Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-16
By Frederic J. Haskin.

Washington, D. c., Jan. 13.-Who
gets tho island of Yap? Tho bureau of
insular affairs said the navy depart
ment ought to know, and the navy de-
partment felt sure that the state de-
partment would know, and maybe the
state department does know, but 1t
isn't saying anything.
Ever since Yap was introduced to
the peace conference it has been a
bone of contention and diplomatic
mystery. 1t was casually brought into
notice at Versailles by President Will
son, who suggested that the United
States would like to have Yap for
cable station, and asked that spc-
cial conference be called later to ar
range for its disposition.
1t was the only bit of territory that
the United states had wanted, and GER
tainly nobody, outside of the state de
partment perhaps had any idea that
a simple little thing like a seventy
mile island would be disputed in view
of what other countries were raklnG
in. Word spread abroad that the Is
land of Yap was the one thing we were
to get out of the war, and 9ap became
familiar allusion in American con-
versation. Everybody knew it was an
island, and some people could even To-
cate it--at least to the extent of being
that it was in the ocean, probably IN
the Pacific.
back about signing the treaty, the
cable conference was not called, ana
it became known that. a long time me-
fore, Japan and England had become
interested in the welfare of Zap ana
had made a secret treaty TO provide
for its future. The treaty arranged for
tho German -owned islands in the Pa
cific to be divided into two lots-those
above the equator for Japan, and those
below for Great Britain. With this ar
rangement in mind .sJapan had already
run up the Japanese flag in Yap, which
is one of the Caroline Island group,
cast of the Philippines.
At the same time Japan scaled all
the cable ends at Yap. This meant that
communica ton in the Pacific was Grip
pied. for zap is an important cable
center, with lines running to Shang-
hai Guam. and Menado. so that these
points are connected with the United
States at San Francisco. Guam. not far
from Yap, is also a cable base. but the
Pacific needs two, in case of storms
or damage to one of the cable lines.
Our commercial communication with
the east has for some time been hamp-
cred as a result of the Japanese seiz-
urc of the cable base at Sap.
JapnncSe Now There
Japan is on the ground but the peace
convention presumably agreed to Mr..
Wilson's conference suggestion, and, 1t
would seem, gave him to understand
that the cable rights of Zap, if not the
island itself, were to be ours. This is
tbs, highly strategic Zap situation, re-
Earding which the state department
| finds no words sufficiently meaning
| less to bo safely uttered at present.
| As a piece of land Yap wouldn't be
worth any nation wasting language
! over As u cable landing it is a prize
which is not to be carclessly aban-
doned. zap as n tropical island. how
ever. is far more interesting than Sap
as n cable base. 1t Is a seldom visited
island, but II has had one enthusiastic
biographer in William II. Fnrncss, who
has given us a fascinating account OF
the life and ways of tho Yappers.
In zap, Mrs. F'urncss found a conf
munlstic scheme of life operating on
n really practical basis Certain fac
tors make practicable in Yap that com
munistic life which has 80 often failed
in western countries. These arc tho
character of the land, and the tempera-
ment of the people.
The Sappcr literally picks his clothes
off the bushes. Long grasses and
leaves make up the skirt which is all
tho woman wears. except n few flow
crs. She plaits and weavee her long
skirt together with a very little labor.
and It lasts about n MONTH The
man wears still less In quantity-n loin
cloth, "A small grass girdlc. and tho
inevitable string OF beads. II he is "A
free man. he also displays n comb in
his hair.
The natives. children and all, live on