The New York herald., 1921-02-26
MOVE TO GIVE YAP
TO JAPAN THWARTED
Senate Leaders Believe Colby
Note Will Prevent Handing
Over Of Island.
HIS COURSE APPROVED
Republicans Think Harding.
Administration Will Adhere
to Secretary's Policy.
HIS COURSE APPROVED
Special Despatch to Tnr xrw ronK HERALD,

Special Despatch to THE NEw YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. G.. Feb. %.
Republican leaders OF the Senate and
House to-day generally approved the
text OF the note sent by Secretary of
State Colby to the League of Nations
Council insisting on Americas right to
be considered in the distribution of man
dates In the Pacific Ocean. Expressions
of opinion from Republicans close to
President elect Harding indicated that
Mr.. Colby's attitude will be adhered to
| by the President-elect and by Mr..
Hughes when ne becomes Secretary of
State.
BY Wilson Administration spokesmen
the note was described as "an obvious,
linescapable duty" and it was declared
that failure to send the note would
have supported differences adverse to
this country's interests" II was made
clear that the State Department was
anxious only to clear the way for the
Hand ing Administration and was not at
tempting TO commit its successors to
any new policy.
Appraisal of the note has resulted
In the conclusion by Senate leaders that
the allied Powers were attempting to
place the Island of Yap in the hands
OF Japan before the new Administration
took Office go it would be confronted by
q n lei 20 or II te ba
Colby note makes the success of this
scheme impossible.
The fact that notes were addressed
by the United States to the Allies be-
fore n formal ALLEGATION of the islands
Of the north Pacific was made. making
clear that President Wilson had in
sisted upon reservation as 10 the
Island of zap, leaves the League Coun-
Gil In a singular position. 1t is con-
fldently believed someone will be COM
PEELED to explain the announcement
that the principal allied and dssoci-
ated Powers had agreed" to the Jap
anese mandate. since the former Amer
lean notes make 1t clear that this coun-
try had never agreed and that this
failure to agree was well known.
There is a feeling Of increasing wari-
ness among Republican leaders regard
ing the QipiOmatlc moves WHICH arc now
being made by the Allies. With so
many other questions at issue. such as
the disposition of the German cables,
the question of armainents and the in
terrelated questions of German repara-
tions and Allied war debts, Senators are
becoming curious to know whether
there has not been disposition to
force the United States into a trading
position over the Island of Yap.
There is nothing to Indicate that the
new Administration will permit itself
to be forced into such a position and
II is being suggested that Mr.. Hughes.
as Secretary of state, may intimate
that he does not know how to deal
with tile allied nations so long as they
refuse to recognize the rights of the
United States in such matters as the
disposition of cables and OF the Island
of Zap.
Ambassador Geddes talked for more
than an hour with Mr.. Colby yesterday.
1t is understood that the subject matter
contained in the Colby note was dis
cussed with great frankness on the part
OF the American Secretary OF State
and that nothing was left 70 the lmagi-
nation of the British Ambassador. A
report was current that Sir Auckland
had been empowered - act the role OF
mediator in the Yap affair