New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
China Alone
Backs US. ON
Yap Mandate
Represented on the
League Council Said To
BE Urged Strongly 10 Re.
ject Reconsideration Plea
Setback Here Is Serious
Attitude Now Is America
Must Make Consideration
TO Have Rulings Changed
By Ralph Courtney
Speciul Cable to The Tribune

Copyright, 1891. New York Tribune Inc
PARIS, Feb. 25.-China is reported
to be the only one~of the eight nations
represented on the League of Nations
Council which supports Americas ap-
peal for a reconsideration of the dis
position of the Yap mandate. Italy,
Spain, Brazil and Belgium care very
little about the fate of that island
They prefer, in any case, supporting
the attitude of the European powers to
taking a stand in favor of the United
States.
Japan emphatlcally repudiates any
idea of revising existing arrangements.
Great Britain supports her ally. France
is anxious to be friendly toward the
United States, but fears that the other
powerful Allied powers will in turn
interfere with her wishes. She wants
the right, under mandates of Class b
Central Africa, when lheir terms are
finally decided upon, tc recruit black
troops IN Africa. She obtained consent
of other nations TO this arrangement
only after great difficulty. Great
Britain is also interested because of
her Mesopotannan oil monopoly, in
preventing the United StNtes from in
terfering in the settlement of the man
date terms.
The strongest pressure is being
exerted by interested parties on the
Council to turn down cold Americas
appeal for reconsideration of the Class
c (Pacitic island mandates. France,
Great Britain and Japan consider that
they would be making great conccs-
siohs to America even to defer final
settlement of Class A (Near EasN and
Class B mandates until an American
representative can be invited to the
May meeting of the Council to take
part in the roundtable discussions.
Won't Insist on Reconsideration
As for the Class C mandates, the
league is beginning to realize that it
cannot, without risking offense to it's
most powerful members, hold out the
slightest hope that it will insist that
the Allied governments consent to re-
consider the ALLEGATION of zap to
Japan,
Although the league is preparing to
postpone decision regarding the man
dates of Glass 4 and Glass B until
President-elect Harding has had an
opportunity to send representatives to-.
discuss the matter with the Council, it
is by no means certain that any heed
will be paid to American wishes. As
matter of form the Council will post
pone its decision, but among the mem
bersl the general attitude is that if
the United States wants any changes
In matters already settled it must offer
a political consideration.
The American diplomatic setback is
farN more serious than it appears on
the surface. The Wilson government
appears, reports here show, to have at
tempted earnestly and seriously, apart
from all home political considerations,
70 oht htoiro la I,0,ie a. Il
both regarding Mesopotamia and the
island of Nap. The United States
made reservations at the peace nego-
tiations and had no attention paid to
them. 1t addressed communications to
the Council of Ambassadors and ap-
preached the Allied governments direct,
in all cases with negative results.
Fear the Responsibility
To-day the President is appealing as
last resort to the League of Nations,
which he created to deal with just slch
questions. Hopes are diminishing now
that the league in its feebleness will do
anything but advise America to try
direct negotiations, which already have
brought her nothing.
Officials Of the league realize the
false position of that body, but fear
to undertake responsibility which
they feel the league is not yet strong
enough to shoulder.
The Council quashed all prospect of
Wilsonian mediation in Armenia by
writing letter to the Allied foreign
Offices, explaining the Councils reaii-
zation that the situation in Armenia
had changed and asking the advice of
the Entente governments.
PARIS, Feb. 25.-The permanent
commission appointed by the Council
of the League of Nations to-day to
examine the annual report on manda-