The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 1920. CANADA AND ARMENIA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16724, 27 April 1920, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 1920. CANADA AND ARMENIA.

The statement cabled on Saturday that Canada was willing to accept mandate for Armenia has no! at the time of writing received any confirmation, but it certainly suggests most interesting developments- which might well mark an epoch in the history of the British Empire. It causes no surprise when we hear that the mandate for Armenia was offered to Norway, because, though small, Norway is a nation with a King, Ambassadors and all the appurtenances of national existence. But comparatively few people realise that Canada is a far greater nation than Norway. Norway has an area of 124,000 square miles, while most of the provinces of Canada are two or three times that size. Canada has a population of nearly nine millions, while that of Norway is under 34 millions. The. resources of Norway are limited and she can never expect to play any great pari; in the world, whereas Canada, with territory more extensive than that of the TJnited States, has untold possibilities in the not very remote future. In the past Europe has dominated the world, but things are changing and people have not as yet realised the change. Canada, as already mentioned, has a population of practically nine millions and Australia lias five millions, while Belgium lias 7-} millions, Holland 64 millions, Sweden and Bulgaria oj- millions, Switzerland four millions, and Norway 24'millions. Belgium, it is true, controls 1,000,000 square miles of territory in Africa and Holland about four-fifths as much in the East Indies and elsewhere hut, even granting this, it is unreasonable that these, small European States and the half-score which are being created as the result, of the war should hulk so large in the world as compared with Canada and Australia. It is, of course, largely the fault of these two countries that their affairs are usually disposed of in three or four lines in British newspapers and that, before the war, people on the Continent of Europe hardly knew they existed. Britain has never restricted the activity of her daughter Dominions, hut they have- been so much occupied in developing their resources that they have had little time to look outside their own borders. They have also in naval and military matters been far too much disposed to allow tire British taxpayer to undertake the burden of their defence. That this was dun rather to ignorance on the problems of defence than to the desire to save money was clearly shown by the magnificent response made during the recent war by all the Dominions, which poured but lives and money with gallant recklessness. Yet even now there are many politicians who seem to think that no further efforts are needed to assist in preparations for the defence of the Empire by naval or military forces. The time has, however, arrived when the nations of Greater Britain should make their voices heard in the councils of the world. These youuq- peoples do not always see eye-to-eyc with the older nations who have grown up under the shadow of despotic or semi-desnotic governments, which look to the past rather than the future, but unless the Dominions are willing to share the responsibilities they cannot he expected to dictate the. policy, and may find things done which they would have ordered otherwise. For these reasons it would he an advantage for Canada to accepT the mandate to take charge of Armenia. There would be no profit to be made out of the undertaking, which would at once condemn it in the eyes of those w'ffci look at nothing but. the material side of existence. It might need a fairly large army to

keep order, with the Turks on one side and Bolshevik Ilussia pressing down on the other. It would he a very difficult task to restore order and prosperity in a region where for centuries the Turk has been doing his worst, hut it would he work that any nation might ho proud to carry to a successful issue. The introduction of Canadian energy and hopefulness into the unchanging East would he an experiment such as has never been tried before and it would be watched with the keenest interest. One can only hope that Canada will have the enterprise to* accept the mandate and take, her place definitely among the nations who make history.