New-York tribune., 1921-02-23
Colby Warns Council
All Allied Nations Must
Share in Opportunities
inTerritory soCoverned
Demand Previously
Made Upon Britain
Action fastened by Fear
of Arbitrary Ruling ON
Mesopotamia and Yap
From The Trtoune's Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-Equal op-
portunities in mandate territories for
all Allied and associated nations within
and outside the League of Nations again
was demanded by the American State
Department to-day in note dispatched
to Ambassador Wallace for presenta-
tion to the president of the Council of
the league, in session at Paris.
The new American protest is directed
primarily against the proposed man
dates for Mesopotamia and Yap, but is
Sufficiently general in terms to cover
all mandate territories agreed upon or
later to be allotted.
The text of the note was withheld bv
Secretary OF State Colby pending it's
actual presentation to the Council of
the league.
The note was described as the final
demand to be made Of the League of
Nations by this government, which
seeks a voice in the determining of the
future control of mandate TERRITORY in
order that the American policy of nom
discrimination between and among ma
tions might be upheld.
Hughes Not Consulted
When asked to-day if Charles Evans
Hughes, Secretary of State in the Har-
dlng Administration, was consulted he
fore the dispatch of the mandate note
Secretary Colby replied in the mega
eve. 1t was explained, however, by
othor State Department officials that
the note could no longer be DELAYED
because Of the possibility that the
Council of the league might definitely
exclude this government in mandate
aHalrs al by approving of the drafts Of
VAe Mesopotamla and zap mandates.
IL was to safeguard American inter-
ests and the new Administration
against possible peremptory action hv
the league that the new protest was
dispatched one official Of the State
Department explained.
Inc American note was described q
similar in content to the Colby memo
Tandum dispatched to the British gov
eminent IN protest to the British man
GATE over Mesopotamia, in which the
open door" policy was emphatically
advanced as the only principle tnis
government would approve. Thus far
no answer has been received from the
British Foreign Office on this note, The
oeclslon to address the Council of the
League of Nations directly was predi
Gated on information conveyed TO This
government that efforts might be made
to have the league ratify the British
mandate without further reference to
this government.
Great Britain Previously Advised
The Colby note to Great Britain was
dispatched in November. In it the con-
tention was advanced that equal oppor-
tunities must be provided for the citi-
zens of all countries in all mandate
territories. The note set forth the
point that this government did not pur-
pose being excluded from participation
in the rights and privileges secured
under mandates as provided in the Yer
sailles treaty, and that the United
States expected to be heard regarding
the terms of these mandates before
they actually became effective.
Th November note was in ~eply to
one from Great Britain under date of
last August 8, which dealt with the an
llication of the principles of equalitv
cf treatment to the territories Of the
Near East to be placed under British
The American government
LOOK issue with what was described as
the British position that mandate
agreements and treaties were TO be CON
sidered only by states members of the
League of Nations.
In his answer Mr.. Colby said that
the United States, as participant Of
the World War "and contributor to
its successful issue, cannot consider
any of the associated powers, the small.
est not less than itself, debarred from
discussion of any of its consequences
or from the participation in the rights
and privileges under the mandates pro
rided in the treaties of peace"
Special Cable to The Tribune