File 2249/1915 Pt 4 ‘Oil: Mesopotamia & Persia. (General File) 1920–24’ [‎67v] (134/484)

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already undertaken to pass judgment upon the valid,ty
r e p-ions concerned and to concede validity to certain of those claims wtnc
Zarentlv the entire Mesopotamian area. Indeed, this Government understands yotu
apparently tne enti h , th intent i on to take, any such ex parte and
note to deny havmg taken, and to deny the mtenr ^ ^ s ’ ucl / iuformatlon as this
premature action. In this connection,! m g " , Tnr-lrieh Petroleum Comnanv^
Government has received indicates that prior to the war, the Tur kl ® h ^ P 1 “^
to make specific reference, possessed in Mesopotamia no rights to petroleum c ™
or to the exploitation of oil; and, in view of your assurance that r 1 / 8 *„ lv T a m "t
of the Mandatory Power to establish on its own behalf any kind of 1 *
some loss to understand howto construe the provision of t ke ^ n ^
that any private petroleum company which may develop the Mesopotamian
“ shall be under permanent British control.” ^ fV,P United States
Your Lordship contrasts the present production of petroleum in the United states
with that of Great' Britain, and some allusion is made to Amencan siipremacy m the
petroleum industry. I should regret any assumption by H.s Majesty s Gdvernment or
anv other friendly Power that the views of this Government as to the true character of
a mandate are dictated in any degree by considerations of the domestic need or
nroduction of petroleum, or any other commodity.
p I may be permitted to say, however, for the purpose of correcting a misappre
hension which your note reflects, that the United States possesses only one-twelfth
approximately of the petroleum resources of the world. The oil resources of no
other nation" have been so largely drawn upon for foreign needs and yom Lonhbps
statement that any prophecies > to the od-beanng resources of unexplored and
undeveloped countries must be accepted with reserve, hardly disposes of the scientific
calculation upon which, despite their problematical elements, the pohcies of Steto and
the anticipations of world production are apparently proceeding. Tke
of the United States assumes that there is a general recognition of the fact that
the requirements for petroleum are in excess of production, and it beheves that
opportunity to explore and develop the petroleum resources of the world, wherever
found, should, without discrimination, be freely extended, as only by the unhampered
development of such resources can the needs of the world be met.
But it is not these aspects of oil production and supply, m so tar as they
are of domestic interest to the United States, with which I am concerned m this
discussion I have alluded to them in order to correct confusing inferences liable
to arise from certain departures, which I believe I discern in your Lordship s com
munication. from the underlying principles of a mandate, as evolved and song
to be applied by the Allied and Associated Powers to the territories brought
under their temporary dominion by their joint struggle and common victory. is
dominion will be wholly misconceived, not to say abused, if there is even the slightest
deviation from the spirit and the exclusive purpose of a trusteeship as strict as it is
comprehensive. . .,
Accept, my Lord, the assurances of my most distinguished consideration.
BAINBBLDGE COLBY,
Secretary of State of the United
btates of America.