The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-18
JAPAN ASKS
PROOF OF YAP
RESERVATION
Note Says America Would
Have To Prove Wilson Re-
served Island and Supreme
Council Favored Views.
AWAIT new ANSWER
tBv Associated Pressl

Pacific island of Yap. the American
government would have ito prove not
merely the fact" that President Viii
son made reservations concerning IL,
but also that the supreme council de
| cided in favor of those views" the
Japanese government says in a note
under date of last February &c, made
public today, by the state department
along with the other correspondence
between the two governments regard
ing Yap.
! 1T must also be remembered" jap
an says, that if a decision in favor Of
the exclusion of the island of Yap. a
question of grave concern to Japan
and one on which the Japanese dele
cation invariably maintained a firm
attitude-had really been made, as
it is implied by the argument of the
United States government, at the
meeting of (the supreme counciD
May Z, 0919) at which Japan was not
represented, it could not but have
been regarded as an act of entirely
bad faith"
Hughes Answers
| 1t was to this note that Secretary
Hughes replied last April 5, at the
same time sending similar notes to
the governments of Great Britain.
France and Italy. He declared that
the United States was unable to agree
with Japan's contention that in order
to maintain its position it would have
| ito prove" not only that President
Wilson made reservations regarding
zap, but also that the supreme coun-
Gil adopted those views.
LAS no treaty has ever been con-
cluded with the United States relating
to the island of Yap," Mr.. Hughes
added, "and as no one has ever been
authorized to cede or surrender the
right or interest of the United States
in the island, this government must
insist that it has not lost its right or
interest as it existed prior to any ac-
ton the supreme council or of the
league of nations, and cannot recog
niZe the ALLEGATION of the island or the
validity of the mandate to Japan"
Await Reply.
| Japan has not as yet replied to this
communication, so that to date the
correspondence consists of the two
notes quoted above, another formal
note sent by acting Secretary Davis,
last December 6, by direction of Pres
ident Wilson and two memoranda
with which the exchanges were initiat-
ed last November, after some question
had arisen at the meetings here of the
International Communications con-
ference concerning the action of the
supreme council with regard to zap.
In the first memorandum, dated
November 9. the secretary of state
said it was "the clear understanding
of the American government that the
supreme council at the previous re-
quest of President Wilson had re-
served for future consideration the
final disposition of the island in the
hope that some agreement might be
reached to place it under international
control and thus render X available "a
an international cable station.
Claim No Reservation.
. The Japanese foreign Office replied
in a memorandum under date of No
vember 10, that il was the definite un-
ment that the supreme council on May
came to a final decision to place
! under mandate to Japan all OF the
former German islands north Of the
equator: that the decision involvel
mo reservations whatever in regard
, to the island of Yap," and that there
fore the Japanese government would
not be able to consent to any PROPOSE
tion which. reserving the decision OF
the supreme council, would exclude
the island of Yap from the territory
committed to their charge"
In response to this memorandum.
acting Secretary Davis dispatched a
long formal note to Toxic, setting
forth that the American government
: could not agree that zap was included
in the decision of the supreme council
on March Z, 1919, as claimed, and that
even on the assumption that the island
had been included in the mandate "all
other powers should have free access
TO the island for the landing and op-
Grafton of cables"
Claim Jurisdiction.
The Japanese reply on Feb. 26 said
that if the observation of the Amer
lean government with regard TO cables
vas put forth irrespective of the fact
that the island was within the manda-
tory territory. then the question seems
TO be one which could be freely settled
by the nation which has charge of the
place, namely Japan" .
The note went on 10 say that il the
observation was made owing to the
: nature of the mandate, Japan would
draw attention that at the meeting of
, The commission on mandates on July
19, 1919, Colonel Z. NJ. House. one OF
the American peace commissioners. op-
posed Viscount Chinda's claim that the
: same equal opportunities for commerce
nent said the British government had
territories of the &c" class (such as
The Pacific islands, as in those belong
ing to the B" class of territories under
mandate.
I Outline Position.
I'm view of the position thus taken
= by the American delegate. the note
added, the imperial government feel
obliged to state that in their opinion
the American government cannot with
! justice contend for the open door in
the &C" class territories as against
Japan and TO inform the United States
!. government at the same time that they
cannot consider themselves bound IN
, arv way to recognize the freedoms of
= other nations in the manner insisted
upon by the American government in
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