Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-12-11
Fight Over.
Ex-Cer1nan
Cables Hot
Split in International Commu-
nications Conference Threat.
ened by Controversy on
Distribution of Lines.
France and Japan Out
BY The Associated Press.


Washington, Dec. 10.-Disagree-
ment between the representatives OF
the principal allied and associated
powers over the disposition of the
former German cables is understood
to have about reached a point
threatening disruption of the pre-
liminary international communica-
tions conference which has been in
session here for some weeks.
The United States, Great Britain
and Italy are said to have reached
an accord on most of the principal
points at issue, but France and Japan
have refused to accede to the major
proposals advanced by the United
States and Italy and upon which the
American and Italian governments
insist. ~
Acting Secretary Davis of the
State department, chairman of the
American commissioners to the con-
ference, laid the whole matter be-
fore the senate foreign relations
committee at two.hour conference
today behind closed doors. Chair
man Lodge announced later that the
American proposition had received
the unqualified approval of the
committee. 1t was stated further
cooperation between the State de-
partment and the senate committee
on the, question had been arranged
for.
Italy Joins U. S.
So far as the United States is COR
cerned, the principal issues is control
of the cable lines centering at the
Island of Yap, in the Pacific ocean,
and a direct line between the United
States and Italy. Italy is joining
with the United States in insisting
on the direct cable between the two
countries.
A plepary session of the delegates
to the communication conference
scheduled for today, was not held,
it was said, because OF the impossi-
bility of reaching an understanding
among the chief of the delegations of
the five powers, who met last night
informally in an effort to bring
about a compromise.
At this informal conference, it is
understood a proposal was brought
forward that instead of proceeding
in the attempt for the distribution OF
the cables among the five powers,
an agreement was reached for joint
ownership Of the lines. The United
States, Great Britain and Italy are
said to have supported this plan and
France and Japan to have opposed it.
Compromised Proposed.
According to information today in
official circles, the American gov
ernment has proposed that COM
promise be effected on the distribu-
ton of the cables emanating from
Yap and now in the hands of Japan
by the ALLEGATION of the Guam-Yap
cable to the United States, of the
Yap-Dutch Indies cable to Holland
and of the Yap-Shanghai cable to
Japan. This plan, however, is un-
derstood' to have met with the dis
of the Japanese delegates,
who contended that Japan should
retain at least a half interest in the
Guain-Yap cable, as we'll as in the
Yap- Dutch Indies cable.
A proposal of the American dele
CATION that the German cable in
possession of France and extending
from New York to Brest via the
Azores, be diverted from the Azores
to Genoa. Italy, and divided between
Italy and the United States is said
to have met with the determined
opposition of France. 1t also has
been proposed that the cable between
South America and Africa, the
Monrovia- -Pernambuco cable, be
jointly owned by the United States
and France.
Britain Accedes to y. S.
= So far as the transatlantic cable
from Halifax to Penzance is con-
cerned, Great Britain, which now
controls it, has acceded to the de-
sire of the American government
that this line be restored to its for
mer connection between New York
and Emden, Germany, in considera-
ton of the transfer to Great Britain
of one of the American trans-At-
lantic cables between England and
Canada.
Senators said that, broadly speak
ing. the position of the United States
was that America should enjoy as
satisfactory position with regard to
cable communications now as it did
before the world war.