Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-02-25

In Settlement of
German Holdings
Note TO League Says DISPOSE
ton Cannot Be Undertaken
Or Effcctualed Without
Assent of. America.

Washington, Feb. 24.-The Amer
lcau government has taken an un-
equivocal stand as to its right to d
voice in the disposition Of the former
possessions OF Germany.
Secretary Colby, in his note to the
league of nations council made public
tonight at the State department. sub
mits that the disposition OF those
possessions, cannot be undertaken
of effeetrated" without the assent Of
the United States. /.
He states that the United States.
as one OF the principal allies and
associated powers" has IAN equal
concern and an inseparable interest
with other powers in the territories
taken from Germany and "conced-
cdly an equal voice in their disposi-
ton"
Declaring that the American gov
ernment cannot regard itself as
bound by the terms OF the mandate
given to Japan over the Pacific is
land OF zap at the league meeting
at Geneva, December II, the secre-
tary requests that the council. hav-
ing obviously acted under misap-
prehension OF the facts in assuming
that the United States had approved
Japanese mandate over the island,
reopen the question Tor the further
consideration which the proper set
tlement OF it clearly requires
Position STRENGTHENED.
Discussing the note today, State
department officials declared that III
acting now the present admins
tration had strengthened the posi-
ton of the new administration, rath-
cr than adding an embarrassment.
The opinion also was expressed that
there might be a conference of the
interested powers to discuss the
question. 1t is understood such a
course would be acceptable to the
sUnited States. although State de-
partment officials said the modus
operandi was of little concern to the
American government.
Referring to the Yap mandate,
Secretary Colby says N his note
that during the discussions at Paris,
President Wilson was particular to
Stipulate" that it had been reserved
for future consideration and that
subsequently, the United States in
notes to Great Britain, France, Italy
and Japan. "set forth its contention
that Yap had in fact been excepted"
from the proposed mandate to Japan
for the Pacific islands north of the
equator formerly held by Germany.
Interest in Paris.
BY The Associated Press.
Paris, Feb. 24.-Secrecy OF the
proceedings of the council of the
league today provoked lively specu-
lation as to the effect of the Amer
ican note on tine members. 1t be-
came known when the text of the
note was made public that the United
States, in addition to making reser
vations on the island OF Yap, attri
buted to Japan as mandatory, claim
cd an equal interest with other prin-
cipal allied and associated powers in
the disposition of the overseas pos
sessions of Germany.
The theory had been advanced
that the only possible friendly solu-
ton would be for Japan to say that
she did not insist on the mandate for
Yap and would be agreeable to the
internationalization OF Yap under
Japanese supervision.
Thus far Japan has not commit
ted itself and the general impression
is that the matter must go to the
supreme council
Sessions Closed.
The adversaries OF publicity in
connection with the proceedings
succeeded today in herinetically clos
| ing both sessions. The mere an
nouncement was made tonight that
the council had continued to con-
slider the Polish-Litluanian conflict.
/ The agenA for today called for
the hearing OF representative OF
| the Swiss government on its refusal
/ OF permission to continents OF troops
detailed by the league to keep or
der in the Wilma plebiscite zone, to
cross Switzerland and also Polish
complaints that Austria was not only
refusing naturalization OF Galician
Jews who had taken refuge in Au-
! stria from Galician territory de-
/ tached by the treaty Of St. German,
but was threatening them with ex-
pulsion, -.