The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-01-15
Frederic Haskin's Letter
The True Story Of zap.


Warrington. D. C.. Jan. 15.-Who
gets the island Of Zap! The Bu-
reau Of lnsular Affairs said the
navy department ought to know.
and the navy department felt sure
that the state department would
know. and maybe the state DEPART
ment does know, but It isn't sayins
anything.
Ever since Yap was introduced
to the Peace conference 1t has been
. bone Of contention and a diplo-
matte mystery. It was, casually
brought into notice at tefsaillea
by President Wilson. who suggest
ed that the United States would
Ike to have Yap for . cable sta
ton, and asked that 4 special con-
ference be called later to arrange
for ito disposition,
It was the only bit Of territory
that the United States had wanted,
and certainly nobody. outside OF
the State department perhaps. had
any idea that a simple iittle thing
IKE a-seyentv-mile isiand vould
be dfsputed IN viev NJ vhat other
eountries were rating In Word
spread abroad that the island Of
Yap was the one thing We we're
to get out Of the war. and Van be-
came q familiar allusion in Ameri-
can Conversation. Everybody knew
It was an island. and some people
could even locate it-at least 10 the
extent of being sure that It vas In
the ocean. probably IN the Pacific
Meanwhile. the limited States
hung back about signing the treaty
the cable conferences was not cali
ed. and It became known that. a
long time before. Japan and Eng.
land had become interested in the
welfare Of Yap and had made a
secret treaty to provide for its fu.
ture. The treaty arranged for the
German owned islands in the Pa.
cific to be divided into two lots
those above the equator for Japan
and those below for Great Bri-
tain. With this agreement in mind
Japan had already run ND the jap.
anese flag in Yap. which ia one OF
the Caroline Island sroup. east O,
the Philippines.
At the same time Janan sealed
all the cable ends at yam. This
meant that communication in tne
Pacific was crippled. for Van is
an important cable center with
lines running to Shanghai. Guam
and Menado. 40 that these points
are connected with the United
States at San FRANCISCO Guam
not far from Van. ia aJso a cable
base but tha Pacific needs two n
case Of storms or damage to one ol
the cahIa lines Our commercfal
communication With the East ha,
for come fine heen hammered a. !
resu,t NJ tha Ianaresa soiyuro nj
the cable base at Van
Jansnese Now There
Janan IS IN the ground hrt tht
Peace convention nresumahlr
agreed IN Mr. wilson. conferenc ~
anppestion and n vonld seer,
gave him IN understand that tbf
cable rights of yam if not the is:
land itself were to he Ours Tb:,
ia the highly strateeic Van situ,.
tion9 rova rdino vbich tho Ctota do.
nartment f,nds M words .uH,c;ont.
" mean;noie.. ~ ha eafaiv ,,.terod
at rresent
As niece n, land Won vo,Iar.
ha worth anv nat;on actin. Ian,
vn.rs over A. a cah,a 1anJ;,a |;
Is . nr;.a whicb l. n". e. ha 49, !,
less,x .h.rdonnd ysn -. TO-
tool i.,and howouor !. F.. nos,
;nta-o.t;n1 th.r W, a.,,,'
hasa r. q sa,dom v;s;t.s ;.I..d
hut - has had ona anthrs;a ~n
h;o,ra,h.- ~ u;,I.ar II E.-n.s
who has .;von ms fa.cin.tin1 !.
count of the lifs and v.vs oe ~,
vn~ND~.