Evening star., 1922-02-12
YAP CONTROVERSY
ENDED BY. TREATY
Signatures Affixed to Pact
Guaranteeing U. S. Rights
on Mandated Islands.
JAPAN PROMISES TO AID
Will Use Right of appropriation, if
Needed, to Secure Facilities
America May Require.


United States and Japan relating to
the Pacific island Of Yap-the sub
ject Of many notes and other dfplo-
matte exchanges-was formally and
finally ended yesterday with the sig
nature of a treaty by representatives
of the two countries.
The treaty which defines the rights
of the United States in Yap and other
islands inundated to Japan under the
treaty of Versailles was signed at
$3.50 o'clock by Secretary Hughes for
the United States and Baron Kijuro
Shidehara for Japan in the office of
the former at the State Department
The signing was quite informal.
and was witnessed only by the State
Department officials who prepared the
treaty.
Negotiations for the treaty were
instituted last June and the terms of
settlement were almost entirely
agreed upon before the meeting of
the conference on Limitation of arma-
ment Final steps toward the treaty
were completed early in December,
and on December IL Secretary
Hughes made public the essential
points of the agreement.
The Secretary declared [hat under the
treaty the United States is given free
access to the Island Of Yap on a footing
Of entire equality with Japan or amy
other nation in all that relafes 10 the
landing and operation Of the existing
Yap-Guam cable or Of any cable which
may hereafter be laid by the United
States or its nationals.
Given Equal Rights.
1t also was agreed, according to Sec
retary Hughes, that the United States
and its nationals were to be accorded
the same rights and privileges with
respect to radio telegraphic service as
with regard to cables. In relation to
electrical communications. it was agreed
that : the United States should have
rights Of residence without restriction,
and rights Of acquisition, enjoyment and
undisturbed possession, upon a footing
II entire equality with Japan or any
other nation or their respective ma
tionals Of all property and interests,
both personal and real. including lands,
buildings. residences, Offices, work and
appurtenances.
The treaty also provides that no pefe
mits or license shall be required for the
enjoyment Of any of these rights and
privileges; that there should be no cable
censorship or supervision Of operation
or of messages; that there should be
free entry and exit. for persons or
property and that no taxes or exactions
either with respect to operation Of
cable. property, persons or vessels
should be assessed.
japan also agreed that it will use its
power Of appropriation to secure to the
United States needed property and
facilities for the purpose of electrical
communication in the island II such
property or facilities cannot otherwise
be obtained.
On it's part, the United States con-
sents to Japanese administration of
the islands In the Pacific ocean north
of the equator inundated to Japan
under the provisions of the treaty of
Versailles, subject to all the provis-
ions with respect to the Island Of
Yap, and also subject to certain 9TH
er conditions. These latter are that
the United States is to have the bene-
At Of the engagements of Japan, as
set forth in the mandate, and that
Japan shall permit complete freedom
of conscience and the free exercise
Of all forms of worship consonant
with public order and morality. and
shall permit missionaries of all re-
ligions freedom Of access and travel
and the right to own property and
to open schools throughout tho ter
ritory. Japan, however, is given the
right to exercise such control over
missionaries as may be necessary for
the maintenance of public order and
good government.
Japan further agrees that vested
American property rights in the is
lands will be maintained and re-
spected. and agrees that any modifi-
cations in the mandate granted un-
der the treaty of Versailles are to be
subject to the consent of the United
States, and that Japan will address
to the United States duplicate re-
port on tho administration Of the
mandate.
It was further agreed that the
treaties between the United States
and Japan now in force should apply
to the inundated islands