The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-04-19
laps WILL NOT CONCEDE
AMERICAN CONTENTION
Insists She Was Awarded
Mandate for Island up
10 Supreme Council

Washington. APR. 15-The American
ard IaptnrS" governments have adopted
euIEl!iy firm attitudes with respect 10
The status Of the Pacific Island Of Zap.
Th" diplomat: exchange between them
on the subject iS continuing. but these
~ date were made public today both III
Washington and Toxic. They consist OF
two memoranda and three formal notes.
Japan. in it's last communication, re-
ccivcd here in the closing days or the
Wilson adniiniStra ton. insisted that IL
had been awarded mandate Tor the
island b the supreme council at Paris
on May :. 1919. and that 1t could not
agree wit. the American contention
that ire SNrct:vc OF any award of man
dates other nations should have free
?.rnss % the islands for the landing
AMI OPERATION of cables.
In replying to this note, Secretary
Hughes ON April = stated emphaticallY
that the United States could not be
bn,iud bv any action either Of the ST.
nr. me- council or Of the league Of
nations and tina; as no one had ever
hcnn "authUr:Zrd - surrender or cede
The right OF the United States to the
island. the American government could
not "rccognize the :l!"ration OF the
island. or the validity "f the mandate
TO Japan"
Mote Under Consideration
The Japanese government now mas
TIL. communication under consideration
The governments OF Great Britain, Italy
and France also have before them SIM
liar communications the subject dis
PATCHED by Mr.. Hughes, at the same
time that the note to Japan went for
h.fp -FOUR
lied Governments arc understood 10 De
uad.r way with a view TO reaching a
common accord before replying.
Meantime, however, France has gent
4 rrciirninarv reply in which she states
,i,:,, the matter is one for the supreme
council e. consider At its next meetins
in May and tha' when it comes up
she viii approach it with view 10
finding n solution which Will give ever!
e. ;IsraCliou 10 n" United States.
Tho viewpoint ui t.c Harding admin
istra,ion. rs explained today in onicia!
o,Iar,.rS. IS that the question OF
WEATHER the supreme council did actu-
allv award the island TO japan on May
= as contcndrd by that country. anu
,,isnutcd bv president Wilson and the
state department, is OF secondary I'M
portance.
Tho important point at issue. it Is
cr,r,ha sized. IS the recognition by the
allied governments Of the principle laid
down b. NJ. HugheS--that the InlteC
Statns ~ one Of the principal aiHen
and associated powers. has an eouai
right with inc others III the 1oTHS.
overseas possessions Of Germany anu
that ,hos., rights cannot lie disposed Oh
without the consent OF the American
government
VIII Support the o. S.
Administration offers believe thai
tbn souudness Of this position VII! be
o1rc.ded hv IT'S former associates in
Tho var. with THIS principle recognized
il Is believed the details as to the Am
,,ri..,o rirLis can be worked out with
uu, great difficulty.
rIus far ther. has been received IN
Wa shfnstnn no official Information III
dir.,iiuy what position japan will tthe
in :.s reply to Mr.. Hughes otc. Press
disra;chrs from Toxic today, however
sad tho newspapers there seemed 10
think that Japan would adopt pdss'Ie
attitude in dealing with the manoate
ISSUE.
rannn. i was pointed out here. adopt
,Ad 4 very positive attitude with respect
20 Yap in her last note, whlcn "as
rouchcd in plain language. ne iinps'
!al government said in order lot tne
tinted states 70 maintain suScessiuiI5
It's position that the manoate loi tno
ISLAND was not awarded 10 'apAh
~, surrcmc council. il would have TO
-, no. oniy tha reservations win re-
,.,nc, "a :. were made, by President
W-nrn, INIT also that his views were
accepted by the council.