New-York tribune., 1921-02-24
W ashipgton Tells the
Council No Power Can
Limit or Control Free
Use of Disputed Island
Asks New Inquiry
Into the Question
America Never Consented
to Toxic Award and
So Informed the Allies

PARIS, Feb. % (By The Asso-
ciated Press The United States
will not be bound by the Japanese
mandate over the Island of Yap, and
no power can limit or control the use
of the island, the American State
Department has informed the pres
ident of the Council of the League of
Nations.
A summary of the American note
was made public to-day. 1t asserts
that the United States has never
given its consent that Yap be in
cluded in the japanese mandate, and
that it has so informed Great Brit
ain, France, Italy and Japan. The
request ds made that the question be
submitted to a new investigation.
The American communication calls
attention TO the fact that note was
sent to England, France and Italy No
vernber 90 last, requesting that prof
ects of mandates intended for the
League be communicated TO the United
States before they were submitted to
the Council. The zap mandate was ap-
proved by the Council of the league on
December IT,
Summary of American Note
The summary of the American note.
as made public by the Council, fol
lows:
The government of the United
States declares it seizes the occasion
to send to the Council of the league
| q copy Of "a note addressed Co Earl
Curzon British Foreign Minister
on November 20, setting forth in de-
tail the views of the United States
on the responsibilities of mandatory
powers.
"a copy of that note has been sent
to the French and italian govern
ments. The United States govern
ment draws the attention of the
Council to the request made in that
note that the projects of mandates
intended for the Society of Nations.
before they were submitted to the
Council, be communicated to the
United States government, and that
1t have precise indications of the
principles on which the United
States conditioned its appreciation.
"The United States Government
has received the text of the mandate
attributed to the Emperor of Japan
over all former German islands sit
uated in the Pacific Ocean north Of
the equator, which text was approved
by the Council of the League, De-
cember II, in Geneva.
Consent of L. s. Never Given
clareS it has never given its consent
that the Island of zap be included in
territories subject to the mandate
of Japan.
at recalls that it has already so
informed the governments of Great
Britain, France, Italy and japan, m
forming them at the same time that
its reservation rested upon the opin-
ion that Yap enters necessarily into
any project or system of practical
communication by cable in the Pacific
and thai no power can limit or con-
troll its use.
Consequently, the United States
government is moved TO declare re-
spectfully that it cannot regard itself
as bound by the terms of said man
date and desires particularly that
note be taken of its protest against
the decision of the League Council of
December II upon this question.
AT the same time it asks the
council, whose action resulted ev@
IDENTIFY from an inexact representa-
ton OF the facts, TO submit the ques-
tion to new investigation. which
an equitable solution requires"
Sir Eric Drumn:onl. general secre-
tary of the League of Nations, was
the only person present not member
Of the Council when the subject wss
under discussion.