The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-13
YAP, CABLE CENTRE,
OBJECT OF DISPUTE
japanese Hold 1t and Refuse
Equal Landing Rights to
Other Nations.
Ru The Associated Press.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-Diferences
over disposition of the former German
cables which have threatened to break
up the international communications
conference in session here were tempo
rarily smoothed over to-day at a plenary
session held at the State Department.
Negotiations between the Ave allied and
associated Powers represented in the
conference will be continued
1t became known that the threatened
disruption had been averted through con-
ce lation of railroad and steamship res
ervations by the foreign delegates who
had planned to leave Washington for
New York and San Francisco Tonight TO
take their departure home. Another
plenary session will be held tomorrow
in the effort to reach a settlement of the
points at issue.
The visit of acting Secretary of State
Davis TO the Capitol last week when
break seemed imminent In the negotia-
lions, to confer with the Senate For
eign Relations Committee, and the as
surances of support that Secretary Davis
received from the committee for the con-
tentions of the American commissioners
to the conference is believed to have
had the effect of restraining any pre-
cipitate action on the part of the for
eign delegations
The chancelries OF Great Britain,
France, Italy and Japan are understood
to have become concerned over failure
to reach an amicable agreement as to
disposition Of the cables and the active
part which the Foreign Offices of the
four Governments is expecte dto take
in the negotiations, 1t is believed, will
give the needed impetus to the solution
of the embarrassing international prob
lens which have arisen.
The outstanding difficulties in the way
of an agreement, are understood to be
the refusal of the japanese to concede
the principle of equality of all nations
in cable landing rights on the Island Of
zap, one of the most important centres
of cable communication in the Pacific,
and the refusal of the French to make
concessions to the United States and
Italy of the German transatlantic cable
seized by the French in 1914 and di-
verted from Emden, Germany, to Brest-
France.
The United States. together with
Great Britain and Italy, have argued
for the nternationalzation Of all islands
Ike zap. which are centres of cable
communication and upon which cable
communications of more than one ma
ton are dependent.
Japan is understood to have contended
that the Island of zap was awarded to
her without restriction by the mandate
given her by the Paris peace confer
ence over all former German islands
north of the equator and that the es-
adjustment OF even the principle of
equal cable landing rights at zap would
be contrary to japanese law.
The United States and Italy have
asked for the former German transat-
lantic cable now I'm possession OF the
French, in order that II might be relaid
between New York and Genoa, Italy,
and afford direct means OF cable com
munication between the two countries.
They have supported their claim for
this cable with the contention that while
neither Italy nor the United States OBJ
tanned any of the German cables.
France now has in her possession not
only the transatlantic line but also sew
eral of the former German systems
skirting the African coast
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