was a notorious fact.

After much discussion and vehement opposition on the part of the French
delegates an Inter-Allied commission under Mr. Charles Crane was sent to
visit the countries in dispute and to report on the leanings of their
populations. After having visited forty cities and towns and more than
three hundred villages, and received over fifteen hundred delegations of
natives, the commission reported that the majority of the people "prefer
to maintain their independence," but do not object to live under the
mandatory system for fifty years _provided the United States accepts_
the mandate. "Syria desires to become a sovereign kingdom, and most of
the population supports the Emir Faisal as king.[312] The commission
further ascertained that the Syrians, "who are singularly enlightened as
to the policies of the United States," invoked and relied upon a
Franco-British statement of policy[313] which had been distributed
broadcast throughout their country, "promising complete liberation from
the Turks and the establishment of free governments among the native
population and recognition of these governments by France and
Britain."[314]

The result of the investigation by the Inter-Allied commission reminds
one of the story of the two anglers who were discussing the merits of
two different sauces for the trout which one of them had caught. As they
were unable to agree they decided to refer the matter to the trout, who
answered: "Gentlemen, I do not wish to be eaten with any sauce. I desire
to live and be free in my own element." "Ah, now you are wandering from
the question," exclaimed the two, who thereupon struck up a compromise
on the subject of the sauce.

The tone of this long-drawn-out controversy, especially in the press,
was distinctly acrimonious. It became dangerously bitter when the French
political world was apprised one day of the conclusion of a treaty
between Britain and Persia as the outcome of secret negotiations between
London and Teheran. And excitement grew intenser when shortly afterward
the authentic text of this agreement was disclosed. In France, Italy,
Germany, Russia, and the United States the press unanimously declared
that Persia's international status as determined by the new diplomatic
instrument could best be described by the evil-sounding words
"protectorate" and the violation of the mandatory system adopted by the
Conference.

This startling development shed a strong light upon the