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Show THE CITIZEN 4 . would not be disappointed in the position he has taken, but in view of his failure and in view of his present physical condition they could feel much safer if, ignoring technicalities and precedents, he accepted the proffered aid of the Senate. GOVERNMENT BY MANDATE .The argument which should appeal most potently to Americans is that the people of Armenia have, the right to be free of all, foreign domination and. to. choose their . own government. Whether Great Britain will absorb Armenia, as she has virtually absorbed Persia, in case we do not accept the .mandate we cannot tell, .but. judging by her policy in the East we are justified in believing that she. would not permit Armenia to be independent. Even though the Armenians should fall under the control of another power, we have not the right to rule them against their, will.. More than that, should the Armenians change their minds about independence and ask us to exercise, sovereignty over them a policy of wise caution would warn us away from the unusual experiment. . . W. GERARD, our former ambassador to Germany, advises people not to accept a mandate to govern any country. Speaking at a meeting held in New York to promote the creation of an independent Armenian state, he said: America will not accept any mandate for any country. I feel that if it is the duty of America to extend aid to any nation,, we need not be directed by a group of powers to perform that duty. Our people are deeply interested in the welfare of Armenia. We want to see the creation of an Armenian state from the Black sea to the Medi- terranean, and America will do her share in the erection of that state. In the hurly-burl- y of the debate on the peace treaty the President's unique plan of government by mandate was not discussed in extenso, but whether the treaty itself is revived or not we probably shall hear more of the plan and. the United States will be asked to extend its benevolent sway over remote peoples. ' The President suggested his plan as a substitute for the ancient plan of appropriating the enemys provinces and colonies by annexation. It was supposed to establish a sort of trusteeship under the League of Nations, which was to be the final arbiter. In reality government by mandate would not differ from colonial government." There would be the ruling and the subject races. It would be a form of government not differing materially from that form employed by Great Britain to govern her American colonies before the revolution. No white races have ever accepted subjection willingly ; they have always asserted their right to govern themselves. races Nor, so far as we are aware, have any of the looked upon their subjection with contentment. It has been suggested that the United States be given a mandate to' rule Armenia and another to rule Turkey. The Armenians, a white race,' insist on independence. The Turks, a yellow race, have shown some signs of welcoming our rule, but it is easy to discern that cupidity is at the bottom of their willingness to subject themselves to foreign sway. They see a chance of obtaining American gold to reconstruct their annihilated industries. After that feat has been accomplished to their satisfaction, the American guest will be invited to depart as speedily as possible. The Armenians, despite their povetry, desire independence. No doubt they trust the idealistic people of our land, but thfey have learned to despise the subjection of the weak by the strong. For agonizing'centuries the mandate of the Turk was heavy in the land. By mandate the Moslem despots pillaged and murdered the Arme-niauntil, at this day, there are scarcely a million of a once populous race left in Asia Minor and the Caucasus. To rule by mandate is to colonize in a new fashion. Our Monroe doctrine forbids Europe to colonize in the Western Hemisphere and binds iis not to interfere in European affairs. The spirit, if not the bcact letter of the doctrine, should constrain us not to establish an empire in Asia Minor as successor to the Turk. There are strategic reasons for not entering upon such an enterprise. Great Britain controls the straits of Gibraltar and, at any time, could stop our transports from proceeding to or from our mandatory possessions. For years, and mayhap for generations, the good will of the British might leave us no ground for anxiety or fear, but in the long run we might find ourselves in the position of one who holds out his right hand to an enemy armed to lop it off. Our only chance of ' redress would be the seizure of Canada, if it had not already joined itself to the American states. It is disagreeable, of course, even to suggest such possibilities, but great nations must not ignore any" perils they can foresee. Even though Great Britain should always remain friendly the changes of JAMES dark-skinn- ed ns ' ' i . i empire in Europe and Asia would find us unprepared to. cope with military exigencies in Turkey and Asia Minor. ... ANOTHER STOP-GA- P ' k 14 much blundering by his officials, President Wilson proposed of the steel strike temporary in character and Uncertain in its results. That the miners, expect a still further increase in pay is evidenced by the statement of the union chiefs. The scheme proposed by Dr. Garfield left no hope for the mine, workers other than the acceptance of an increase in mining prices of 14 per cent, says the statement. The Presidents proposal provides that this amount of advance is preliminary and that the tribunal which he shall set up will have full authority to consider further questions of wages and working conditions as well as profits of operators and proper prices for coal, readjusting both wages and profits if it shall be so decided. It is patent that the miners consider the 14 per cent increase simply as a temporary advance to be followed by others. While Garfields 14 per cent is no more sacred and unerring. than President Wilsons fourteen points, the miners treat it as if. it were simply, a stepping stone to higher things in the way of wages. The settlement is characteristic of the Democratic administration. It is a policy of postponing the evil day. The policy began when the le administration, in 1916, yields to the Adamson law holdup and after we entered the war it was apparent to all thoughtful men that, after the war, the workers would keep up their demands and so enlarge them that the government would be compelled to offer resistance and make a stand. It is to the credit of Mr. Garfield that he attempted to do this, but the President has taken the matter out of his hands and has effected another transitory arrangement. At the end of sixty days there probably will be another strike unless the arbitrators repudiate the Garfield settlement and grant an advance in wages. Mr. Lewis and Mr. Green of the mine workers deserve credit for opposing the radicals and bringing about a cessation of the strike. Had they been as deeply tainted with radicalism as they were suspected of being they would hot have battled so loyally for the Presidents plan but would have worked secretly to cause a continuation of the crisis. While the settlement is not all that it should be it probably was the best that the administration could obtain after years of timidity and wieakness in handling the problems of labor and capital. AFTER con-cusab- - . RED DEMOCRATS with Bolshevism, the Democratic it difficult to combat radicalism. Raymond Robins, one of our agents in Russia, returns to advocate sovietism ; former Immigration Commissioner Howe is shown to have released most of the Reds held at Angel Island for deportation and the Federal Trades Commission is accused of having many Radicals in its service. This is an incubus that' threatens to destroy to Democratic party. The Socialist party has broken into many pieces and its membership is: forming new organizations or drifting into old ones. Those whr are eager for power and emoluments ally themselves with the Democratic party and willingly accept office under a government which they secretly work to destroy. They appear to have no scruples of conscience or.honor, on this point. Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman have been taking1 refuge HONEYCOMBED |
