Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-04-15
MANDATE NOTE IS
SENT 4. NATIONS
u. S. Government Demands
Rights in Peace Negotiations.
HUGHES TAKES FIRM STAND
Declares Failure to Join League Can
Have No Effect on Settlement
Particular Protest Against ia
pans Extraordinary Rights.

of Versailles win not be allowed to
detract from this country's right to
participate in peace settlements, Sec
rotary Hughes declared in notes adj
dressed to Great Britain, France, Italy
and Japan.
The note to Japan differed from the
other three in that it referred more
specifically to the japanese mandate
over the island of zap. All four OF
them reiterated the contention that
the United States had sacrificed no
rights in the peace settlements by rea-
son of its unwillingness to join the
League Of Nations.
"The fact that the United States
has not ratified the treaty Of Yer
sailles," the notes said, cannot de-
tract from rights which the United
States had already acquired, and it is
hardly necessary to suggest that a
treaty to which the United States is
not party could not affect those
rights"
Japan Not Privileged.
1t should be noted that the treaty OF
Versailles did not purport to secure to
Japan, it was pointed out, or to any
other nation, any right in the over
seas possessions of Germany except
that an equal right should be secured
to the United States.
Article 119 of the treaty provides,
Mr.. Hughes said, that Germany re-
Hounces in favor of the principal al
lied and associated powers all her
rights and titles In her overseas pcs
sessions. The secretary then empha-
sized that the United States is one of
the principal allied and associated
powers, and that the position of the
government of Japan could derive no
strength from the treaty of Versailles
or from any discussion preliminary to
1t.
Continuing, Secretary Hughes said:
"As the United States did not enter
into this convention or into any treaty
relating to the subject, this govern
what ground it was thereafter at
tempted to confer the mandate with
out the agreement of the United
States. 1t is manifest that the League
Of Nations was without any authority
to bind the United States, and that
the confirmation of the mandate In
question and the definition of its
terms by the council of the League of
Nations in December, 1920, cannot be
regarded as having efficacy with re-
spect to the United States"
Secretary Hughes insisted in his
test against the assignment of zap to
Japan could not operate as a cession
of it's rights since the proceedings ct
the supreme council did not and could
not have fnality.
The attitude of former President
Wilson upon the disposition of zap
was set forth in statement which he
made to the State department on
March 8, 1921. The former Presi-
dent was quoted as saying that his
first information of contention that
the "so-called decision of May z.
1919" by the council of four, assign
ing zap to Japan was given to him by
Mr.. Norman Davis. Mr.. Wilson then
said that he informed Mr.. Davis he
had never consented to such an as
signment.
Wilson'S Attitude Told.
Mr.. Wilson said that on several oc-
casions he had made specific reserva-
lions regarding the island of zap and
had taken the position that it should
not be assigned under any mandate to
any one power, but should be inter-
nationalized for cable purposes.
"This government" the note con-
cludes. "as has been clearly stated in
previous Rmnaunications. seeks no ex-
elusive interest in the island of zap
and has no desire to secure any privi-
leges without having similar privi-
leges accorded to other powers, in
Guiding, of course, japan, and relying
upon the sense of justice of the gov
eminent of Japan and of the govern
lnents of the other allied and asso-
ciated powers, this government looks
with confidence to disposition of the
matter whereby the just interests of
all may be properly conserved"
The copy of the note sent to Japan
was not made public. 1t is said, how
ever. to be very similar to those to
Great Britain, France and Italy, ex-
cept that it contained some addition
al correspondence between the two
governments relating to zap.