Pueblo chieftain., 1921-02-25
FIRM STAND TAKEN in NOTE
TOLEACUE COUNCIL TOUCHING
ON MANDATE OF YAP ISLAND
Disposition Of Germany Former Overseas Possessions
Cannot Be Undertaken Without Assent
of the Union

Washington, d. c., Feb. 24.-The
American government has taken an
uncquivocable stand as to its right
to voice in the disposition of the
former overseas possessions of Ger
many. Secretary Colby in his note
to the league of nations council made
public Thursday night submits that
The disposition of those possessions
cannot be undertaken or effected"
without the assent of the United
States. He states that the United
States as ''ore of the principal Allied
and associated powers" has an equal
, concern and an inseparable interest
with the others of these powers in
the territories taken from Germany
and ''concededly an equal voice in
their disposition"
Declaring that the American gov
crnment cannot regard itself as
bound by the terms of the mandate
given to Japan over the Pacific island
of zap at the league meeting at Cen
eva last Dec. IT, the secretary re-
quests that tho council having OBJ
Viously acted under Il misapprehen-
sion of the facts in assuming that
the United States had approved a
reopen the question for the future
consideration which the proper Set
tlement of it clearly requires"
Discussing the note Thursday state
department officials declared that in
acting now the present administration
had strengthened the position of the
new administration rather than add
ing embarrassment The opinion was
also expressed that there might be
a conference of tho interested pow
ers to discuss the question. 1t is
understood such q course would be
adopted by the United States. al
though state department officials said
the modus operandi was of little con-
cern to .hc American government.
Referring to the Yap mandate, Sec
rotary Colby says in his note that
during the discussions at Paris, Pres
ident Wilson was particular to stipu-
late" that it has been reserved for
future consideration and that sub
sequently the United States in notes
to Great Britain, France, Italy and
Japan, set forth it's contention that
Yap had in fact been excepted" from
the proposed mandate to Japan for
the Pacific islands north Of the equa-
tor held by Germany.
| The information was further con-
veyed," Mr.. Colby states. that the
| reservations previously made by this
government regarding zap were based
constitutes an indispensable part of
any scheme or practicable arrange
ment of cable communication in the
Pacific and that its unhampered use
should not be limited or controlled
by any power.
Under Secretary Davis made it
clear Thursday that the controversy
as to zap was one between the Unit
/ ed States and the allied powers and
not one between this country and
Japan. 1t is around the future sta
tus OF this island that much of the
controversy in the international COM
munications conference here has CEN
tered.
Advices received in official circles
Thursday said The Netherlands gov
crnment had become Il party to the
controversy over the German cables
seized by Japan and emanatins from
zap.
one OF the lines connects Yap with
Menado in the Dutch East Indies and
the Dutch government is said to have
addressed n request to Japan for pos
session of this cable.
Japan, according to advices. re-