The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1921-04-21
laps DEFY j. S.
BY REFUSING To
SURE NDER YAp
Situation So Grave State De-
rartment Won't Discuss It
Until Eastern Empire An
nounces It's Next Move.

Washington, April ia sit
uatlon between the United States
and Japan fraught with such
grave possibilities that state de-
partment officials refuse to dis
cuss it until Japan announces her
next move was revealed when
the state department Monday
made public the text of five notes
that have passed between Wash
lngton and Toxic on the subject
OF the Island of zap.
These notes, stripped Of all
diplomatic verbiage, carry the
flat refusal Of Japan to consent
to the internationalization of zap
and the equally flat demand Of
this government that she do so.
The situation is obviously such
that either Japan or the United
States will have to back down.
The significance Of Secretary of
State Hughes recent identic notes
to the four principal allied pow
crs, in which he asserted the war
won rights of this government in
all the former German overseas
possessions is now apparent.
1t was direct reply to the last
OF the Japanese notes, which had
been couched in language so curt
as to be defiant. Furthermore, it
-as direct challenge to the i'm
perial Japanese government to
Geny the war won rights of the
United States not only in Yap,
but in all other former German
overseas possessions as we'll.
The adoption of such rigid policy
could not of course be directed
against Japan alone Therefore,
ldentic copies We're addressed also to
Great Britain. France and Italy
Both of the notes in which japan
makes it plain that she will not sur
render any rights in zap were ad
dressed to the state department when
cambridge Colby was secretary. The
third note of the United States which
ten by Secretary Hughes.
Cup to U. ST." Says Japan.
Japan's second note, which was re-
ceiyed at the state department Feb
ruary 26. declares the mere fact that
President Wilson made reservations
that the millado's government has
definitely decided to make the air
with reference to the disposition of
zap have nothing whatever to do
with the situation 1t is up to the
United States. Japan contends. to
prove these reservations were form
ally adopted by the supreme council.
This argument was climax to
dozen others all equally unyielding
that had been advanced by the Jap
anese foreign office. 1t was then that
Secretary Hughes threw down the
gauntlet
In his reply he stated plainly that
the United States could not subscribe
to Japans position and then added
this flat assertion:
This government must insist that
1t has not lost it's right or interest
as~it existed prior to any action of
the supreme council or of the League
OF Nations and cannot recognize the
ailocation of the island or the validity
OF the mandate to JAPAN
The full significance of this asser-
ton was not realized when it was
revealed in the text of the note as
sent to Great Britain, which was
maze public week ago. But COM
ing as it did on the heels of jap
ans uncompromising correspondence
as made public Monday it is, appar-
ent that relations between this gov
ernment and the Pacific EMPIRE are
extremely taut.
1T is now Japan's move Officials
mere would not hazard any predic-
ton Monday as to what that move
will be. 1t was apparent that adj
ministration officials are taking the
attitude that this government hay
ing gone so far and stated its posi-
ton so unequivocally. cannot with
draw from that position without
stultifying itself in the eyes of the
world