Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-07

Washington, April s.-Failure of the United States to ratify the treaty of Versailles will not be allowed to detract from this country's right to participate in peace settlements, Secretary Hugh / de- clares in notes addressed to Great Bri- tain, France, Italy and Japan
 The note to Japan differed from the other three in that it referred more spe- cihcally to the Japanese mandate over the Island of Tap. All four of them reiterated the contention that the United States had sacrificed no rights in the peace settlement by reason of its un- Willingness 10 join the league of na- tions.
 The text of the note to Great Britain. which is similar to that to France and Italy, follows:
 Text of Note.
 With respect to the mandate to la. pan, purDorting to have been confirm. ed and defined in it's terms by the su- preme council of the league of nations of the German possessions in the Pacih, ocean. lying north of the equator, thi. government deems 1t appropriate tt state the fundamental basis of it's rep resentations and the principles which. ir its view. are determinative.
 Tt will not be questioned that tn, right to dispose of the overseas posses sons of Germany was acquired onl- through the victory Of the allied and as sociated powers. and 1t is also believe, that there is no disposition on the par Of the British government 10 deny tn l participation of the United States ii i that victory. It would seem 10 follow necessarily that the right accruing to in allied and associated powers throug the common victory is shared by th United States and that there could b no valid or effective disposition of th overseas possessions of Germany. no, upder consideration, without the. asser of the United States. Uhited States Reserves Rights. | This government must. therefor, point out that as the United States ba never vested either the supreme come or the league of nations with any au thority 10 bind the United States or | act on it's behalf. there has been no ar portunity for any decision which shaul De deemed 10 affect the rights of in united States It may also be observe mat the right accrulng 10 the Unite states through the victory in which
 has Participated could not be rera rda as in any way ceded or surrendered i Japan, or 10 other nations. e1cept h treaty and that no such treaty ba been made.
 ]. Treaty Ratification Not Essential.
 The fact that the United States bs not ratified She treaty of Versailles di not purport to secure 10 Japan or i any other nations any rights in the oye seas possessions of Germany. save as a equal right therein should be secured
 the United States. On the contrar Article 119 of the treaty of Versaill,
 provides:
 Germany renounces in fa,N- Of fl , principal allied and associated power all her rights and titles over her owe
 sea possessions.'
 Question of Mandates.
 Tt will not be questioned that one l the principal allied and associated poy CTS in whose favor Germany renounc. ] her rights and titles is the United State Thus. not only could the position of Il
 government of Japan derive strenE
 from the treaty of Versailles or from ar . discussions preliminary thereto. but Il 5 terms of that treaty confirm the DO: l ton of the government of the Unit, e States.
 . Further the draft convention relatiI
 
 r sions in the Pacific Ocean, north of il equator, which was subsequS Sntly pr l posed, proceeded in the same view, pu | porting on behalf. of the United Stat l. as one of the grantors to confer Il
 mandate upon Japan, thus recognizii n the right and interest of the Unit ': States and. tine fact that the proposed a f ton could not be effective without Il Q agreement of the United States as O
 of the principal allied and sssociat
 powers.
 V L. of N. Exceeded Its Authority. e As the United States did not ent y this convention or into any treaty, I
 lating to the subject. this government
 unable to understand upon what groun ' 1t was thereafter attempted to cont t the mandate without the agreement 0 the United States. It is manifest that t e league of nations was without any a y thority to bind the United States, a
 that the confirmation of the mandate
 question, and the definition of it's tern l. by the council of the league of natio .- in December, 1920. cannot be regard T. as having efficiency with respect to { h United States.
 Is Tt should be noted that this ma
 date not only recites Article 11s of {
 treaty of Versailles, to the effect th l. Germany renounced in favor of the pri if cipal allied and associated powers Is her rights over her oversea possession e including therein the group of islands n the Pacific Ocean. lying north of
 equator but also recites that the pr
 cipal allied and associated powers agre E. that in accordance with Article g, P IS l. Covenant of the league of nation e of the said treaty, a pA ldate should 1t conferred upon his ma -1sty the empel It Of Japan to administer the said islar
 and have proposed that the mand;
 should be formulated, as set for n While this last quoted recital. as I W already been pointed out in previo le communications by this government, 'r Inaccurate in its terms inasnuch as B. United States as one of the princi,
 allied and associated powers had not
 agreed and proposed. the recital az l. recognizes the necessity of the rarti se patton of the United States in order n- mage the proposed disposition effecti al AS. in the absence of any treaty " B. the United States relating to the mat;
 there was no decision on May '. IS