The Washington herald., 1921-09-07
Allies Ready to Modify
Mandates to Meet
= Claims of US.
NOTE SETS FORTH
AMERICAS AIMS
Secretary Asks Changes
To Protect u. s. Com
merce.

There . now every reason for
confidence that Secretary of State
Hughes is destined to win all that
he has contended for in the dispute
with the allies over the disposition
Of the territories ceded by Germany
and its allies to the principal vic
tors Of the world war.
The Justice of Mr.. Hughes con-
tention that America, by virtue Of
its contribution to the victory. pos
sesses an inalienable fifth interest
in the former German colonies and
is entitled TO equal rights in the
territory ceded by Turkey. already
has been conceded by the allies.
They set out to ignore the United
States in the formulation of the
mandates for these territories, os-
tensibly because America was not
represented in the supreme council
at the time. and they paid no at
tentiOn to the Wilson administra-
tons protest against approval of
the Japanese mandate by the
league OF nations council because
America was not represented in the
league.
shows Treaty Violation.
When Mr.. Hughes took the mat
ter in hand. however. the allies
changed their attitude. He dem
onstrated that the allies in ignor-
ing the United States were violat-
ing a provision of the Versailles
treaty and were depriving the
United States of rights conferred
by that treaty which were unim-
paired by the failure of America to
ratify that contract
Thereupon, the allies asked the
United States to state what changes
1t desired in the drafts of the A
mandates for Mesoptamia and other
former Turkish territories, and of
the 3 mandates for former German
possessions in Africa. which classes
n mandates are awaiting the ap-
provaI of the league of nations
council. The allies also indicated
their Willingness to revise the
terms of the c mandates for the
Pacific Islands. approved by the
league council in December. 1920
in such manner as might be agreed
upon by the United States and
Japan in the discussion of the dis
position Of Zap the cable and radio
center in the Western Pacific.
Insists on Reyisions.
The note dispatched by Mr..
Hughes to the allies last week sets
forth in detail the changes the
United States desires made in the
provisions of the A and mandates
so as to protect American interests.
In a general way Mr.. Hughes in
this note insists on such revision
of the mandates as shall eliminate
any possible discrimination against
the United States and it's nationals
in the mandated territories because
America is not a member of the
league of nations.
Furthermore. he insists that in
regard to commercial concessions in
these territories there shall be no
or monpolies and
that the open door for American
commercial equities shall be main
tanned.
The capitulatory rights provided
in some of the mandates. until gov
ernments fully protective of foreign
rights and interests are established.
Mr.. Hughes also suggests shouru- be
included in other mandates. Like
wise he proposes that the provisions
protective of missionaries and their
activities be broadened in some of
the mandates in which they were
more narrowly drawn than in
others.
Asks Guarantees to U. $.
The note is based upon the policy
of asking on territory or other
tangible possessions for the United
States, but insisting on the guar
antee to America of the same
rights as the allied powers and the
members of the league of nations
In the inundated territories, lespite
the fact that the United States is
not a member of the league.
The right of the United States to
a voice in the disposition of Meso-
and other former Turkish
although a tsate Of
war between America and Turkey
never was declared, is based on the
that the victory over
Turkey is inseparable from the
German victory to which the United
States contributed. 1t was assumed
by Mr.. Hughes that the allies do
not desire to ignore such funda-
mental principles or to use man.
dates as vehicles of discrimination.
The question. OF oil and other con-
cessions in Mesopotamia, which
Great Britain and France have
taken steps to control to the ex-
cIusion of American enterprise, is
not dealt with in the note except
In nrincinle