The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1921-04-15
zap MANDATE
is NOT BINDING
Disposition of All Former German
Overseas Territory Held Sub
ieCt to Consent of America.
GIVES WILSON MEMORANDUM
Notes Sent to Four Powers-Hughes
Protests to Great Britain, France,
Italy and Japan-claims Rights
Won in War.

Washington.-The American govern
ment has dispatched identic notes to
Japan, Great Britain, France and Italy
the principal powers with which the
United States was associated in van
gushing Germany - demanding an
equal voice in the disposition of all
mandates over territories relinquished
by the enemy
The new American demand has par
t.cular reference to the arbitrary des-
ignation by the Council of the League
OF Nations of Japan as the mandatory
power over the island of zap, against
which vigorous protest is made.
Secretary of State Hughes made
public the text of the note to Great
Britain, which is similar in content
to those addressed to the other powers,
with the exception of that to Japan,
which contained additional paragraphs
referring to previous correspondence
between that government and the
United States over the zap mandate.
In the new American pronounce
Ement, which might be characterized as
an ultimatum from this. government,
Secretary Hughes asserts that the
United States as one of the victorious
powers cannot be excluded from par
ticipation In the fruits of the war,
and that the decentralization of the
Treaty Of Versailles cannot detract
from any rights which the United
States acquired through the common
victory over Germany.
"The right accruing to the Allied
and associated powers through the
common victory i@ shared by the
United States" the note asserts, and
adds that there can be mo valid or
effective disposition of the overseas
possessions of Germany, now under
consideration without the assent of the
United States"
: SECRETARY Hughes points on. that as
this government has never vested the |
League of Nations with "any authority |
to bind the United States or to act on |
dts behalf, there has been no opportu-
nifty for any decision which could be
deemed to affect the rights of the
United States" The declaration also
is mace that the surrender of any !
right by the United States must be
properly executed treaty,
and no such treaty has been made
Included in the Hughes note of pro-
test against the YaD mandate to Japan
is the very positive view held by ex-
President Wilson with regard to the
reservations be made when zap was
under discussion by the Supreme Coun-
Gil in 1919 The former president, on
March g. 1921, just before his retire
ment from the VIII tie House. addressed
a statement to the Department of
State in which he described his en-
phatic opposition to the designation of
Japan as mandatory over zap.
81 never abandoned or modified this
position In respect to the Island of
zap, and l did not agree on May I,
1919, or at any other time, that the
Island of zap, should be included in
the assignment of mandates to Japan"
the former president wrote In refuta-
ton of the charge that he had agreed
that Japan should have control over
zap.
The Hughes note concluded with
The statement that as no one has been
authorized to cede or surrender the
right or interest of the United States
in zap, this government cannot recog-
1ize the ALLEGATION of the island or the
validity of the mandate to Japan"
Secretary Hughes adds that the United
States has no selfish desire with refer (
.nce to zap, other than an equal voice
with all the powers, including Japan,
and asserts that this government
places reliance on the "sense of jus
ice of the government of Japan and
lf the governments of the other Allied
and associated powers" and "looks 4,
with confidence to a disposlt on of the :
natter whereby the just interest of all
nay be properly conserved"