The Washington herald., 1921-04-07
May Indicate Harding's
Policy for Handling
War Claims.
HOLDS u. S. RIGHTS
NEVER FORFEITED
Quotes Versailles Treaty
To Support Stand on
Yap Mandate.

The United States has Informed
the allied governments that the
mandate awards. particularly the
Island of Yap to Japan, were made
without the consent of this gov
ernment and could not be justifed
even under the Treaty of Versailles,
although the United States is not
party to that treaty.
il is believed that the position
taken by this government will make
i: necessary to re-enter q confer
cnce with the premiers Of the allied
and associated powers in order to
settle this and other questions IN
dispute under the terms Of tn,
treaty.
Four Allies Get Notes.
The State Department made pub
lie yesterday the text of the note
dealing with the subject of the Zap
mandate. II was dispatched TO
Great Britain. similar notes were
sent to Italy, France and Japan. oK-
cept that the Japan note contained
]
previous correspondence. The mes
sage to Japan was not made public,
but the State Department said the
points raised were SO nearly iden-
tical with the note to Great Britain
that publication Of the one would
be sufficient.
The note is believed to outline
the fundamental basis for tee
claims Of the United States and. TO
a certain extent. indicate the future
policy in dealing with the powers
with which 10 was associated IN the
world war.
Treaty Of Versailles Invoked.
In this connection IL was regarded
as significant that Secretary Of
| State Hughes invoked article lls OF
the Treaty OF Versailles in support
OF tho contention that mandates
could not be awarded without the
consent Of this government. Under
this article Germany renounces in
favor Of the principal allied and as
sociated powers all her rights and
titles over her overseas posses
sions.'
The United States being the prin-
cipSl associated power. il is pointed
out that Japan could not derive any
strength for its claim under the
Treaty of Versailles, but. on the
contrary, the terms Of the treaty
support the contention Of the
United States
Knox Resolution Unaffected
Just how the United States man
date claims would be affected in
the event Of a separate peace with
Germany. as suggested in the Knox
resolution. was not indicated.
partment, however. were quick to
point out many obstacles The prIn-
cipal one is that il will b. obvi-
ously impossible for the German
government TO make any changes in
concessions already made to the al
lied and associated powers under
the Versailles Treaty.
Therefore. il was pointed out. the
United States would have to deal di-
rectly with the allies il ii hoped TO
secure any change in the mandate
awards, probably to the extent or
entering a conference with the
premiers of the principal allied
powers.
Text of Communication.
The text of the note follows
with respect to the mandate TO
firmed and defned in its terms by
the Supreme Council of the League
of Nations. OF the German posses
sions in the Pacific Ocean. lying
north of the Equator. this govern
ment deems IL appropriate TO state
the fundamental basis OF ittf repre-
sentstions and the principles which,
in its view. are determinative.
1T will not he questioned that
the right to dispose of the over
seas possessions Of Germany was
acquired only through the victory
Of the allied and associated powers.
and il is also believed that there Is
no disposition on the part OF the
British government to deny the par
ticipation of the United States in
that victory. 1t would seem to fol-
10 unnecessarily that the right Ac-
cruing to the allied and associated
powers through the common victory
is shared by the United States and
that there could be no valid or ef-
fective disposition OF the overseas
possessions Of Germany. now under
the United States.
This government must therefore
point out that as the United States
]
preme Council or the League OF Ma
tions with any authority TO bind
the United States or to act on it's
behalf. there has been no opportu-
nifty foI any decisions which could
be deemed to affect the rights OF
the United States.
No Rights Forfeited.
1T may also be observed that the
right accruing TO the United States
through the victory in which IL has
participated could not be regarded
as in any way ceded or surrendered
to Japan, or to other nations, eX-
cept by treaty. and that no such
treaty has been made.
The fact that the United States
has not ratified the treaty of Yer
sailles cannot detract from rights
which the United States had all
ready acquired. and il is hardly
necessary TO suggest that a treaty
to which the United States is not
party could not affect these
Knights. But it should be noted that
the treaty OF Versailles did NOT