THE TURKISH TREATY.

Wairarapa Age, 27 March 1920, Page 5

THE TURKISH TREATY.

Lloyd George Explains.

POSITION OP THE SULTAN. (By Electrio Tele^aph.—{Jopyright.) (Australian-NJI. Cable Association.) Received Last Night, 11.10 o'clock. LONDON, March 25. In the House of Commons the Right Hon. 11. H. Asquith called attention to the foreign policy, and severely con* demned the Government's decision to retain the Turks in Constantinople, but he recognised that it was now practically impossible to recede from the terms of the published announcement. Mr. Asquith favoured making the Sultan's position in Constantinople similar to that of the Pope in tho Vatican, allowing the Sultan to exercise no functions but those of Khalif. He urged that the total amount of. tho .reparation claims against the . Central Powers should be fixed. Mr. Lloyd George, in replying, stated that it was a matter for Euro-* pean joy that the militarist plot in Germany had failed, but ( it was moat difficult to conjecture what would " happen now, although the situation at present indicated the of , order. ; The Vaticanisation of the Sultan had been considered inadequately. .He contended that it would enormously increase tho Allies' financial responsi- ! bility if they were expected to govern .' Constantinople. - . The delay in signing the Turkish . Treaty was due to a desire, not to • proceed pending the possible settle- . ment of political . differences in America. \ He regretted the absence 'of an offer by America to protect Armenia, add* ing: '"We cannot police the whole world. It is .unfair to burden tho British Empire indefinitely with' the cost of policing." Mr.. Lloyd George disagreed ydth Mr. A9quith's Suggestion that'-'th* British interests in Mesopotamia should be restricted to the zone of Basra. Almost all the tribes were anxious that the British Government should remain. "Our idea was to remain as mandatories over the territory, which would include Mosuh in order to assist the Arab Government,' 1 . said the Prime.Minister. He pointed out that Germany had not taken advantage of "the invitation to make a spbeific offer regarding reparations. He emphasised the neces- : " aity of remembering the justice of the French claims, and felt that the Allies would support a fair and reasonable, proposal. " The Premier discountenanced tne suggestion that the reparation work should be handed over to the League of Nations. v

AMERICAN HELP TOR ARMENIANS. .~..v Eeceived Last Night, 11.10-o'clock. , WASHINGTON, March 25. A subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has recommended that the United States Government-should provide arms and equipment sufficient for the Armenian army to protect the people against the. Turks and Kurds, also-that an American warship be sent to Batoum, and marines landed to protect the railway connecting Batoum with Baku. '