Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-09

WASHINGTON, April THE
right Of the American government to
participate in the peace settlements
affecting the former overseas pos
sessions Of Germany has been start
ed anew by Secretary Hughes in SIM
liar notes which are now before the
Japanese, British, French and Italian
governments.
Continuing a correspondence begun
by the Wilson administration, the
new secretary Of state specifically
asks those government to reconsider
the award Of a mandate to Japan for
the Pacific island of zap. Mr..
Hughes argues that the failure of
the United States to become a party
to the treaty Of Versailles has not
affected it's rights in the overseas
possessions, the titles in which Ger
many renowned in the peace treaty
to the principal allied and associated
powers.
The attention of the four, allied
President Wilson at the meetings Of
the council of four in Paris during
the framing Of the treaty spec1f1-
cally made reserva lions affecting the
future status of zap. Furthermore.
Mr.. Hughes embodies in his note a
memorandum from Mr.. Wilson to the
March 3, in which the former presl-
dent declares he never agreed to q
mandate for Japan over the island
and that it was his understanding
that the question of the disposition
of the island was to be deferred un-
til the question of cable communl-
cations was settled
1t has been contended that the
mandate over Yap was awarded TO
Japan by the council Of four while
President Wilson was at Paris.
Only one Of the communication.
public. Those to France and Italy
are understood to be substantially
the same, but the state department,
in giving out the note to the LONDON
foreign office tonight explained that
the note to Japan contained aodl-
vious correspondence between me
two governments" 1t added that the
CORRESPONDENCE with Toxic 'is not
made public at this time but no Of
fetal explanation was forthcomlS.
Text of Note to England
The text of the note to Great Brit
ain follows: l..
with respect to the mandate 10
Japan, purporting to have been con-
firm6H and defined in its terms by
the supreme council OF the League
Of Nations, of the German possess
SlOnS IN the HdClllC OCSdll, ~ ms AAOA -
of the equator, this government
deems it appropriate to state the fun
damental base of it's representations
and the principles which, in its view,
are determinatiVe.
'It will not be questioned that the
right to dispose of the overseas pos
sessions of Germany was ACQUIRED
only through the victory Of the all1ed
and associate powers, and 1t is also
believed that there is no disposition
on the part of the British govern
lnent to deny the participation of the
United States in that victory. 1t
would seem to follow necessarily that
the right accruing to the allied and
associated powers through the COM
mon victory is shared by the United
States and that there should be no
valid or effective disposition Of the
overseas possessions of, Germany,
now under consideration, without the
assent of the United States.
"This government must, therefore,
point out that as the United States
has never vested either the supreme
council or the League of Nations
with any authority to bind the Unit
ed States or to act on Its behalf,
there has been no opportunity for
any decision which could be deemed
to affect the rights Of the United
States. 1t may also be observed that
the right accruing to the United