South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-07
U. s. NOTES SEEK
zap DISPOSAL BE
AGAIN CONSIDERED
Hughes Says America Has
Surrendered None of Its
Rights to Island.
BY Associated Press

by Associated Press
WASHINGTON. April s. - The
American government, although not
party TO the treaty Of Versailles,
has surrendered none OF its rights
in the overseas possessions of Ger
many secured 10 the principal allied
and associated powers by that
treaty, the governments Of Japan.
Great Britain, France and Italy are
informed by Sec'v Hughes in a sim
liar note dispatched by the state de-
partment
Specifically, the communication
dealt with the award 10 Japan by
the supreme council at Paris on
May Z, 1919, Of g mandate over the
Island Of zap, an important cable
center in the Pacific ocean, and
Mr.. Hughes says the American gov
eminent trusts that this action
which it must assume was taken
under a misapI rehension, will be
reconsidered."
The notes are the first important
diplomatic communication penned
by the new secretary Of state and
they make it plain that the change
Of administrations in Washington
had resulted in no modification Of
the previous position of the United
States that as one Of the principal
contributors to the common vic
tory over Germany il must insist
upon the exercise OF It's full rights
in the disposition of the former
German possessions.
Only one of the communications
that with Great Britain-was
made public. Those TO France and
Italy are understood TO be substan-
tally the same but the state de-
department in giving out the note 70
the London foreign office explained
JaIan's note contained an extra
paragraph.
1t added that the correspondence
with Toxic is not made public at
this time, but no official eXplana
.tion was forthcoming.
The note to Japan is in reply u
one on the subject of zap, received
from that country on last March ?.
This communication and those OF
the other three allied powers were
this subject from the United States
to those governments and also to
the council Of the League of Ma
tons. The series was begun by
Sec'y Colby last Nov. ., after the in
ternational communications confer
ence had convened here TO dispose
finally Of the former German cables
seized by the allies at the outbreak
Of the war.
Referring to contentious previous
ly raised that the supreme council
at Paris during the drafting Of the
treaty Of Versailles agreed to
mandate over Var and Japan, Mr.
Hughes calls attention that Pres't
Wilson had already made in the pre-
vious meetings of the supreme
council on separate occasions reser-
vatons regarding the Pacific island.
The secretary then quotes from
letter from Pres'r Wilson to the state
department on last March 3rd in
which he declares that he had taken
the position that the Island of zap
should be internationalized for ca
bic purposes. Mr. Wilson goes on
or modified this position and did
not agree on May Z 1919. or at any
other time. that the island should
be included in the assignment Of
mandates TO Japan. Mr. Hughes
quotes the former president fur
Their:
"As a matter of fact. all agree
ments arrived at regarding the as
signment Of mandates were cOndi-
tional upon a subsequent agreement
being reached as to the specific
terms OF the mandates and further.
upon their accer lance by ecah Of
the principal allied and associated
powers"
This government must insist that
it has not lost its right or interest
as it existed prior 20 any action or
the supreme council or the League
Of nations and cannot recognize the
ALLEGATION of the island or the valid
ity of the mandate to Japan"