The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-07
u. 5. CLAIMS
INTEREST IN
ISLAND OF YAP
Has Surrendered None of Its
Rights in Overseas Posses
siOns of Germany.
SECRETARY HUGHES
SENDS FIRM NOTES
States in Plain Language Posi-
tiOn Taken by New Ad-
ministratiOn.
(5y The Associated PressJ

WASHINGTON, April 6.--The Amer
lean government, while not a party
TO the treaty Of Versailles, has sur
rendered none of its rights in the
overseas possessions of Germany Sc
cured TO the principal allied and as
ISOLATED powers by that treaty, the
governments of Japan, Great Britain.
Prance and Italy are informed by
Secretary Hughes in similar notes dis
cussed by the state department last
Monday.
Specifically. the communications
deal with the award to Japan by the
supreme council at Paris, May z, 1919,
of a mandate over the Island of Yap,
an important cable center in the Pa
cific ocean. and Mr. Hughes says the
American government trusts that
action, which II must assume was
taken under a misapprehension, will
be reconsideried."
The notes are the first important
diplomatic communications penned by
the new secretary of state and they
make IL plain that the change of ad-
ministrations In Washington had re-
suited In no modification of the pre-
vious position OF the United States
that, as one of the principal contribu-
tors to the common victory over Ger
many II must insiss upon the exer-
else of its full rights in the disposition
of the former German possessions
Only one Of the communications
that to Great Britain-was made pub
lie. Those to France and Italy are UNI
derstood to be substantially the same
but the state department in giving
out the note to the London foreign
office tonight explained that the note
to Japan contained additional para
graphs referring to previous CORE
spondence between the two govern
ments."
Ii added that the correspondence
with Toxic Is not made public at this
time, but no official explanation was
forthcoming.
The note to Japan is in reply to one,
on the subject of Yap received from
that country March 2. This communi-
cation and those to the other three al
lied powers were supplemental to pre-
yious notes on this subject from the
United States to those governments
and also TO the council of the league
of nations. The series was begun by
Secretary Colby November 8, after the
international communications confer
enoe had convened here TO dispose fl
nally of the former German cables
seized by the allies at the outbreak
of the war.
Asserting that there could be no
valid or effective disposition of the
overseas possessions or Germany, now
under consideration, without the as
sent of the United States" Secretary
Hughes points out that the treaty of
Versailles does not "purport to secure
To Japan or to any other nations any
right In the overseas possessions of
Germany save as an equal right there
in should be secured to the United
States.
"on the contrary" he says, article
11s of the treaty of Versailles, pro-
Vides:
Germany renounces in favor of the
principal allied and associated powers
all her rights and titles in her over
seas possessions. IL will not be ques-
toned that one OF the principal allied
and associated powers in whose ia
-yor Germany renounces ner rIgnts ana
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