The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-25
Only Possible Friendly Solution of Problem Is for Japan Not to Insist on Mandate for ls- land of Yap, Is View In League Council Circles
By Associated Press

Washington, February 24.-The American government has taken un- equivocal stand with regard to it's right to voice in the disposition of the former overseas possessions of Germany. @rr
 Secretary Colby, in his note of
 last Monday to the council of the
 League of Nntions made public to-
 night. declared that the state de-
 pertinent maintains that the dis
 position of those possessions "can-
 not he taken or effected without
 the assent of the United States"
 Further, he states that one Of
 the principal allies has nn insep-
 arabic interest with the others Of
 those powers in the territories
 taken from Germnny md .conced-
 edIy m equal voice in their disPo-
 sftion.-
 Declaring that the American govern > ment cannot regard itself as bound by the terms and provisions of the ,aan- date given to Japan over the Pacific island of Tap at the meeting of the league in Geneva last December 1a, tho Secretary of State requests that the council having obviously acted under a misapprehension of the facts" iu ass suming that the United States had ap- proved a Japanase mandate over the island, 'reopen the question for the further consideration which the prop CT settlement of 1t clearly requires"
 STRENGTHENS HARDING
 Discussing the note today state de- partment officials declared that in acting at this time. the present admin istration had strengthened the posi- ton of the new administration, which comes into office March 4 rather than adding an embarrassment. The opin- ion also was expressed that there might be conference of the interest," ed powers to discuss the whole ques- tion It is understood that such a course would be acceptable to the United States, although state depart- ment officers said the modus operands was of little concern to the Am srican government st
 Referring to the Tap mandate, Sec retary Colby says in his note to the council that at the time of the dis cussion of the question at Paris, Presi- |dent Wilson was particular to stipu- Latev tisatsit skaull be reserved for fa- ture consideration and that subsequent | Britain, France Italy and Japan 'set forth at length its contention that Tap had In fact been excepted from the proposed mandate to Japan for the Pa. cific islands north of the equator for. merly held by Germany.
 MUST BE FREE
 This Information was further con yeyed" Mir. Colby states. that the res ervations which had previously been |. a l...,- the island of Yap were based on the view that the island of Tap necessarily constitutes an indispensable part of any scheme or practicable arrangement of cable communication in the Pacific and that it's free ane unhampered use sSould not be limited or controlled by any one power
 Under Secretary Davis of the state department made it clear today that the controversy as to the island of Tap was one between the United States and the allied powers and not one between this country and Japan IL is around the future status of this is land that much of the controversy in the international communications con- ference here has centered.
 DUTCH PARTY TO ROW Advices received Tn official circles here today said the Netherlands gov ernment had become a party to the con troversy over the German cables seized by Japan and emanating from Tap. One of the lines connects Tap with Menado. in the Dutch East Indies, and the Dutch government is said to have addressed a request to Japan for pos- Session of this cable
 f Japan, according to the adyiees. re- piled. proposing joint ownership of the Iline. but the answer is said to have re- liberated its demand for outright pos session.
 The decision of the international communications conference as to the disposition Of the cables, ofsthe lines both in the Atlantic and the Pacific, have since last January 1 be&p .operats1 under the joint account of tbx five aT- lied and associated powers participat- ling in the cable settlement.