The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-12-13
Story of Controversy
Over the Island of zap

American opposition "a Japanese
u,andato cries in the Far East Is not
confined 20 tho Island or Yan but. rs
Indicated on February 81. 1927. IN the
note OF former Secretary OF Stat" Coli
hy 10 tho League OF Nations, 10 All or
the Islands in tho Pacific Ocean north
Of the equator which formerly belonged
10 GERMANY These gems Of the or
tental seas" az which zap is one ag-
gregate 49, and are COMPRISED IN four
rrouus. namely the Carol!n"s with 62
the Marshall with q. tn" Marianne Tor
I.a,lroncl with - and IA" PCl"w with
eight They form Kind Of strategic
semi-cirrlc AROUND the PHILIPPINES.
While chief interest in the discuss
s!nns OF the Allied Communications
Conference. which h""au in Washing
ton on October s. 1870. to determine
the ALLEGATION Of those islands. has con-
tered In Yap Ivy reason ot its import
nnce as cable station, III" problem
or Yap is ovcrshadowcd by the larger
International aspect "f the control or
nil the 127 islands. The contention OF
the United States department "t state
has been that Yap should Ne inferno
rionalized." Tie Allied ConmunIca-
tons Conference. attended by rrDrHSeN-
,ativc OF the I'VE Allied power" heC0m-
ing dcadlocked in February 1921. the
questions were referred 10 the Foreign
Relations Committee O; the United
States Senate. Date OF the resumption
Of the Conferenc" has not been an
nounCcd.
American Opposition
Opposition 10 Japans man"''c over
zap. expressed by Mr.. colby u the
President and members of III" 'ounc!!
Of the League Of Nations. Included the
declaration that Nap CONSTITUTED an
lrdtsr"nsahla part OF any srhem" or
practical arrangement OF cable c"mmun-
lrallon in the TaclA" and TINT It's Tree
md unhampCrcd use should not be
hammered or controlled by ANY on" pow
or" Under the mauda tory. agreed |"
by France and England fu.l power
NJ administration and legislation over
zap was vested in the Toxic govern
mont and Nap was 70 be considered
IAN integral part OF the Empire o:
Japan" Another objection by the
United States is that II sees IN the Van
situation the possibility OF 4 foreign
nation exercising censorship over its
communications 70 Europe and Asia.
The fact that the former German "p'
grated cable from shanghai Chin.
which passes through NaP was taken
over By JaDan and it's oriental term
linus removed % Toxic VAS another oc'
rasiou for tho American protest. Com
troll over Yap by Japan was granted by
HE Paris peace conference on MAY 4
1919 when IL was d" !d"d that the man
date FOR the pacil" islands north OF
The equator formerly belonging % Ger
many should be awarded :" the Tokiu
government and tho mandate for those
south Of tho equator 70 Australia AM
Sew Zealand.
Originally Called wap
It IS not generally lino"n that me
Island Of zap was originally called
tTlap or Wap. y CaEnoneu EivcN by
S,ranish raviGa:ors. who discovered Il
I'm the 18th century, IU"l lSSh zap
Ike all the other OF IN" 'aroiines wa
owned by Spaln Germany a this tim'
east covetouS eyes upon far. rcaii|
,7r that IL waS we'll situated for com
rruuication with Japan. china. the PM
inpines. the hutch Fast Indies AM
New Guinea and that !; was conren
lent station on the trans-Hac!hc route
via Honolulu to San Francisco.
Suit!ng action 70 desire the German
p,nhoat His. in that year. raised th'
German flag on zap and other islands
l. created .dcrah.e excitement II
Madrid and an appeal was made TO th'
Vatican with the result that III" Iop'
decided In favor Of Spanish sovereignty
Fourteen years later. after tho Spanish
American War. Spain sold the Caro-
lines. including zap and the i"lew an'
NIL Of the Marianne tIadronel lsland
except Guam 20 Germany For S@.-OO.
moo The United states had acquired
Guam from Spain IN 1898. II is 36'
miles from NaH.
Importance OF Zap
The Importance Of Yap and Qua a!
cable bases is shown by the fact tina
today an Rr-Ancrican cable runs from
san Francisco via Honolulu. Guam an'
Manila 10 Shanghai! while from Qua
another cable. tho southern part undo
American control. the northern undo
JaranAsN goes direct 10 No&ah oma tn
former German Cah!o runs from Guam
n Yap whence ono l.nN goes on u
Shanghai. and another from Zap {
Mcnado, in tho Dutch East Indies. Th
Yar-Guam cable. il Is said, was y
great service 10 Americans as Il CAV
them an alternative To the Qua m Man
Ia ca bic for communication With Chin
when tho great war began. Jananes
naval forces seized the 1.adronc. Pclev
and Caroline Islands including Var
and held them until Japan was mad
their mandatory. Germany. In accept
ing the Trcaty' Of Versailles. rcn"unce
hcr cables in the Far East in favor o
the Allied and Associated powers an
the final ALLEGATION Of them among IN
rower4 is the object OF the Information
al Communications Conf"rNrre which
70 he resumed IN Washington AZ
early date.
Aside from its tactical advantage j