St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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20 TIIE ll'l.Y,1TIil.Y rolmorn and int.ensil'ied lay the position which HIC 2'W 1'Ul'lCllt ot Japan has recently assumed relative to the rights ot the United States in the important little lSlH1lCl of Yilll. Yap-he it. known, is one of the tfaroliiie lslands situ- ated some eight oi' nine hundred nnles from the Philippines. These islands, together with all the other ol' Gerntany Paci- l'ie possessions no1'th of the equator, were included in the mandate confei'i'ed on Japan hy the Suprenie Vouncil of thf lieawu- of Nations as her just and rightful portion ot the spoils ot the war. The only island wherein Japan's exclus- ive control is odious and in conflict with the recognized rights oi' the llnited States is the Isle of Yap. For Yap. small and insignificant as it appears to lie, is the very heart of all calile communication lletween America and the Far East. The arteries ot news front two different worlds run tlirougli the very heart of this island. Prior to the war, when G9Fll12lllj controlled the cl2il'0llilL' group, the rights of the United States to the supervision and control of her national cahle interests were recognized hy all the nations of the world. Now. armed with the niandate of the League of Nations, Japan denies any right of America in Yap, and firmly contends that. under the terms of the mandate her' control is exclusive. The result of Japan 's de- termined Stand in the matter has heen the launching of num- erous official messages from NVashington to the various nieniliers of the League Vouncil and to Japan herself. The llnited States of Anieriea, through the lips of her St'Cl'L'till'j' of State, t'hai'les Evans Hughes, has voiced its official pro- test. The teuoi' of the notes is this: First: Since the rights of Japan in Yap are in conflict with the prior rights of the lluited States in the same island. Japan can ohtain no exclusive control over the said island without the consent ol' the Governnient ot the United States. Second: At no time in any negotiations has the United States Hoverinnent ceded to Japan its rights in the island of Yap. Third: The Supreme Council in graiiting to Japan a

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F. A. Flynn S. D. Leipsic M, I. Cronin T. Boyle I. P. Barnett M. Riordan L. M. Cahill C. V. Nolan J. I. Taheny F. W, Murphy E. M. McC-lade D. W. Daly I. M. Kenny F. W. Cleary E. Sharkey V. W. Hallinan

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THE 191111115 Ol THE EAST 21 mandate hy reason of the terms of which Japan could have exelusive control over Yap. did so ahsolutellv without the knowledge, consent or authority of the Government of tln- llnited States of America. Fourth: The llnited States tlovernment therefore, in view of the fact that at no time has it ceded its rights in Yap to the Government of Japan, and in view ol' the fact that the Suprelne Council conferred the mandate upon Japan with-- out the consent or authority of the Government of the l'nited States-wishes to assert to all the world that it still has the same rights in the island of Yap which it had prior to the granting of the League mandate to Japan. That hriefly is the declaration of rights hy which Amer- ica has protested to the world the injustice of the Japanese claims. Already France, Italy and Great llritain have evi- denced their support of the llnited States in the controversy. Japan alone remains silent. Wlizit will he her answer when it is finally given to the nations? She has only two courses open to her pursuit. One is an admission of Ameriea's rights in Yap, involving as it does the humiliation of a with- drawal from the attitude which she has so determinedly as- sumed. The other is the answer which in all prohahilitfv would he most favorahle to her arrogant, military caste, the answer which would amount to a plain, hlunt announcement to all the world that henceforth the Far East and its adja- cent. side of the Pacific is exclusively the Dominion of the land of the Mikadosl Of the two courses the first is more in conformity with the dictates of unimpassioned judgment. The second is more in harmony with the militant spirit of a Prussianized Japan. To choose the first course is a ehoiee unshadowed by the hint of disastrous complications. A se- lection of the second might emlmroil Japan in a war with a mighty white coalition. Japan knows all these things. lim still-1Japan remains silent. The suggestions of possible eonfliet with Japan are to some in the light of present events, due to the indulgence