Arizona republican., 1921-02-21
SYRIAN MANDATE
 TRANSFER GIVES ENGLAND DIRECT .ROUT TE IN INDIA
Long Cherished All-Rail
 Route From India To Mediterranean Sea Made Possible By Agreement
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 The text of the Franco British convention by which the Syrian desert is transferred from al French to a British mandate was received today in official circles and is expected to engage the close attention of state department officials in connection with the study of the al- lied mandates in which the American government has been concerned.
 The convention as concluded be- tween the French and British govern ments, December 23, contains pro visions for settlement of the problem raised by the attribution to Great Britain of the mandates for Palestine and Mesopotamia, and by the attribu- tion to France of the mandate over Syria and Lebanon. all three conferred by the supreme council at San Remo."
 The two phases of the treaty which have engaged attention of the Ameri- can officials are:
 Establishment for the. first time of the precedent of a transfer of mandate territory from one power to another by mutual agreement without reference to the league of nations, and acquisition by Great Britain of her long cherished dream of an all rail route from the Mediterranean through territory under her exclusive political or military con trol.
 In the settlement of the boundaries of the mandate territories, the southern portion of Syria bordering on PaIes- tine previously allotted to France by the league of nations, is transferred to Great Britain and provision is made for the construction of a British railway linking Palestine, with the Mesopo- | tamian railway system through the | Syrian desert
 Section three, article five, provides thaSthe French government consents 1 to the nomination of a special com mission which, after having examined the ground may readjust the frontier 1 line in the valley of the Yarmuk, a: l far as Nasib so as to render possible the construction of a British railway and pipe line connecting Palestine witt the Hedjez railway and the valley O
 the Euphrates and running within areas under the British mandate" | Part of the British all-rail rout,
 from India to the Mediterranean ac, cording to advioes was begun secretl! during the war and was being com pleted from Quetta in Northern India t, Central Persia, skirting the Afghanis l tan border. The rail route from Pal 1 estine would cross the Syrian desert and passing through Basra in SoutherI
 Mesopotamia would effect junction With the me completed from India t' Southern Persia. With the transfer O Southern Syria from France to Grea Britain, according to officials, only to l Southern Persian link would be lief
 outside political control of Grea
 Britain and even now this link is un der partial political control and who'll under British military
 It is believed by officials here tha
 because of the uncertainty of the Turk
 ish settlement and the possibility O passing of control of Constantinopl
 from Great Britain, plans for the link
 ing of the projected Mediterranean t
 India railway route with that part c
 the Berlin to Bagdad system fror
 Constantinople south will be deferre
 until the Near Eastern situation be
 comes less obscure.