The Washington herald., 1921-03-03
Council Says Matter Now
Rests With Allied Pre-
miers for Decision.
HARDING TO TAKE
ACTION IN MATTER
Position of America Is
Strengthened, View of
Capital Diplomats.

league OF nations reply to the Amer
ican protest against breach OF faitn
in awarding the zap Island man
date to Japan. the Wilson admin
istration yesterday passed the con-
troyersy on to the incoming Re
publican regime.
we have taken steps to protect
the position of the United states
government" said Undersecretary OF
State Davis, -and the matter is now
in a position to be dealt with by
the incoming administration in any
manner that they may see fit to
handle IT."
The State Department also receiv-
ed the British rejoinder to the last
American note protesting against
the exclusion of Americans from
the Mesopotamian oil fields under
the mandate terms. but will leave
the publication of its text to the
Harding administration
Up TO Mr.. Harding.
II will be for Mr.. Harding to de-
eide whether the United States shall
accept the invitation of the league
council to send representatives to
discuss the Class A and b man
date terms. approval OF which the
council in its reply said would be
withheld pending such presentation
of the American objections in de-
tail. The council says the whole
situation is complicated by the fail
ure of the United States to ratify
the treaty and join the league.
oficials noted with satisfaction
the admission by the league coun-
ell that the United States as a lead
ing participant in the war acquired
rights in regard to the disposition
Of the mandate territories which
are not likely to be challenged in
any quarter"
That is accepted as an admission
that the United States must be
consulted on the mandate terms.
Breach OF Faith.
The councils reply leaves the Yap
question purely one of a breach of
faith on the part of the allies The
council says it has no jurisdiction
over the ALLEGATION of Yap to Japan,
which was done by the supreme
council of the allied and associated
powers. 1t has transmitted the
American protest to the powers
The United States was repre-
sented in the supreme council when
the ALLEGATION was made and Presi-
dent Wilson thought it unnecessary
to have recorded in writing his
cepted from the mandate and in
vantage of this omission to ignore
the reservation and confirm Japan
in possession of Yap.
Text of Note.
The following is the English
translation of the note from the
Council. made public by the State
Department last night:
ITO the Secretary of State of the
United States of America:
81 am directed by the Council oil
the League of Nations to acknow-
ledge the receipt of your communiy
cation of February 81 on certain
matters connected with the man
dates which under the provisions OF
the covenant will define the respon-
sibilities and limit the powers OF
the governments entrusted with the
administration of various territor-1
les outside Europe formerly in the
possession of Germany and Turkey.
The main points brought out in
the American note, II / may be per-
mitted to summarize them. are that
the United States must be consulted
before any nsandates are allotted or
defined and that the frankest dis
cussion from all pertinent points of
view should be encouraged. In the
"a" mandates. exception is taken to-
the possible limitation of commer>
cial opportunity as regards oil In
Mesopotamia, and in the &C" man
dstes to the ALLEGATION of the Island
sk zap to Japan.
THE Council wishes to express
its deep satisfaction at the interest
shown by your Government in this
question which the Council has long
felt to be among the most Important
assigned to the League. Undouht-
edIy also IT Is one of the most Diff
cult. and the Council not only well
comes but feels justified in claiming
the sympathy and support of the
governments which devised the
scheme which the Council Is re-
quired to administer.
Right 10 Confer.
The most fundamental conten-
ton brought forward by the Ameri- !
can note is that the approval of |
the United States of America Is es-
sential to the validity of any deter |
mination which may be reached re- |
specting the mandates which have |
been or may be submitted to the !
of the council. The United |
States was one of the leading ac-
tors both in the war and In, the |
negotiations for peace. The rights |
which 1T acquired are not likely to
be challenged in any quarter. But |
the American government will itself |
recognize that the situation is COM |
plicated by the fact that the United
States. for reasons which the coun- |
ell would be the last to question, |
has so far abstained from ratify- |
ing the peace treaty and has not |
taken her seat on the council of |
the league of nations.
"The council might easily have
dwelt ion the controversial aspects
OF the American note. But this pro-
cedure would III represent their true
attitude. They prefer to examine
the subject from the broad basis
Of International CO operation and
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