Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-02-24
II .S.uM,,tn
OF League
Only Brief Summary Of State
mcnl on Mandates Made
Public by Members
OF Council.
Discussions All Private

Paris, Feb. 25., x TIE American
note OH mandates occupied the
league of nations council today. 1t
was discussed in the strictest priv
acy, aud the councirJecided ta make
public only a brief summary.
The note deals with the mandate
attributed to the emperor of Japan
over all former German islayds in
the Pacific north of the equator and
calls attention to the fact that the
United States has never given its
consent that the Island OF zap be
included in = the territory under
Japanese mandate. The reservation
is taken on the ground that Yap has
an important bearing in cable COM
Tunicatiops and that no power can
limit or control its use.
The United States declares itself
not bound by the mandate and asks
that the question be submitted to a
new Investigations
No Action This Session.
Members of the council consider it
necessary to confer with their gov
ernments regarding the note and
with this i'll view, they forwarded the
text today. 1t is therefore COM
sidered unlikely any decision will be
reached at this Session IT was sug-
gested that the matter might be re-
ferred to the supreme council, as it
is declared that it was in reality
that body which attributed Yap,
along with other northern Pacific
islands, to Japan. .
Further than this it is expected
that the council will merely acknow-
ledge receipt of the note and give
assurance that it will be dealt with
through proper channels.
The summary follows:
The government Of the United
States declares it seizes the occasion
TO send the council Of the league
copy Of note addressed to Earl
Curzon (Britisl, foreign nlinister),
on November 90. setting forth in de-
tail the views OF the United States
on the. responsibilities of mandatory
powers.
Ask Text of Mandate.
"A copy OF that note has been
sent to the French and Italian gov
crnments, The United States gov
eminent draws the attention OF the
council to the request made in thats
note that the projects OF mandate
intended for the society OF nations
bcfore they were submitted to the
councils be communicated to the
United States government, and that
1t have precise indications Of the
principles on which the United
States>conditioned its APPRECIATION.
The United States government
has received the text of the mandate
attributed to the emperor of Japan
over all former German islands situ-
ated III the Pacific ocean north of the
equator. which text was approved by
tbe council of the league December
II in< Geneva. The United States
government declares it has never
~ 40 Sohoeyit iiidt lIlS lSIu0Q OF
qap be included in territories sub
Jected to the mandate of Japan,
1T recalls that it has already so
Informed the governments of Great
britain, France, Italy and Japan. in
forming them at the same time that
its reservation rested upon the
opinion that Yap enters necessarily
INTO any project or system of prac-
tlcal communication by cable in the
Paciilc and that no power can limit
or control its use.
Consequently, the United States
is moved to declare re-
spectfully that it cannot regarditseIf
as bound by the terms of said man
cate and desires particularly that
note be taken of its protest against
the decision OF the league council
OF December 7 upon this question.
AT the same time it asks the
eouncil, whose action resulted evil
gently from an -44lcxact representa-
ton OF the facts, to submit the ques-
ton to a new investigation which
an pOJifah hte vot,,t;o. ...,..J