The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-06-18
SUPREME COUNCIL
CONFESSES| IT IS
|MPOTENT TO ACT
Harding Administration Went
Recognize League of Nations
MANDATE PROBLEMS UP
America Must Have Equal Priv
iges With Britain in Mes
opotamian Oil Fields
MANDATE PROBLEMS UP

Geneva, June 1S.-The first Ques-
tion before the thirteenth the meeting
of the council Of the League OF Ma
tions, that Of mandates, was dispos-
ed of speedily yesterday when the
retiring president of the council, Dr.
Gastoa da Cunha, announced he had
sent a note to the Allies asking them
to come to an agreement with the
United States so that the council
m ght act on the proposed terms Of
the mandates before the next meet
ing Of the assembly
DR.. da Cunha said: Before hand
ing over the presidency to my sue
cessOr want to state that, having
received no reply from the United
States to the invitation to send a
representative to discuss the terms
Of the mandates, | thought it adyis-
abl to suggest to the principal allied
powers that It is for them to come
to an agreement with the American
government before the council can
act upon the proposed terms. | ac-
cordingly sent them a note asking
that an accord be reached before the
next meeting of the assembly.
| thought this method might advance
final decision, so urgent for the well
fare of the territories under mandate
| hope the council will approve.
U. S. Rejects League
Washington, d. c., June 1.-THE
action of the council of the League
of Nations in sending a note to the
Allied governments, asking them to
come to an agreement with the Unit
cd States on the question of man
dates, is regarded here as public
recognition of the fact, long accept
ed in this country, that the league
council is powerless and that the
Allied supreme council is today con
trolling the destinies of the world
Washington officials withheld com
ment, but allow it to be inferred that
the policy Of the United States could
in no way he affected by this action
ut is in reality a recognition of the
policy of the United States not to
deal through the league.
The United States is not member
of the league and does not recognize
the authority of the league over any
mandatory rights Of this country.
The rights which the United States
claims in the island of Yap and in
Mesopotamia, are based upon the de
csion of the peace conference at Yer
sailles without respect to the league.
President Harding has ignored the
league council, and is pressing the
Gains of this country in mandate ter
ritores through Ambassador Harvey
as his representative on the supreme
council.
The Harding adm nistration from
the beginning has recognized that Il
is the Allied supreme council that
will settle these questions and t1at
the League council is impoteut The
administration is insistent that
Americans shall have equal priv
ileges, in prospecting for oil in
Mesopotamia, with subjects of Great
Britain, which has mandate over
that territory 1t IS the contention
of this country that a mandate did
not give exclusive privileges of this
kind to the mandatory. In the same
manner this government is insisting
upon cable rights in the islanG OF
Yap.
The League of Nat ons has nothing
to do with these matters SO far as
this country is concerned, according
to the view Of the Harding adminis.
trati0n.