Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-04-21
j. s. IS DEF|ED IN
NOTES ROM JAPAN
Hughes Warns League to Keep
Hands Off zap.
NIPPON CRIES bad FAITH
Washington Reveals Correspondence
That Led to the U. S. Note to
Powers-Situation Considered
Tense at Washington.

! Washington, April 19-To maintain
it's position with regard to the Pacific
island of zap, the American govern
ment would have ito prove not mere
ly the fact that President Wilson
made reservations concerning it, but
also that the supreme council decided
in favor Of those views" the Japanese
government says in a note under date
Of February &C. made public by the
State department, along with the other
correspondence between the two gov
ernments regarding zap.
''It must also be remembered"
Japan says, "that if a decision in
favor of the exclusion of the island of
Yap-a question of grave concern to
Japan and one on which the Japanese
delegation invariably maintained a
firm attitude-had really been made,
as it is implied by the argument of
the United States government, at the
meeting of the, supreme council, May
z, (1919), at which Japan was not
represented, it could not but have
been regarded as an act Of entirely
bad faith"
Huuhes' Note in Reply.
It was to this note that Secretary
Hughes replied April 5, at the same
time sending similar notes to the gov
ernments of Great Britain, France
and Italy. He declared that the United
States was unable to agree with
Japan's contention that in order to
maintain it's position it would have to
prove not only that President Will
son made reservations regarding zap,
but also that the supreme council
adopted those views.
GAS no treaty has ever been con-
Guided with the United States, relat-
ing to the island of Yap," Mr.. Hughes
added, land as no one has ever been
authorized to cede or surrender the
right or interest of the United States
in the island, this government must
insist that it has not lost its right
or interest as it existed prior to any
action of the supreme council or Of
the League Of Nations, and cannot
recognize the ALLEGATION Of the island
or the validity of the mandate to
Japan"
Japan has not as yet replied to this
communication, so that to date the
correspondence consists Of the two
notes quoted above, another formal
note sent by Acting Secretary Davis
NV 1ir0nfinr PROS
| ident Wilson and two memoranda with
which the exchanges were initiated
| last November after some question
| had arisen at the meetings here Of the
| international communications confer
ence concerning the action of the su-
preme council with regard to zap.
In the first memorandum, dated No
vember 9, the secretary Of state said
| it was ''the clear understanding" Of
the American government that the SUI
preme council at the previous request
| of President Wilson had reserved for
| future consideration the final dispo-
| sition of the island in the hope that
| some agreement might be reached to
| place it under international control
and thus render it available as an in
ternatfonal cable station.
Calls Decision Final.
The japanese foreign office replied
| in a memorandum under date Of No
yember 10 that it was ''the definite
understanding" of the japanese gov
eminent that the supreme council on
Nav Z came to a final decision to
place under mandate to Japan all of
the former German islands north Of
the equator; that the decision involved
mo reservations whatever in regard
to the island of Yap," and that there