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Show COMMONER SAYS I ARMENIA NEEDS 1 TO STAND ALONE 1 Bryan Takes Flat Issue With President on Near East Situation - EXERCISING AUTHORITY OVER NATION OPPOSED fjl Message of Executive Asking Power to Accept Mandatory I to Be Considered 1 J WASHINGTON, May 25 William J. 1 ; I Bryan took flat issue today with Presi- jl H dent Wilson on the question of an jl American mandate over Armenia, de- M daring in a statement that "any man- I date is impossible." B 'H Tho United States, Mr. Bryan said, I could do more toward making tho world safe for democracy "even for Ml democracy in Armenia," by recognlz- H ing the Armenian republic and enter- H ing the league' of nations "as the H friend of all little countries." IH Clay Is Quoted. H "Nearly 100 years ago," continued Mr. Bryan, "Henry Clay set forth the American view on this subject in deal-ing deal-ing with aspirations of South American republics Clay declared it to be a reflection on the Almighty to B assume that he would create peoples Incapable of self-government and leave them to the victims of Icings and cm- perors. jH "All the colonial exploitation of help-less help-less peoples is defended on tho theory of their inacapacity for self-govern- jJ ment. We cannot indorse this theory jH which will be injurious to the Ar-menian Ar-menian people instead of a kindness to brand them ns incapable of self-gov-eminent. If t were once admitted -they never 'would b'e permitted to out-grow out-grow tho presumption of incapacity because consent to their independence jH would encourage other subject peoples to ask for independence. America and Christianity. "Christianity does not require us to abandon our ideas of government or to IH adopt monarehlal forms in rendering IH aid to suffering people. American fdeas are distinctly consistent with Christianity. We can recognize the in-dependence in-dependence of tho Armenian republic and send as minister to Armenia a man who has faith in democracy and who believes that governments shouhl rest upon consent of the governed. He IH can- advise with Armenian officials IH , when they desire advice and help them HH I as a friend. We can be of much more " I service to them in this way than we n ' lean by exercising authority over them. L I Then, if we v;ill ratify the treaty and HB I enter the league of nations as the 1 friend of all the little countries and insist upon universal disarmament we ' , jH may be able to make the world safe for democracy even for democracy in IH America." IH President Wilson's message asking .authority to accept a mandate over Ar-nieuia Ar-nieuia probably wit not be consider-I consider-I ered by the house foreign affairs', com-Imittee com-Imittee until after the recess. |