Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-30
RIGHT Of AMERICA
To VOICE IN FARLEY
IS UNQUEST|ONED
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1927

Copyright, 1871
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-Re-
sponsibility and risks, mandates and
territorial spoils, equity Of CONNER
cial opportunity and the policy of
the United States in the Near East
were outlined today by one of the
spokesmen of the administration in
way that would have done the
European powers, gathered at Lau-
same, a great deal of good to hear.
1t all developed from the constant
flow Of cable dispatches from Eu-
rope criticising the American gov
eminent for instructing Ambassador
Child, of Italy, to get up in open
meeting and declare American de-
sires in the Near East.
The dispatches reflected feeling
Of resentment that America should
be unwilling to take any risks in po-
Icing Europe, or in supervising the
so-called inundated regions, and yet
should want an equal share of COM
mercial opportunities.
Naturally the responsible authori-
ties here couldn't be quoted, as they
were dealing with anonymous COM
ment received through the press,
but there is no doubt here that the
European correspondents reflected
accurately the viewpoint of the
diplomats abroad.
Fallacies Exist
Two fallaCies, it was explained by
the spokesman here of the govern
ment, seem to exist in the European
mind. One is that, because the
United States didn't accept d man
date in Armenia, she was not en-
titled to any of the advantages
which other powers will enjoy in
the inundated regions.
This prompted the reply here that
perhaps the European governments
have forgotten the original idea of
a mandate, which was to be a trus.
teeship.
Possibly if the United States had
not come into the war at the crucial
moment these same territories would
today be German provinces. The al
lies disclaimed any idea of selfish
ness or annexation in pursuing the
war, and it was the suggestion of the
American peace commission that the
territories taken from Germany
should belong jointly to all the vic
tors, but that particular nations
should be selected to act as trustees
and administer those lands under a
charter granted by all and periodical
ly supervised.
The United States was and is
charter member of the group of vic
tors, and any nation which holds a
mandate is merely a trustee. One
of the chief arguments in favor of
the mandate system was that it
would preserve equality and prevent
discrimination.
The. United States government to-
day is merely rising up to remind
the powers that America simply
wants equality. The question of
whether America has refused to I'M
dertake any responsibility by declin-
ing q mandate is not pertinent, be-
cause it was specifically provided
that mandates were not to be COM
pulsory.
American public opinion didn't sup
port the acceptance of the only man
date offered America, namely that of
Armenia, but the opinion of other
countries has similarly been ranged
against taking other mandates, too.
Mistaken Idea
The other fallacy which has given
rise to criticism of America in the
Lausanne conference on Near East
ern affairs has been the idea that
the United States absolved herself
from all responsibilities in Europe.
and, hence was not entitled to equal
consideration or, to put it another
way, the nation which had all the
bother and risk of administering a
mandate was entitled to special priv
ileges.
That is exactly the opposite of
what the Wilson administration and
secretaries Of state preceding Mr..
Hughes have understood to be the
object Of mandates.
AS for undertaking possibilities
the department of state feels that
it is merely following a century OF
precedents in declining to be par
ty to boundary disputes in Europe.
America under the Wilson admins
tration refused to be party to the
negotiations of a peace treaty with
Turkey because war hadn't been de-
clared against the Ottoman empire,
and because it was felt boundary
lines was strictly European mat
ter.
The protection of American rights.
however, under historic treaties be-
fore the war has not been forfeited
through that act, and the European
governments will find themselves
much mistaken if they believe that,
because the United States govern
ment isn't taking part in the policing
of Europe, it will waive any of the
rights which it possessed before the
European war, or which it derived