IAN obvious desire to ad-
just the matter of mandates to accord
| with the public opinion Of this coun-
try"
What that attitude is. as set forth
In Secretary Hughes recent note to
the allies. the Salt Lake Tribune
| (republican) states thus: I'm gen.
eral way Mr.. Hughes insists on such
| revision of the mandates as shall
eliminate any possible discrimination
against the United States and it's ma
| tionals in the inundated territories
| because America Is not member of
the league of nations. Furthermore.
he insists that in regard to COM
| mercial concessions in these terrific
ries there shall he no discrimination
or monopolies. and that the open door
| for American commercial enterprises
shall be maintained"
This insistence on equal trade
rights sis entirely right and just"
the Memphis Commercial Appeal
(democratic) finds, since ''the mandate
merely confers trusteeship. to be ad-
| ministered fairly and equitably," and
| it cannot see the soundness of the
contention that the mandatory pow
| ers, in view of the trouble and labors
to which they are put in administer
| ing their mandates, are entitled to
more favorable treatment for them
selves than for any other country
In short, the American wish" as the
| Indianapolis News independently in
IN rFNr rnf q fe RI tod tn~ ~p.t-
tories shall not degenerate into mere
spheres Of influence"
The requirement of the covenant of
the league of nations that mandates
| shall be administered SO as to secure
| equal opportunities for other men,
Journal independently thinks will
naturally not be construed by our
government as closing the door Of
opportunity to a non-league nation"
for 1t ia 'indisputable. and presum-
| "our normal rights as one of the
family of nations are not prejudiced
| by our absence from the smaller and
|artificially created family, the league
| of nations" Whether or not we be-
| long to the league does not alter
the fact" the Columbus (Ohio) Dis
pa tch independently says. that por-
tions of the earth cannot be set off
for exploitation by specified countries
without dara- -er to the peace of the
world" and it declares, the peace
policy is the open door policy. long
ago advocated by the United States"
America is a joint heir of the
German empire" the Philadelphia
Public Ledger independently holds.
I'VE must be consulted" instead of
being ignored. or practically ignored"
and some settlement must be made,
because the American stand is in
herently right, and the action of the
allies has been indefensible." Where
mandates "over conquered or forfeited
territories assure members of the
league of nations the enjoyment of
equal commercial privileges" the
Philadelphia Bulletin independent re-
publicanj emphatically maintains that
the United States is equally entitled
to share in them" and there must
be mo loophole for quibbling by any
of the allies or associated powers over
the steps taken by the United States
to protect its just claims"
To maintain these rights in the case
of Turkish territory, which is the
Immediate question at issue in Sec
retary Hughes latest note, when I'VE
had nothing to do with either the
| war on Turkey or the treaty of peace
with her." appears to the New York
Times independent democratic). as
"straining a point" But the reply
pendent democratic) to that attitude
| is that "the indirect role of America
| in Turkeys. defeat in no way invali-
dates this country's claim to a vic
tors rights to complete equality with
the other conquerors in the CONNER
cial opportunities opened by the COM
mon victory"