The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-04-20
ISLAND OF YAP
BONE OF CONTENTION
America and Japan Take
Firm Stands
AMERICA OPPOSES
JAP MANDATE
United States Not Bound by Decree Of
Supreme Council, Says Secretary
Hughes In Note to Japanese Govern.
ment. Question Will be Considered
at Next Council.

washington, April JS.-The Ameri-
can and Japanese governments have
adopted equally firm attitudes with re-
spect to the status OF the Pacific Island
of Iap The diplomatic exchanges be-
tween them on tho subject is continu..
ing but those to date were made pub
lie today both in Washington and
Toxic. They consist Of two memo
randa and three formal notes
Japan, in its last communication re-
ceivcd here in the closing days OF the
Wilson administration, insisted that it
had been awarded mandate for the
island by the supreme council at Paris,
May Z, 1919, and that 1t could not agree
with the American contention that ir-
respective OF any award OF mandate
other nations should have free access
to the island for the landing and op-
Grafton Of cables.
In replying to this note, April 5, Sec
rotary Hughes stated emphatically that
the United States would not be bound
by any action either Of the supreme
council or OF the league Of nations, and
that as no one ever had been author
lied to surrender or cede" the right Of
the United States in the island the AM
erican government could not "rccog-
nize the ALLEGATION OF the island or the
validity Of the mandate to Japan"
The Japanese government now has
tbic To-
tlon. The governments of Great Bril-
tain, France and Italy also have before
them similar communications on the
subject dispatched by Mr.. Hughes at
went forward. Exchanges between TIE
four allied governments are under
stood to be under way with view to
reaching common accord before re-
plying. Meantime, however Franco
has sent preliminary reply in which
she states that the matter is one for
the supreme council to consider at IT'S
next meeting in May and that when it
comes up she will approach it with a
view to finding a solution which will
give every satisfaction to the United
States.
The viewpoint Of the Harding admin
istration, as explained today in official
quarters, is that the question OF
whether the supreme council did ac-
tually award the island to Japan May
z. as contended by that country, and
disputed by President Wilson and the
state department is of secondary i'm
pOrtancc.
The important point at issue, it was
emphasized, is the recognition by the
allied government Of the principle laid
down by Mr.. Hughes-that the United
States as one of the principal allied
and associated powers has an equal
right with the others in the former ov-
erseas possessions OF Germany end
chat the right can not be disposed OF
without the consent OF the American
government.
Administration officers believe that
the soundncss OF this position will be
conceded by it's former associates in
the war With this principle recog-
nizcd, 1t Is believed. the details as to
the American rights can be worked out
without great difficulty.
Thus far there has been received in
Washington no official information in
dicating what position Japan will take
in it's reply to Mr.. Hughes note. Press
dispatches from Toxic today, however,
said the newspapers there seemed to
think that Japan would adopt passive
attitude in dealing with the mandate
Issue.
Japan, 1t was pointed out here,
adopted a very positive attitude with
respect to zap in her last note, which
was conchcd in plain language The
imperial government said that for the
United States to maintain successfully
It's lposition that the mandate for the
island was not awarded to Japan by
the supreme council 1t would have to
prove not merely that reservations
with respect to 1t were made by Prcsi-
dent Wilson. but also that his views
were accepted by tho council.