The New York herald., 1921-02-13
By GEORGE F. AUTHIER.
New York Herald Bureau. (
Washington. ID. c.. Feb. l2.

New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c.. Feb i2.
r APAN'S acquisition OF the island of Yap.
in the Pacific Ocean, all-important to
- the United States as cable station.
has served to call attention to what hap
pened to the commercial and naval interests
of this country in the Pacific at the Yer
sailles peace conference
While public interest has been centred
mainly on Yap and the settlement of the
controversy over the ALLEGATION Of the Ger
man cables, glance at the map shows that
Americas lookout post into Asia, the Phil
ippine Islands. and her stepping stone from
Hawaii to Manila, Guam, have been com
pletely blanketed by the screen of islands
which Japan has secured north of the equa-
tor. 1t also shows that approach to the
Philippines by the southern route is COM
pletely controlled by the British through
their possession of the German islands ac-
corded to Australia south of the equator.
u. S. Naval Strategists
Recognize Value of Islands
With this disposition of the Pacific islands
regarded as a tait accompH it is difficult to
determine the value, If any, which President
Wilson placed upon the possession of these
islands. 1t is no violation Of confidence TO
say that naval strategists. of the American
Navy are fully cognizant of their value and
regret failure to project the interests of the
United States In the wholesale disposition Of
The former German Pacific possessions.
The American public has been slow to
Rwaken to the values involved in this huge
real estate transaction In the Pacific. pos
nibly due to the name of the island Of Yap
which has figured so largely in the debate
the subject
The intonation Of the name of this island
suggests anthology OF American humor,
although It Is regarded as so important now
that negotiations over the ALLEGATION of the
German cables have reached an mpasse on
the question of what is to be done with zap.
When President Wilson returned from
the Versailles peace conference he an
nounced the arrangement by which the ISL
ands north of the equator, formerly pos
sessed by Germany, were to go to Japan and
the German islands south of the equator
were to go to Australia, had been approved
He explained he had made a reservation
concerning the island of Yap, which was an
important cable station.
The entire country Immediately began ask
ing Where is Yap?" In his conference
with the members of the Senate Foreign
helduOnS COIHInltt6e fTeSutHt WhoOh az
knowledged that before the peace conference
he had never heard of Yap. but 1t has as
sumed great importance since then
Japan DiscIaims Any Official
knowledge of "Understanding"
The reservation which he said he made
was a verbal one and was one of the many
understandings" reached at the Versailles
conference which were not put down In
black and white
Now the Japanese say they know of no
such reservation officially. while the British
are forced, because OF their peculiar rea-
tions to Japan. to support the japanese con-
tention
In spite of this lack Of knowledge on the
part Of the Japanese, President Wilson in his
conference with the members of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee said that he
had especially exempted the island of Yap
and, although this reservation was not a
formally signed protocol. he added but we
had a prolonged and interesting discussion
on the subject and nobody has any doubt as
TO what was agreed upon"
In this same conference Chairman Lodge
asked the President IL there had been any
recommendation made by our naval authori-
ties In regard to the Importance of our hav-
ing one island there, not for territorial pur-
poses but for naval purposes. This ques-
tion related to the group of islands known
Guam, the Carolines and the Marshall ISL
amos
Presidents Recollection
Proves Somewhat Vague
Illustrating the carelessness with which
the whole subject had been regarded, the
President replied:
There was a paper on that subject. SEN
ator. which has been published. only par
tally remember It. 1t was paper laying
sut the general necessities Of our naval pol
icy In the Pacific, and the necessity of hav-
ing some base for communication upon those
islands was mentioned: just in what form
do not remember. But let me say this
there Ia a little island which must admit
had not heard of before"
1t was at this point that Yap suddenly
burst forth upon the American consciousness
as q location of considerable interest. Since
then Zap has continued to be discussed In
the Senate. sometimes seriously and some-
times with lack of seriousness.
The general attitude of the Senatorial
mind toward Yap may be gathered from the
following quotation from speech delivered