Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-09-15
UNITED STATES CLAIMS VOICE
Officials viii Not Discuss Contents OF
Communication To Britain, Italy,
France And Japan

/ Washington.-The position OF the
/ American government on the question
OF mandates has been set forth more
completely than heretofore, especially
in reference to those Of class "A" and
class "B" in a new note to Great Brit
ain, France, Italy and Japan, and
| through some of them, il is understood,
has been submitted to the meeting OF
the assembly of the league of nations
at Geneva, for consideration.
Announcement has been made at the
state department that the note was dis
patched several days ago, but no init
nation has been given as to when
1t will be made public, if at all.
Although officials will not discuss
the matter, it is understood the note
was forwarded after inquiries had been
received from some of the powers as
to the American attitude toward the
"A" and "B" mandates for their guild
ance in possibly considering the allot-
met of some of the former enemy ter
ritory at the Genevar meeting.
AS early as May 1920, the Amer
lean government had taken a strong
stand against the setting up of any
speciay privileges in mandate terri
tories, especially as involving the oil
lands of Mesopotamia and the cable
privileges of the Pacific Island of
Jap, the latter claimed as &C"
mandate by Japan. In a note of
February 21, this year, Secretary Col
by gave explicit warning that the APP
proval of the United States was nee
essary to validate any mandate,
sanction which he contended had never
been given in the case of zap. In sub
sequent notes by Secretary Hughes,
this position was strengthened, the
proposition being laid down that, not
withstanding refusal to ratify the Yer
sailles treaty, the United States as a
victor in the war could not be de-
prived of full and equal voice in dis
position of all former German-owned
territories.
LII lllLS 1CCCnJ AOIC COSIC laIy
Hughes is understood to declare for
equality of treatment of all nations and
persons in trade and residence and
in all mandate territories.
Not restricting the claim to any par
ticular class, such as Mesopotamia or
Yau, but applying it to the three class
es-"A," embracing those like former
Turkish territory, which can be pro-
recognized as independent:
B." including those like central Ar
RIGA, to be administered under condi-
tons providing equal opportunities for
trade, and &C." those like. southwest
Africa and the southern Pacific ISL
ands, to be administered as integral
portions of the territory of the man.
date country.
In making it's claim for the open
door in all mandate territories, the
American government is understood |
to have in mind the providing of suf-
ficient safeguards for American mis-
sionaries as well as American business |
men. In the case of "B" mandate con-
corning only central Africa and &c"
relating to the former Ger
man Pacific islands, the American note
IS sal dto admit of no question as
% the right of equality of opportunity.
N regard to the "a" mandates as in
7olving Turkey. with which the Unit
I'd States was not technically at war,
he note is understood to make an ap-
)ea to the sense of fairness of the
powers in applying to former Turkish
,wned territory the same principles
If equality of opportunity.