"Manchester Guardian" on Need for League Action; Sovereignty Question London, Nov. 5.
Discussing what may be the outcome of the "obvious truth" that Japan intends eventually to annex Pacific islands administered by her under mandate, the "Manchester Guardian" urges that it is essential that this step, although it cannot be prevented, shall not be permitted to appear lawful.
If Japan is allowed to annex these islands without protest, the journal declares, the view of those who believe that the sovereignty of mandated territories is vested in the Allied and Associated Powers will be greatly strengthened, and international lawyers may quote it as a precedent.
On the other hand, the most authoritative view, which coincides very closely with the whole purpose of the mandatory system. is that sovereignty is vested in the League of Nations, for which various mandataries hold territories on trust.
The "Manchester Guardian" points out further that certainly, no mandatory Power can either annex or transfer its mandates without the full consent of the League Council It is, therefore, imperative that the Council, at its next meeting in January, make some declaration on the Japanese decision to withdraw from non-political activities in the League of Nations, with which, as ihe "Manchester Guardian" shows, this question is bound up.
Under the Versailles Treaty, Japan was appointed mandatory to three groups of, Pacifc Islands—the Marianne (or Ladrone), the Caroline and the Marshall Islands—
Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.