The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-10
Topeka Man Held Many I'M
pOrtant Positions in Guam.
He Was Judge, General, Editor,
Governors Secretary.
FAILED IN ONLY ONE JOB
That Was in Trying to Grow
Potatoes in Guam Soil.
Island Is COcOanut Oil Fountain
for United States.

Acting as the head of seven differ
ent departments of the United States
government in less than two years or
service is only part of the experience
of Lieutenant Commander NJ. G. Cook,
US. navy, formerly of Topeka, now
on a visit here, during his stay on
the island of Guam. Cook went to
Guam in March, 1915, as secretary to
the governor. Upon his arrival he
was made superintendent of public
works He served in this capacity
along with that of secretary to the
governor for five months. Then he
became superintendent of public IN
structiOn and associate justice OF the
court He held these positions until
six months before he left the island
in December. 1916,-when he was APP
pointed attorney general. At one time
he was chief justice and before be-
coming attorney general he was lieu
tenant governor of the island. Then,
in addition to all this. a month after
he received his appointment to Guam,
he established an official governmental
paper The News Letter, which he
edited and printed until he left for
United States.
Potato Experience.
The other part of my experience"
he said, lis the notgrowing of pota-
lasts from May to October. I would try
to convince myself that potatoes would
grow there. | even went so far as
to have my friends in United States
send me some fine tubers and then
cut them up with two eyes to the seed
and then with three eyes and towards
she end o. the season l planted Whole
potatoes, just covered with eyes,
specks and everything that a good
healthy Patrick potato should have.
l even turned them on end and per-
formed regular funeral ceremony
All this worry and the only result
was that l had Potato Bug Potato
King and potato everything shouted
at me every time L came in sight of
an American. But, anyway, 1 learned
that potatoes would not grow in
Guam"
However, Guam is not so overbear-
ing in all lines. The little island is
furnishing United States with cocoanut
oil which is used as a substitute for
glycerine in the manufacture of ex-
plosives Before the war scare in the
United states came, this oil was sell
ing Tor nearly nothing and now the
chamOrro' farmer is getting rich
with the price climbing past cents a
pound, This is the only export of the
little island. Their chief crop for
home consumption is corn-''the good
old United States kind" Their i'm
ten bushel to the acre crop is a ''whop-
per-. OF course, one must take into
consideration the two crops year
which their climate permits The tenn
perature the year round never goes
below "A nor above so.
Under Navy Control.
The island itself enjoys the dis
tinction of being the only island pos
session of the United States under the
control of the navy department-the
other possessions being under the con-
troll of the army department. The gov
ernor is naval officer, designated by
the head of the navy department and
then appointed by the president of the
United States. He has two or three
naval officers and several marine Off
GERS on his staff and enjoys the power
of a king or a god. He is absolute
ruler of the land and is respected as
such by the natives. Guam has a nav
al garrison ana also a station ship,
L. S. S. Supply.
The island of Guam is the largest of
the Mariana archipelago and was ced-
ed to United States by Spain in 1898,
when the treaty of peace was signed
at Paris. 1t lies in a. direct line from
San Francisco to the southern part of
the PHILIPPINES 5.004 miles from limit