Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-12
YAPPING ABOUT zap.
THE Island Of zap is the most

the Pacific, north OF the equator,
which were formerly ruled by Ger
many. Those south Of the equator
were awarded to Australia and
those north of the equator to Japan
by the peace treaty made at Paris.
They were not handed over to these
powers absolutely, but as manda-
tories under the League OF Nations.
Perhaps there is not 50 much vital
difference between a mandatory
power and a sovereign power as a
matter Of practical fact. Japan as
the mandatory power over the ISL
and Of Yap has the right to extend
it's own laws over the island for its
government though it governs as
trustee for the League of Nations
which at some future time may
theoretically make other arrange
ments for its government, or even
decree its independence. But tor
the present, Japan exercises prac-
teal sovereignty over the island,
subject to certain limitations. It
may not build Notifications there
or arm the natives except as local
police or permit trade in war NUM-
tons, or do few other things that
appertain to sovereign rights.
The United States has protested
both to Japan and to the League OF
Nations against the terms of the
mandate given to Japan. But
Japan has accepted the mandate in
spite of such protest and the island
is now in Japanese possession. The
grounds of our protest, on their
face at least, do not concern them
selves with the fact that this man.
date of government has been given
to Japan. Inasmuch as the United
States has refused to take any part
in carrying out the treaty Of Yer
sailles or to accept it or recognize
in any way the League of Nations,
it had no voice in awarding any Of
the mandates given to any of the
members Of the League of Nations.
The Wilson administration, how
ever, took the position that this
refusal to participate with the other
nations who were our allies in the
late war in settling these questions
of the disposition of territory
taken from Germany, does not de-
prive this country Of its right to
voice in such matters and the
right to be consulted about what is
done. This applies to all the man
/, dates granted in Asia as well as
Europe and the Pacific. In the
latter region, we are more interest
ed and in the island Of zap this
government considers itself more
interested than any Of the others,
because it is nearer to our posses
sions in the South seas.
So much for the general position
of the United States as laid down
by the late Wilson administration.
Besides that, it objects to the Ian
guage Of the mandate itself which
grants certain rights to all foreign
nations which are members Of the
League Of Nations, and therefore
would seem to exclude the United
States, Germany and Russia from
these privileges. Among these
privileges guaranteed in mandate
to members Of the League of Ma
tons, is that Of sending mission
aries to the mandate country. It
is most unlikely that anyone would
object to Uncle Sam sending as
many missionaries to zap, or any
other mandate country, as were
disposed to come. But our protest
objects to any discrimination what
ever against this country in favor
of league members. The milk in
the cocoanut lies in the fact that
a suspicion exists that the mandate
country may be disposed to take
special trade privileges to them
selves in making laws to govern the
inundated countries under them.
Japan itself, in accepting the Aus
tralian mandate over the Pacific
islands south of the equator, makes
reservation to the effect that
there shall be no discrimination
against the citizens of its ration
in the mandatory laws put in force
by the mandate power. Our state
department has taken the same 20.
sition with reference to the British
mandate for Mesopotamia where
oil has been found and it is thought
Americans may be Disseminated
against in oil development.
So far as the Wilson administra-
ton was concerned, its objections
to the Japanese mandate over zap
and all mandates rest on two gen.