The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-02-23
UNITED STATES WILL INSIST ON
EQUAL CONSIDERATION WITH OTHER
POWERS in FORMER HUN TERRITORY
Secretary Colby Forwards Note
to Supreme Council in
Session at Paris.
USES STRONG LANGUAGE
France Pleased Because Amer
lea Is Interested in Euro
pean Affairs.
tRy The Associated Press)

lace's notification to the council or the
league OF nations today that the state
department at Washington desired to pre-
sent the views OF the United States be-
fgSe action was taken on mandates Gre
ated great surprise in league circles.
The gradual withdrawal of American
representatives from the councils com
missions connected with peace activities
had tended to confirm the opinion that
The outgoing administration would leave
all such initiative to the new govern
ment.
The text OF Secretary colby's note will
not be generally known until tomorrow
hut his unexpected Intervention is learned
in French circles and among others also.
with evident satisfaction as showing that
tho new world still maintains contact
and is still interested in the old worlds
problems.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 22-Eaual OPP
portunities for the citizens of all Of the
allied and associated powers whether
members OF the league OF nations or not
in former enemy territories to be admin
istered by the allied governments under
mandates Is insisted upon in note dis
patched by the state department TO the
council OF the league. now in session at
Paris.
The note went forward last night to
Ambassador Wallace who Is to present 1t
10 the council tomorrow. Its text was
withheld. but state department officers
described II today as being very nearly
Identical with the one on the same sub
ject sent TO the British government last
November by Secretary Colby.
That note was couched in exceedingly
firm language. In II Mr.. Colby took
issue with the British position that man
date agreements and treaties were to
- nn1rg nv uta az of
the league and declared that the United
states as a contributor TO the common
victory In the world war could not con-
slider amy OF the associated powers tha
smallest not less than itself debarred
from participation in the rights
and privileges secured under the man
dates provided In the treaties OF peace.
Initiation Of this. the first action to be
taken by the United States to the coun-
ell OF the league, was at the suggestion
OF one of the allied powers, understood
to have been Great Britain. The British
foreign office never has replied to Mr..
Coby's note In which he asked that the
United States be permitted TO examine
the draft OF mandates before their sub
mission to the league council for ap-
proval. Meantime, however, Great Brit
ain has sent the draft OF mandates for
Mesopotamia and Palestine to the coun-
ell and II is understood Il was for this
reason that IL suggested that the United
states present its views to the council.
Action by the council on the mandates
at the present session had been expected
and Il was explained il was on this ac-
count that the present administration de-
cided TO present it's arguments directly
10 the council despite the fact that only
a little more than two weeks remain be-
fore the new administration will come
into power.
Dispatches from Paris today said that
independent OF the action Of the Amer
lean government consideration of the
mandate governing Mesopotamia. Pales-
tine and Syria had been postponed until
the April meeting OF the council so that
Winston Churchill, the recently appoint
cd British secretary for the colonies
could have an opportunity to study the
questions involved.
II was said here tonight that this
would give the Harding administration
time In which to study the question and
come 70 a decision as to its policy with
nAgard 70 mandates.
The principal point at issue between
the United States and Great Britain is
the so-called San Reno agreement be-
tween Great Britain and France for the
development OF oil resources in the man
date territories In the Near East. Under
Secretary Davis OF the state department
has said that leading republican senator's
who are expected 10 have a voice in
shaping the policies OF the new adminis-
tration have approved the position taken
hy the state department on this question