The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-07
HUGHES Note.
STATES anew
RIGHT OF U. S.
Declares Privilege of America
To Participate in Peace
Settlements Affecting For
mer German Possessions.
PROTESTS WORLD GRAB
(By Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, April THE right !,
of the American government to parti- !
cipate in the peace settlements affect
ing the former overseas possessions
of Germany has been stated anew
by Secretary Hughes in similar notes
which are now before the Japanese,
British, French and Italian govern
mentS.
Continuing correspondence begun
by the Wilson administration the new
secretary of state specifically asks
those governments to reconsider the
award of the mandate to Japan for the
Pacific island of Yap. He argues that
the failure of the United States to be-
come a party to the treaty of Yer
sailles has not affected its rights in
the overseas possessions. the titles in
which Germany renounced in the
peace treaty to the principal allied and
associated powers.
The attention of the four allied
governments is again called that Pres
ident Wilson, at the meeting OF the
council of four in Paris during the
framing of the treaty specifically made
reservations affecting the future
status of zap.
Furthermore, Mr.. Hughes embodies
in his note a memorandum from Mr..
Wilson to the state department under
date of last March 3, in which the
former president declares he never
agreed to a mandate for Japan over
the island and that it was his under
standing that the question of cable
communications was settled. 1t has
been contended that the mandate
over Yap was awarded to Japan by
the council Of four while resident Will
son was at Paris.
The communications which bear
striking evidence of Mr.. Hughes
legal acumen, are the strongest pre-
sentation yet made of the American
charge of bad faith against the allies
inarbitrarily disposing of territories
in which the United States has an In
alienable interest.
Evidence Of Bad Faith
On November g, 1920. the United
States called the attention of the
powers to it's understanding that Yap
was not to be included in the mandate
to Japan, but was to be international
ICED as a cable station.
Yet in December, 1920, the council
of the league of nations. controlled
by the allied powers, approved the
north Pacific mandate, with zap in
cluded.
at is a cause Of regret to this gov
ernment," the Hughes note says, that
after and despite this protest, there
should have been any attempt to pass
upon drafts of mandates purpoTting to
deal with the Pacific islands. includ-
| ing zap, and that a mandate should
have been approved, or attempted to
be put into effect which, while pur-
PORTING to be made in the name of the
OF the United States This govern
ment trusts that this action, which it
must assume WAS taken under a mis-
apprehension, n i'll be reconsidered."
All Seiz.d Land Included.
Mr.. Hughes' contention that the
United States must be accorded a
voice in the disposition of the former
enemy territories ceded to the allied
and associated powers, applies not
only to the north Pacific, but to Meso-
potamia, Palestine, and the German
colonies in Africa and Australasia
His argument is that the American
interest in these territories derives
from American participation in the vic
tory over the central powers, that this
interest is recognized not only in the
Versailles treaty. but in the mandate
terms; that President Wilson. in the
sessions OF the supreme council, made
the reservation that zap should be
internatioEalized. and that the coun
ellis ALLEGATION Of Yap to Japan is not
binding on the United States, because
this nation has not ratified the Yer
sailles treaty. under authority OF which
such ALLEGATION was made.