PRESIDENT HOOVER’S SYMPATHY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 3 September 1929, Page 4

PRESIDENT HOOVER’S SYMPATHY

The other European Powers who approved the Zionist scheme are only too well content to stand aloof and leave Great Britain to bear the full weight of the burden she has chosen to assume in Palestine. Apparently the only word of real sympathy and appreciation has come from the new President of the United States, who has some personal conception of the difficulties to be overcome. He was reported a few days back as acknowledging “the fine spirit shown by the British Government in accepting the mandate,” and as expressing confidence that ultimate justice would be done. Possibly Mr. Hoover, who was in intimate touch with the proceedings at the Paris Peace Conference, is recalling to himself not altogether with pride what happened there. When President Wilson subscribed to the Covenant of the League of Nations, with its mandatory provisions, there was a quite definite understanding that his powerful and wealthy country would undertake some of the responsibility of putting the system into operation. Indeed, this had more especial regard to some of the territories that had been freed from Turkish aiisrule and oppression. We all know how the American Senate rejected the Covenant and all its obligations, direct and indirect, leaving the war-worn nations of Europe to carry out its onerous purposes. Nor, is it likely that Mr. Hoover forgets that when the mandates were being distributed the U.S. Government intervened to prevent a final settlement of their terms without its assent, nor the ground upon which it based its interference. “Though the U.S. is not a member of the League of Nations, the colonies and territories concerned having been ceded by the Peace Treaty to all the Allied and Associated Powers, no distribution of mandates for them can be valid without the approval of the U.S.” This seemed rather a strange stand to be adopted by a mere “associate” in the war, who had had nothing whatever to do with the conquest of these colonies and territories, who had refused to join in the common treaty, had made a separate treaty with Germany, and had declined all responsibility as to the execution of the mandates. It was, however, early ascertained that the primary object in view was to see that, though she would have nothing to do with paying the doorkeepers, the doors of these colonies and territories should be kept open to America’s traders. Having made this secure, the American Government graciously consented to her associates in the war fulfilling the duties which itself had declined. President Hoover has some knowledge of the world-wide anxieties that continually beset the British Government, no matter of what political colour it may be, and we believe that he was thoroughly sincere in the words of comfort and encouragement to which he gave public expression.