, 1922-09-22
The Grief We Escobed

Ii of former President Wilson
i had been carried into effect, with reference to
Joining the League of Nations and accepting a
mandate over Armenia, what would have been the
position of the United States in the present emer.
genecy in the near east?
The first purpose of the league covenant is TO
preserve peace. Economic measures are to be re-
sorted to first, but if they fail military force is
to be called upon. 1t is manifest that economic
pressure would have no deterrent effect on the
Turks against the Greeks, and it is I'M 10 tho
members of the league to call on their armies and
navies if the Turk and Greek combatants are to be
separated. But the fact is that neither Great
Britain nor France has any considerable number
of troops at hand.
1t will be remembered that General Hartford
made a thorough investigation two years ago of
the whole Armenian situation. He estimated at
the time that it would cost the United States S756.
O0O,OOO to accept a mandate over that country for
five years, the cost for the first year being 500.
oOO,OOO. He recommended a military force of two
American divisions, or 1000 men, to maintain or.
der in the country. If the mandate had been ac-
cepted according to the Wilson program, the Unit
Ell States would be the only Christian nation on
the ground with an effective force, although even
that would be entirely inadequate to cope with
the Turkish army estimated at 100000.
Being a member of the league, it would have be.
come the immediate duty of the United States to
threaten Turkey with attack, if she did not cease
her campaign against Greece also a member. IT
would have required no action of the other mem.
Ders OF the league to determine that course-the
duty of each individual member being clearly in.
dictated in article Y of the covenant, Armenis
is too far removed from the scene of the present
fighting to have made it possible for an Ameri.
can army to join with the Greeks in meeting the
Turks, but 1t would have been feasible for our two
divisions to have conducted a counter demonstra.
ton against Turkey along the Armenian frontier.
which would hare had the prompt effect of calling
a halt to hostilities in Asia Minor while the Turks
met the new menace in the east.
Then the United States would have found itself
launched in a war with Turkey. And not only Tur-
key but probably against Russia as well, for it
is understood that the Soviets are going to assist
the Turks in the r~ecapture of Constantinople. 1t is
easy to conjecture the further possibilities. Bull.
garia is likely TO join with the Turks against the
Greeks, and it is confident prediction of men ia
miliar with near eastern affairs that the conflict
Will resolve itself into a religious war, with the
Moslem countries of Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt, Pal
estine, Mesopotamia and India arrayed against
the Christian world. Where would the United
States have been in that situation? The two lone
divisions in Armenia would have been wiped out
long before endorsements could have reached
them, we would have been embarked on a long and
dreary war, probably many times more costly in
men and money than the world war.
These are not fancifuI imaginings.. They are the
present and probably future situations into which
the national honor of the United States would
have forced our country had it assumed the inter
national responsibilities urged upon it by Mr.. Will
son. Fortunately the Republican senate stood
sreadfastly against such entanglements. and every
day brings further proof Of far-seeing wisdom of
the action.