The Washington times., 1921-04-18
Text of Correspondence Between L. S. and Japan zap

conceivable that other powers
should not have free and unhamper-
ed access to and use OF the island
for the landing and operation OF
cables.
.If this observation II put forth
Irrespective OF the fact that the
island IL within the mandatory
territory, then the question seems
to be one which should be freely
settled by the nation which has the
charge Of the place. namely. japan.
II this meaning be. however. that
owing TO the natrue OF the man.
date, the island should have Its
doors kept open. the imperial gov
ernment would draw attention TO
the extract OF the meeting Of the
commission on mandates held on
July 8, 1919. Colonel House opposed
viscount Chinda's claim that the
same equal opportunities for COM
merce rand trade should be guar
anteed in territories belonging to
to the B Class.
"In view of the position thus
taken by the American delegate,
the Imperial Government feels
obliged to state that in their
opinion the American Government
cannot with justice contend for the
open door in the c class territories.
at least as against japan, and to
inform the United States Govern
ment at the same time that they
cannot consider themselves bound
In any way to recognize the FREQ
dom Of other nations In the manner
insisted upon by the American Gov
ernment in regard to the landing
and the operation of cables even
in places where the principle Of
the open door IL to be guaranteed"
The Secretary Of State to the
American charge d'affoires, Tokyo
April 2, 1884,. Note communicated
to Japonese foreign office, April g,
1891:
THE Government Of the United
States finds itself unable to agree
with the contention OF the Japanese
Government that in order to main
tain the position of the Government
of the United States with respect to
the Island of zap. II Is necessary
for this Government to prove not
merely the fact that the particular
line of views was stated at the
meetings of the Supreme Council,
but also that the Supreme Council
decided in favor OF those views.
II IL Is meant that the United
States could be bound without its
consent by the action OF the Su-
preme Council, the contention Is
deemed by this Government to be
inadmissible. and, on the other
hand, the United States has never
assented to the mandate purporting
to embrace the Island Of Yap.
CITES U. 8. AID IN VICTORY.
"In view of the frequent refer
ences in the note of the Japanese
Government to what is termed the
decision OF the Supreme Council,
this Government deems 1t appropri-
ate to state the fundamental basis
OF its representations and the prin-
ciples which In it's view are deter
minative. 1t will not be questioned
that the right to dispose OF the
overseas possessions Of Germany
was acquired only through the vic
tory Of the Allied and Associated
Powers, and II Is also believed that
there Is no disposition on the part
deny the participation of the United
States in that victory.
TT would seem to follow neces-
sarily that the right accruing TO the
Allied and Associated Powers
through the common victory is
shared by the United States and
that there could be no valid or ef-
fectivet disposition of the overseas
possessions of Germany. now under
consideration, without the assent of
the United States. This Govern
ment must, therefore, point out that
as the United States has never vest
ed either the Supreme Council or
the League OF Nations with any
authority to bind the United States
or to act on its behalf there has
been no opportunity for any de-
cision which could be deemed to af-
feet the rights OF the United States.
II may also be observed that the
right accruing to the United States
through the victory in which IL has
participated could not be regarded
as in any way ceded or surrendered
to Japan. or to other nations. except