Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-04-23
spective claims though diplomatic exchanges

spective claims. though diplomatic exchanges
between them on the subject is continuing.
The United States has notified not only
Japan. but England, France and Italy also,
that it will not recognize the mandatoral
award made by the supreme council To the
Nippon government. The note of Secretary
hughes conveying this notification was i'll
reply TO the last communication from Japan
in which that government insisted i, had
been awarded Il mandate for the island by
the supreme council at Paris OH May II,
1919, and that il could not agree with the
American contention that irrespective of any
award OF mandate other nations should have
free access to the island for the landing and
operation Of cables To this note no reply
has been received from Japan. but it is un-
derstood TO be willing to make concessions
by way of compromise.
Aside from the merits of its mandatorial
claims. All cXaSpcratiEg feature Of Japans
last communication was its disavowal of any
knowledge that President Wilson had regis
tered effectively before the allied supreme
council reservations regarding the Island
Of zap, il being insinuated that the whole
zap controversy is due to slips"Dd methods
pursued by President Wilson in respect TO
such alleged reservations
In view of these insinuationS as to the
nonbinding effect OF such reservations, il,
in fact, they were made. the French govern
ment's recent disclosure of new evidence
bearing on that phase OF the controversy is
worth attention The French communica-
ton to the Washington government says:
by tho note of February is, after having
ho,e, that the decision on May :, 1919. car
ricd with it no restriction concerning the at
tribution to Japan OF Il mandate for the
islands of the northern Pacific, my depart
mont explained to your embassy that. how
ever, President Wilson and Secretary Lam
sing in the course Of the preceding meet
ing. had formulated. in the presence of the
Japanese representative. categorical rcscr-
v&lions on the subject of the Island of zap;
that Baron Maxine had not refused to allow
discussion OF the question raised by the rep
rescntativcs OF the United States, and that,
consequently, the Japanese government had
knowledge Of the American reservations"
This encctually disposcs Of the japanese
contention that they were at no time in
formed OF the Wilson reservation regarding
zap, and in standing on its rights as CO.
bclligcrcnt to a voice in the disposition to he
made OF these islands, the case Of the United
States is imprcgnablo, and we dare say, Will
he so recognized by the other principal
powers composing the supreme council,
when the question of rcopcning the
whole subject of manufactures comes
up for consideration before tho Coun-
ell at II later date, in response to the Mncri-
can protest. France has already indicated
Il Willingness To use its influence to bring
about reopcnng OF the subject and it is
unlikely that either England or Italy will
offer any serious objection TO the proposal.
Thus Mr. Hardings foreign policy in re-
spcct to the zap contention gets its strength
from the reservations made by President
Wilson ut Paris.