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Show J CANNOT ELBOW US .5 OUT OF MESOPOTAMIA H Coming immediately after the elec- tion. the note of Secretary of State t olby to Great Britain insisting on i H America participating in the disposal of the mandated territories, Is a sur- prLee. as it virtually asserts the right of the United States to review murh H of the work of the League of Nations. and. if that position is maintained, give to this uation nearly as much B influence in league affairs as though u member and tends to make unnec esaary America s entrance. H Great Brtain holds the mandate for H Mesopotamia, that wonderfully rich H area along the Tigris and Euphrates liven, l.uowjis 'he iaule of eivlliza tion. There were many prominen' Americans who had hoped this coun-H coun-H try would accept the mandate over H that part of Asia and thus open to our B young men unlimited opportunities in developing the resources. H Mr. Colby, In his statement, says H the government of the United States consistently urged that of the most importance to the future H peace of the world that alien territory, transferred as a result of the war with H the central powers, should be held and H administered in such a way as to as (sure equal treatment to the commerce and to the citizens of all nations. In 'deed, ii was in reliance upon an un derstanding to this effect and express ly in contemplation thereof that the United States was persuaded that the acquisition under mandate of certain enemy territory by the victorious DOW ers would be consistent with the best: interests of the world. "It is assumed accordingly. ' says Secretary Colby, "that your statements j with reference to mandate A (not de scribed), together with the statement thai the il raft mandates for Mesopotamia Mesopota-mia and Palestine have been prepared with a view to secure equality of treat ment for the commerce and citizens Of all slates which are members of the 'league of nations, do not indicate a supposition on your part that the Unit led States can be excluded from the benefits of the principle of equality of treatment." It would hare been a great mistake on our part to have allowed Great R-rlt ain to presume the exclude America from being classed as less entitled to recognition In the treatment of its commerce or its nationals, than nations na-tions which are members of the League of Nations. Our government should insist that Mesopotamia be opened to all peoples Ion terms of equality With a broad pol-j pol-j icy- prevailinc. the land of Babylon j should begin to absorb the restless .population of all countries. For centurb s the Turks have rulod over the homes in the great plains of western Asia and have acted more like robber barons than civilized admlnls trators of law and order, and. ns a re Bull Mesopotamia has remained in great part a wilderness. At one time large canals covored linuch of the arable land and cities of wealth and population were to be seen Then something happened and the cities cit-ies disappeared and the land went back to desert wastes. 1 is thought that irrigation without drainage ! brought the minerals to the surface land also waterlogged the farms and 'gradually destroyed the civilization of Jthat early period. New canals have been surveyed and new reservoir sites have been located, and eoon the recln 'mation of Mesopotamia will be pro deeding What an opening will be pre-1 ! seated to the young men of the west jern part of the United States who have been trained in irrigation! The oil fields of Mesopotamia are 'known to be extensive and our oil ex iperts should get on the ground, and Secretar. t',iy. evidently intends to j j prevent them being excluded. , j |